“George Wendt was as lovable as the character he played on Cheers. It was the perfect marriage of actor and character. George was a gentleman and a gentle man. Norm was America’s favorite barfly, and as the theme song said, everybody knew his name. And shouted it when he walked through the door. We were blessed to have him in our lives.

"For eleven years on 'Cheers,' we shared a stage, a lot of laughs and a front-row seat to one of television’s most beloved friendships," Ratzenberger said.

Sudeikis recalled the story in September 2017 while speaking to The A.V. Club on the red carpet of the “Second City’s Roast Of George Wendt” event he hosted in honor of his uncle, who died May 20 at age 76, NBC News has confirmed.

Late 'Cheers' actor George Wendt's legacy includes iconic TV moments and unforgettable stories with co-stars like Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, John Ratzenberger and Kirstie Alley.

In his Wednesday monologue, Jimmy Kimmel enjoyed the rare opportunity to deliver an inside scoop at Fox & Friends’ expense. “This is an exclusive,“ Kimmel bragged. ”This is an e-mail I obtained from a source.