George Wendt, best-known as the beer-loving patron of the titular bar in Cheers, has passed away.

Wendt got his start in Chicago's Second City comedy ensemble, where he began by sweeping the floors. During his time in Second City, he met his wife, who he married in 1978.

He went on to have a small role in the 1980 film My Bodyguard. He also made several guest appearances on TV shows, including a memorable Halloween episode of M*A*S*H where he got a pool ball lodged in his mouth.

His most memorable role came in 1982, when he appeared as the beer-loving bar patron Norm on Cheers. Norm was one of three characters to appear in all 275 episodes of the series, along with Sam Malone and Carla Tortelli. The cries of "Norm!" that greeted him when he entered the bar became ingrained in pop culture, creating parodies and references in everything from The Simpsons to How I Met Your Mother to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Norm's wife, Vera, was always heard offscreen but never seen — except in the episode "Thanksgiving Orphans", where she is caught by a stray pie during a food fight, obscuring her face. Vera's voice was provided by none other than Wendt's real-life wife, Bernadette Birkett!

Wendt hosted Saturday Night Live twice, but may be best remembered on the show from his other appearances as one of the Chicago "Superfans" along with Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Robert Smigel, and Joe Mantegna. As a Chicago native and lifelong fan of the Chicago White Sox, Wendt was a natural fit with the group talking about "Daaaa bears".

In 1995, Wendt got his own show, titled The George Wendt Show. Unfortunately the series only aired six episodes before cancellation. However, he still appeared all over TV and movies. He guest-starred on shows like Columbo, The Simpsons, Frasier, and more. He had recurring roles on sitcoms The Naked Truth and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.

Wendt was also the uncle of fellow SNL actor, Jason Sudeikis, the son of one of Wendt's sisters.

Wendt said that fans of the show would often greet him with familiar calls of "Norm!" and rounds of beer, which he appreciated. 

“I’m a simple man, I don’t ask for much. Give me a nice comfortable chair, a cool breeze, a ballgame on the radio and an ice-cold beer, and I couldn’t be happier,” he wrote in his book Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer.

The actor was 76 years old.