‘Cheers’: Ted Danson Once Said He Didn’t Really Get Sam Malone Until Season 3
The NBC comedy Cheers starred Ted Danson as Sam Malone for all 11 seasons. While the show lost cast members like Shelley Long, who left voluntarily, or Nicholas Colasanto who sadly died during the third season, they added cast members like Woody Harrelson, Kelsey Grammer, and Kirstie Alley. Meanwhile, it turns out Danson felt it took him three seasons to really get a handle on Sam.
The Los Angeles Times spoke with the cast of Cheers in 1993 ahead of the show’s series finale. Danson revealed why it took him so long to understand his character.
Ted Danson learned about sports while he starred in ‘Cheers’
Sam was a former relief pitcher who opened the bar. In fact, Danson competed with former athletes for the role, and they changed Sam from a linebacker to a pitcher when they cast Danson.
“I don’t think I really got Sam until about the third season,” Danson told the L.A. Times. “I didn’t have a clue about the arrogance of a relief pitcher. The amount of time I was on the air, you develop a kind of ‘What the hell. People are judging me, I might as well have fun’ kind-of-attitude when you are highly visible. So I think that kind of gave me the arrogance Sam has. It took me that long to figure that out.”
As long as he remembered the lines he was in good hands
Even if it took him three seasons to hone in on Sam’s personality, Danson trusted the writers of Cheers. Indeed, the writers were known for including highbrow dialogue that even the network didn’t always get.
The writing is really of a high level. We have never talked down to anyone. For some reason, the cast belongs together. It is really quite remarkable that they developed characters and hired actors where you can go to any character in the show to carry it. It is not always true about ensemble acting. I think that is why we are truly great. We are a great ensemble show. And we are funny. Plus, we have been around. I think there is an allegiance in any TV viewing world that just the fact that you count on someone being there at a certain time and count on them being funny. I think it makes you feel good.
Ted Danson, The L.A. Times, 5/16/93
Ted Danson didn’t watch ‘Cheers’ until it was over
When Cheers was on the air, TV seasons were much longer. Danson was filming 25 episodes a year, so he didn’t always have time to watch the hit show he was on.
“I must confess I haven’t seen a lot of the episodes,” Danson said. “It is strange and a little sad because for us to get the perspective on the show that you have, we will have to leave it. We will have to not be part of it any more to turn around and look at it. Part of me looks forward to being able to do that, to turn around and see what this is.”
