Cheers' 30 Best Characters, Ranked

Forty years ago today, a snooty bookworm walked into a Boston bar... and TV was never the same.

On Sept. 30, 1982, a little show called Cheers premiered on NBC, and initially, the ratings were not great. But glowing reviews and early Emmy wins kept it on the air, and it managed to turn a loyal following into massive viewership, eventually becoming the top-rated show on TV. The action rarely strayed outside the confines of the titular bar owned by ex-ballplayer Sam Malone... but it didn't need to. The razor-sharp writing kept us happily entertained for 11 seasons, excelling both at witty wordplay and silly slapstick, and gave us a one-of-a-kind romance that left an indelible mark on television history.

So with Cheers turning 40 this week, we here at TVLine are celebrating by raising a glass to the many fascinating and hilarious characters who served up drinks and occupied barstools across the show's decade-plus run. We've tallied up the 30 greatest characters and ranked them, too, from memorable supporting turns to the bar's core clientele. So pour yourself a frosty mug of suds and join us as we look back on the very best characters Cheers had to offer. (And if we missed one of your favorites, feel free to jog our memories in the comments below.)

Contrary to the famous theme song, everybody may not have known these guys' names, but you probably recognize their faces, chiming in on the action with their slightly soused observations like the bar's very own Greek chorus. They were featured more prominently in the early seasons, but some stuck around until the very end. It wouldn't be Cheers without them.

Just think: If this foppish professor didn't dump Diane Chambers in the pilot, we'd never have a Cheers. So thanks, we guess, to this pseudo-intellectual jerk, whose betrayal led to a desperate Diane taking a waitress job at the bar... and the rest is sitcom history. Sumner did pop up a few more times and was indirectly responsible for Diane ditching Sam to pursue her dreams of becoming an author. So yeah, we still kinda hate the guy.

Before he was busting bad guys as NBC's Hunter, Fred Dryer played Sam's smarmy sportscaster pal — a guy so crude and misogynistic, he actually made Sam look gallant by comparison. The role of Dave was a consolation prize of sorts: Dryer was one of the finalists to play Sam Malone before Ted Danson landed the part.

There were more than a few pathetic lost causes taking up space on barstools around here, but none more pathetic than Paul, who was so hopeless that even Norm and Cliff looked down on him. Actor Paul Willson appeared in more than 50 episodes altogether — but honestly, Paul's severely limited charms didn't really justify all the screentime.

Played by future Orange Is the New Black standout Annie Golden, Margaret was a devoted mail carrier just weird enough to take a liking to Cliff. She only appeared in four episodes, but she made the most of them, with her awkward quirks meshing perfectly with Cliff's. We kinda wish she didn't have to run off to Canada, just so we could've seen more of her.

The first in a long line of very rich men Rebecca set her sights on, the suave corporate bigwig played by Tom Skeritt was pretty much oblivious to her advances — and good thing, because she really embarrassed herself a few times there. His presence did give us our first glimpse at Rebecca's softer, goofier side, but Cheers did the same basic story better later with Robin Colcord.

A background barfly that occasionally piped up with a punchline of his own, Phil was an elderly coot with huge glasses who essentially took over for Al as the bar's "funny old guy" in later seasons. He never quite hit the hilarious heights Al did, but he got off a few quality zingers in his day. Bonus points for the fact that he was played by Philip Perlman, aka Rhea Perlman's real-life father.

We never got to actually see Norm's wife — in her rare on-screen appearances, her face was always obscured or out of frame — but she was an integral part of the show, thanks to Norm's frequent complaints about the old ball and chain waiting for him back at home. Yes, she was the butt of many, many jokes, but it was also clear Norm truly loved Vera, which revealed a sweet side to the big oaf.

One of Carla's many romantic interests (and baby daddies), the superstitious hockey goalie played by Jay Thomas was an easy-going goof who did his best to cool off Carla's hotheaded temperament. They made a cute pair, but there weren't a ton of sparks, and Eddie never really meshed with the rest of the Cheers gang. He eventually met his end thanks to a runaway Zamboni, leaving Carla a single mom yet again.

The deranged maniac we know as "Andy Andy" made his debut in a classic Season 1 episode where Sam picked him at random to be a blind date for Diane... and it did not go well. (Typical line from Andy: "Do you ever dream you have claws?") He reappeared a number of times in later seasons to haunt Diane's dreams, and McGrath really nailed the delicate balance between anonymous schlub and dangerous weirdo.

