Movies - TV
Playing Sam On Cheers Was Never Comfortable For Ted Danson
By MIKE SHUTT
Ted Danson's signature role as Sam Malone on the long-running hit sitcom "Cheers" was an uncomfortable experience because his character is nothing like the actor in real life.
As a character, Malone was known for being a bit of a ladies' man and a recovering alcoholic, and playing the character for 20 weeks a year proved very challenging for Danson.
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Ken Levine, a writer and producer of "Cheers," commented, "Ted felt very uncomfortable [...] playing Sam because he wasn't a lothario in real life."
Writer and producer Rob Long added, "If something felt weird to him, he'd [...] make a hand gesture suggesting it felt weird... If he couldn't make it work, then it didn't work."
Although Danson wasn't entirely comfortable playing Malone, he won two Emmys for his vulnerability and attention to the character, driving the show's successful 11-season run.