George Wendt Net Worth

What was George Wendt's Net Worth and Salary?

George Wendt was an American actor and comedian who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death. George died on May 20, 2025, at the age of 76.

George Wendt became an icon thanks to his role as Norm Peterson in the TV sitcom "Cheers." George appeared in all 275 episodes of "Cheers" between 1982 and 1993. He won considerable acclaim for this performance, earning six consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Despite never winning an Emmy, Wendt's performance as Norm Peterson became one of the most beloved in television history. Fans often greeted him in public with a resounding "Norm!"—echoing the show's iconic barroom chant. His warm presence, dry wit, and blue-collar relatability made him a symbol of 1980s sitcom comfort.

Outside of television work, Wendt has appeared in films such as "Fletch," "Gung Ho," "Dreamscape," "House," "Forever Young," "Hostage for a Day," "Man of the House," and "Lakeboat."

Early Life

George Robert Wendt Jr. was born on October 17th, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised in the Chicago neighborhood of Beverly, Illinois, alongside eight siblings in a family with Irish and German heritage. His maternal grandfather, Tom Howard, was a famous photographer best known for secretly capturing the infamous 1928 image of murderer Ruth Snyder being executed in the electric chair—one of the most notorious tabloid photos in history.

One of George's six sisters, Kathryn, would go on to marry a man named Daniel Joseph Sudeikis. In 1975, Kathryn and Daniel welcomed their only child, a son they also named Daniel. Daniel would eventually go by his middle name, Jason. So, YES, Jason Sudeikis is George Wendt's nephew.

Although he was born in Chicago, he actually attended high school in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, Wendt attended the University of Notre Dame and received a 0.00 GPA during his first semester. This resulted in his immediate expulsion. However, George continued his post-secondary education at Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended class this time and eventually graduated with a B.A. in economics.

(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Turner)

Early Career

After leaving college, George Wendt became involved with The Second City, which is a comedy troupe based in Chicago. This group is famous for producing various well-known actors, and George joined them in the 70s. However, his first job wasn't all that glamorous, as he was tasked with sweeping the floors. During his time with Second City, Wendt met his future wife, Bernadette Birkett. She would later appear alongside George in several episodes of "Cheers." The couple went on to have three children together.

George Wendt eventually started acting professionally in the early 1980s with small roles in movies like "My Bodyguard." His early TV roles came with series like "Taxi," "Soap," and "M*A*S*H."

Cheers

George Wendt's true breakthrough came in 1982 when he booked the role of Norm Peterson in the series "Cheers." He would eventually appear in every single episode of the series, which spanned 275 episodes and ran until 1993. During this period, George was nominated for six Emmys but failed to win each time.

Cheers Salary

At the peak of his time on "Cheers," George Wendt earned $200 thousand per episode. That worked out to around $5 million per season. After adjusting for inflation, that's the same as earning around $10 million per year in today's money.

After Cheers

After "Cheers" finally came to a close, George explored a wide range of additional acting opportunities. During his time on the show, he had appeared on "Saturday Night Live." He also found time to appear in films such as "Never Say Die." From the early 90s onwards, he continued to appear on "SNL" from time to time. A notable appearance came with the British show "Oblomov," while he also appeared on the original British version of "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" In 1991, Wendt appeared in one of Michael Jackson's music videos. During this period, he also booked roles in movies like "Guilty by Suspicion" and "Forever Young," joining actors such as Robert De Niro and Mel Gibson.

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Although he was given his own show at one point, "The George Wendt Show" only lasted one year and was aired throughout 1995. That year, he also starred in one of the last episodes of the iconic TV show "Columbo." Throughout the 90s, George booked roles in shows like "Seinfeld." He also voiced his "Cheers" character in animated series like "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." During this period, he also appeared in shows like "Frasier" and "Becker."

Wendt's film career also advanced during the mid-90s. He joined Chevy Chase, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Farrah Fawcett in the 1994 film "Man of the House." In 1999, he played another notable role in the film "Outside Providence." During the late 90s, Wendt cultivated his on-stage career as well, booking a role in "Art," which was first staged in West London. He then continued to play the role during the play's Broadway run.

More music video appearances followed in the 2000s, and George continued to book roles in series like "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch." He also hosted a reality show called "House of Dreams" and joined the cast of "Modern Men." During this period, Wendt appeared on various talk shows, including "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Towards the latter part of the 2000s, George appeared in series like "Masters of Horror" and booked roles in movies like "Santa Baby." He also continued to book stage roles in plays like "Twelve Angry Men."

He also appeared in the British sitcom "The Green Green Grass" while also continuing his stage work with a Broadway production of the musical "Hairspray." In the sixth season of "Last Comic Standing," he joined fellow "Cheers" co-star John Ratzenberger. He later appeared in the 2008 horror movie "Bryan Loves You." Towards the end of the decade, Wendt collaborated heavily with Stephen Colbert.

During the 2010s, Wendt once again appeared in a production of "Hairspray" and played Santa Claus in the play "Elf: The Musical." In 2011, he appeared in the series "Hot in Cleveland." After a brief cameo in "Portlandia," Wendt joined his wife in another stage performance in Kansas. More stage performances followed before Wendt booked a role in the sitcom "Clipped." Yet another production of "Hairspray" soon followed in Baltimore before George played the iconic role of Willy Loman in a production of "Death of a Salesman" in Ontario, Canada, in 2017.

Brand Endorsements

In recent years, George Wendt has appeared in TV commercials for State Farm Insurance.

Personal Life and Legacy

George Wendt married actress Bernadette Birkett in 1978 after meeting her at Second City. The couple had three children together—Hilary, Joe, and Daniel—and George was also stepfather to Bernadette's two sons from a previous relationship. Fittingly, Birkett was the off-screen voice of Norm's never-seen wife, Vera, on Cheers.

George Wendt remained a Chicagoan at heart throughout his life—loyal to the city, its sports, its humor, and its working-class spirit. His decades-long career spanned sitcoms, films, voiceover work, Broadway, and beer commercials. He even co-wrote a book in 2009 titled "Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer," which reflected his love for life's simple pleasures.

Real Estate

In 1985, at the peak of "Cheers," George and Bernadette paid $335,000 for a home in Studio City, California. They remained in this home for the next four decades. At the time of George's death in 2025, the home was worth around $4 million.

Death

George died on May 20, 2025, at the age of 76.

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