"Woody! I'm going to steal your girlfriend!" With that teasing refrain, this obnoxious French lothario was a highlight of Cheers' later seasons, relentlessly flirting with Woody's beloved Kelly while pretending he's just kidding around. (Even Sam had to admit he was impressed.) Anthony Cistaro's cheerfully rude performance made such a big impression, we're actually surprised he only appeared in five episodes.

This pompous stuffed shirt became a constant thorn in Sam's side when he took over upstairs restaurant Melville's in Season 9, sniffing in disgust at the bar's low-class clientele while squeezing every last dollar of rent out of Sam's pocket. Their battles brought some fantastically frustrated performances out of Ted Danson, but we especially liked John's heated relationship with Carla, where they would ruthlessly insult each other... and then end up in bed together.

Rebecca's longest-lasting romance — though we still wouldn't call it successful — was with this ultra-wealthy British business mogul, with Roger Rees bringing a continental snootiness to the role. Rebecca's lovestruck devotion to him, despite his glaring flaws and dickish behavior, gave Kirstie Alley some of her best material, and Robin became a rival to Sam and the gang as well, blithely taunting them with his immense resources. He and John Allen Hill really should've been friends!

"Hi, gang at Cheers!" This bubbly airhead was the new wife of Carla's greasy ex-husband Nick, and as played by a breathy-voiced Jean Kasem, she was like a walking "dumb blonde" joke. She did occasionally show a little backbone, though, and even dumped Nick once or twice, with Nick trying to woo back Carla (and also Diane, if Carla said no). But they always ended up back in each other's arms — which meant everyone else could breathe a sigh of relief.

Boo, hiss! Sorry, we just involuntarily jeer when we see the owner of Cheers' hated rival Gary's Olde Towne Tavern. Gary was actually played by two different actors — Joel Polis and Robert Desiderio — but the smarm remained the same, with the Cheers gang fiercely competing against Gary's crew in bowling, basketball and mixing Bloody Marys... and yeah, usually losing. The "Bar Wars" episodes featuring their feud were an annual highlight, and Gary made a perfectly infuriating villain.

Before he presided over Night Court, Harry Anderson played this amiable con man, who always managed to swindle the bar patrons out of their hard-earned cash, even when they knew full well what he was up to. He did occasionally put his illicit skills to good use, though, helping out the Cheers folks when they faced an even more evil foe. Since Anderson was busy doing Night Court, Harry never overstayed his welcome... though Sam and the gang might disagree with that.

Years before she played another all-time great TV mom on Sex and the City, Frances Sternhagen was terrific as Cliff's doting mom — and roommate. She was just as dorky as Cliff, a Jeopardy! fan who rattled off pointless trivia, and she clearly loved her son... even if she could've cut those apron strings a little earlier. We marveled at what an oddball Cliff Clavin was, but once we met his mom, it all kind of made sense.

Oh, sweet, dumb Kelly. Woody's girlfriend and eventual wife, played by Jackie Swanson, came from a filthy rich family and was painfully unaware of how anyone could survive on less than seven figures a year. But she was always kind and gentle, and her rich-girl naiveté matched up perfectly with Woody's farm-boy innocence. We were happy to see those two tie the knot... although we certainly hope they're not home-schooling their kids.

The shining star among Cheers' anonymous barflies was this delightful old codger played by Al Rosen, who stole many a scene by throwing out an off-color punchline in his distinctive sandpaper growl. He could offer unexpected wisdom at times, too, like when he convinced Woody's dad to let the Indiana kid stay in Boston. Rosen passed away in 1990, midway through the series run, and no one else could really replicate the unique comedic chaos he brought to the bar.

Very few TV cast transitions were as smooth as the switch from Coach to Woody: In the wake of costar Nicholas Colasanto's passing, Woody Harrelson stepped in to play an equally lame-brained bartender in Season 4, and the hit sitcom didn't miss a beat. Woody Boyd was a lovable lunkhead, one of the greatest in TV history, and his sweet nature was infectious, even making hard-hearted cynics like Carla soften a bit. Harrelson was enormously charming in the role, with a gift for precise comedic timing, and he brought a youthful spark to the bar that reinvigorated the series.

Replacing Shelley Long midway through the series run was an almost impossible task, but Kirstie Alley actually pulled it off, creating a chaotic whirlwind of a character who became just as indispensable to the bar as Diane was. At first, Rebecca was a corporate ladder-climbing ice queen, but once Alley tapped into her neurotic, love-starved side, she blossomed, revealing a knack for physical comedy and becoming maybe the biggest weirdo in a bar full of weirdos. There is a clear divide between "Diane episodes" and "Rebecca episodes," and though we still prefer the Diane years, the Rebecca years might be even funnier, thanks to Alley's fantastically unhinged work.

