Chicago native George Wendt, who played Norm on 'Cheers,' dies at 76

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Actor George Wendt has died at 76 years old, a family representative confirmed on Tuesday.

A family representative said Wendt, a Chicago native, died peacefully at his home.

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"Beloved actor and comedian, George Wendt, best known for starring in the NBC hit comedy 'Cheers,' has passed away. George's family confirmed the news of his death early Tuesday morning, announcing he died peacefully in his sleep while at home. George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. He will be missed forever," the family representative said in a statement.

Wendt's famed acting career started in earnest at Old Town's The Second City, where he performed from 1975 to 1980.

He was also involved in productions at other Chicago-area theaters, but it was his star turn on television that made him such a familiar face.

Wendt was known to a generation of TV viewers as Norm Peterson, the beer-drinking every man who appeared in all 235 episodes of the long-running NBC comedy series "Cheers." The iconic greeting "Norm!" became one of the great lines from TV.

"The 'Cheers' character was really just a character," said The Second City General Manager Jeremy Smith. "It was kind of a curmudgeon, like a loveable curmudgeon, and if you take away the curmudgeon part of it, and you keep the loveable part of it, that's the real George that we remember."

Borrowing from his improv roots, Wendt was a regular on "Saturday Night Live." He played the familiar character Bill Swerski, who, along with his super-fans, professed his love and devotion to, "Da Bears!" and "Da Bulls!" and of course, Coach Ditka.

And his accent was legit, because Wendt was born and raised in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood on the South Side.

In 2017, The Second City held a roast for Wendt, which was hosted by his nephew, actor Jason Sudeikis.

Wendt spoke with ABC7 in a self-deprecating fashion about being honored.

"It's not my cup of tea, but at the end of the day, you know, I'm just going to sit there, and that's kind of what I've done my whole career, and it's even what I do at home. I just sit there," Wendt said.

Always funny, Wendt performed over the years at theatres around the area. That included the Northlight Theatre in Skokie, where he performed stage productions as recently as 2015. Chicago remained close to his heart, even though he lived near Los Angeles.

Tributes to Wendt have been pouring in on Tuesday, with "Cheers" co-star John Ratzenberger writing, "He was a true craftsman - humble, hilarious, and full of heart."

Fellow Chicago-born actor Joe Mantegna wrote, "The Bears, the White Sox and The Fighting Irish now have their biggest fan cheering them on from heaven."

The White Sox issued a statement, saying, "For many, George Wendt embodied a generation of diehard Chicago sports fans through his work because he truly was one. His Beverly neighborhood-roots made him a White Sox fan, and while his incredibly successful career took him all over the world, his loyalty and ties to the city and the White Sox always remained strong. Our hearts go out to his family and fans. He will be missed."

And 32 years to the night, after the final episode of "Cheers," Ted Danson wrote, simply, "I love you, George."

ABC News contributed to this report.