Two of the iconic actors from the hit TV show “Cheers” recently visited their old stomping ground just as the actual bar from their show goes up for auction.
Online bidding is underway for the bar ahead of live, in-person bidding next month. Almost 30 years after the last episode of “Cheers” hit the airwaves, George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, who played Norm and Cliff in the show, reunited, reminiscing on the good-old-days at the bar where everybody knew their name.
“It was fantastic, so great to see the bar,” Wendt said.
“I get a lot of letters to this day about ‘Thank you, we went through a bad time when my father was dying, and the only joy in his life was watching your show,’” Ratzenberger said. “So, it really does mean a lot, so to see this, it meant a lot.”
James Comisar, the current owner of the bar, said he worked for 20 years to get his hands on the piece of TV history.
Being able to now have a beer with some of his favorite TV stars, he said, has been a dream come true.
The bar features several autographs, including one from Ratzenberger, who carved his name into the wood decades ago. Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca, also left her name on the bar.
Speaking this week, Ratzenberger said seeing this and other historic sets brought back wonderful memories.
“Preserving this, and Archie Bunker’s set, that’s a big deal,” he said. “That’s a real big deal because all these things are part of our lives.”
Wendt said he still stays in touch with all his fellow cast members and enjoys getting together with members of the group.
“We catch each other in bits and pieces,” he said.
“It’s kind of hard,” he continued. “It’s like herding cats trying to get us all together.”
The “Cheers” bar is part of a larger group of items up for auction that also includes memorabilia from “The Tonight Show,” “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” as reported by the Associated Press.
The auction is set to end with live bidding in Dallas between June 2 and June 4.
Cheers premiered on TV in 1982, drawing inspiration from what was then known as the Bull & Finch Pub on Beacon Hill in Boston.
At last check this week, the highest bid for the bar was up to $100,000.
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