Norm Peterson

Hilary Norman Peterson is a regular fictional character on the American television show Cheers. The character was portrayed by actor George Wendt and is named Hilary after his paternal grandfather.

Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers from 1982 to 1993 and was initially the only customer featured in the show's main cast, later joined by best friend Cliff Clavin, Frasier Crane, and Lilith Sternin. Along with Sam Malone and Carla Tortelli, Norm is one of only three characters to appear in every episode of Cheers. He also made one guest appearance each in the three other sitcoms set in the Cheers universe: the Frasier episode "Cheerful Goodbyes," the Wings episode "The Story of Joe" and the spin-off The Tortellis.

In the original script of the 1982 pilot, "Give Me a Ring Sometime," there was no Norm Peterson. George Wendt and John Ratzenberger auditioned for the same role, originally named George, and Wendt was hired for that role. George was Diane Chambers's first customer, appeared at the end of this episode, could not bear her long explanation of becoming a waitress, and had only one line consisting of one word: "Beer!" The writers expanded Wendt's role before the pilot was filmed, and the character evolved into Norm Peterson, the first onscreen customer to enter the bar and who "badgered Diane rather than the other way around." Show co-creator Les Charles stated that the character was based on a frequent customer he met while working as a bartender during college.