Illinois Hall of Fame: George Wendt

By Mark Rhoads

TV and film actor George Wendt played Norm Peterson in all 273 episodes of Cheers over 11 years from 1982 to 1993. Norm was from Boston but George is a died in the wool native of Illinois.  He invented a recurring character on Saturday Night Live who was one of the ultimate beer-guzzling fans of "da Bulls" and "da Bears."   He has played a wide variety of comic and serious roles from the voice of Garfield the cat to one of the jurors in a stage production of Twelve Angry Men.

George was born in Chicago on Oct. 17, 1948. He was raised in Illinois and attended public schools until boarding at Campion High School, a Jesuit school in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.  He attended Notre Dame University and another Jesuit school, Rockhurst College in Kansas City where he received a B.A. in Economics.  George was a member of the regular cast at Second City from 1974 to 1980. 

Click here for a complete list of George Wendt movies and TV shows.

By Mark Rhoads

TV and film actor George Wendt played Norm Peterson in all 273 episodes of Cheers over 11 years from 1982 to 1993. Norm was from Boston but George is a died in the wool native of Illinois.  He invented a recurring character on Saturday Night Live who was one of the ultimate beer-guzzling fans of "da Bulls" and "da Bears."   He has played a wide variety of comic and serious roles from the voice of Garfield the cat to one of the jurors in a stage production of Twelve Angry Men.

George was born in Chicago on Oct. 17, 1948. He was raised in Illinois and attended public schools until boarding at Campion High School, a Jesuit school in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.  He attended Notre Dame University and another Jesuit school, Rockhurst College in Kansas City where he received a B.A. in Economics.  George was a member of the regular cast at Second City from 1974 to 1980. 

Click here for a complete list of George Wendt movies and TV shows.