This may seem like lofty placement for a character who only appeared in a grand total of six (!) episodes — but honestly, who in sitcom history has done more with less screentime than Nick Tortelli? Every time this shameless sleazeball oozed into Cheers, it was an event, and each venomous battle with ex-wife Carla was like a clash of the titans. Nick was a boorish serial liar and cheater with the manners of a caveman, so it's a huge credit to Dan Hedaya's gloriously grimy performance that we still loved seeing him. (Plus, his empty-headed trophy wife Loretta was always good for a few laughs.) NBC even tried to give Nick and Loretta their own spinoff, The Tortellis, but it bombed after one season, proving that Nick Tortelli was best when served in small doses — perfect, in fact.

Yes, Woody Boyd made a fine replacement for the doddering old barkeep played so warmly by Nicholas Colasanto — but really, there was no replacing Coach. A former baseball player who specialized in taking fastballs "right in the old melon," Coach was vastly ignorant and incredibly naïve, with his misunderstandings fueling some of Cheers' best early punchlines. But he was also kindhearted and caring, acting as a father figure to Sam, Diane and company, and the paternal sweetness he brought to those first three golden seasons is something that no one could ever really replace.

This might seem a bit low for Cheers' main character, but that just speaks to how deep with quality characters this show's lineup ran. The truth is, we love Sam, the ultimate '80s bachelor who used the bar as his romantic playground. He could've just been a chauvinist oaf — and honestly, he was at times — but Ted Danson brought surprising nuance to the role, and Sam's opposites-attract romance with Diane revealed a softer side to the former jock... and created a sturdy formula for future TV romances to follow. In the Rebecca years, Sam's advancing age brought out a fresh vulnerability in him, and he always remained a consummate straight man among Cheers' band of crazies, with Danson employing some of the best sitcom reaction shots this side of Bea Arthur.

The surly barmaid played by Rhea Perlman wasn't too big on customer service: She loved to abuse customers and colleagues alike (Cliff, especially) while complaining about her lousy ex-husband and her brood of unruly kids. We wouldn't have wanted to sit in her section, but from afar, she was a nasty delight, with her acid-tongued insults propelling Perlman to four Emmys for best supporting actress in a comedy. (On second thought, we may have actually wanted to sit in her section just to be heckled, like going to a Don Rickles show.) She even occasionally dropped the tough guy act and shared her insecurities with her friends at the bar... before quickly regaining her senses and mocking whoever was in her path.

He joined the show as a stuffy love interest of Diane's in Season 3, but this pompous psychiatrist ended up sticking around until the series finale. With his intellectual musings and taste for high culture, Frasier was an unlikely addition to the Cheers crew, but his earnest desire to be "one of the guys" was downright endearing, and Kelsey Grammer's precisely calibrated performance ranged from witty sophistication to deranged lunacy. His passionate, contentious relationship with fellow shrink Lilith gave Cheers some of its biggest laughs, too. Frasier Crane was such a richly drawn character, in fact, that he got his own spinoff, Frasier, that ran 11 seasons of its own and very nearly matched its predecessor in quality.

Norm! This sedentary barfly was as much a fixture at Cheers as the brass bar railing and the photo of Geronimo. (Like, literally. The guy never left.) In between beers, Norm rattled off some of the best jokes the show ever had; his entrance lines alone, amplified by George Wendt's well-honed comedic timing, were the stuff of legend. (E.g. "It's a dog-eat-dog world, Sammy, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear.") His devotion to his beer, his barstool and avoiding his wife Vera became such a part of Cheers lore that, in later seasons, Wendt could get a huge laugh just from a look or a subtle change of expression. Norm made Cheers feel like home... mostly because he spent more time there than he ever spent at home.

Brrr... anyone else feel a chill in here? The relentlessly analytical, rarely smiling psychiatrist played by Bebe Neuwirth started out as an unlikely love interest of Frasier's, but soon became a full-fledged member of the gang — although at Cheers, she often seemed like an alien observing humans under a microscope. Neuwirth's mirthless deadpan delivery proved to be a treasure trove of laughs, but it was also lots of fun when Lilith let her hair down (literally) and showed a little passion... often directed at Sam's loins. Her volatile romance with Frasier eventually rivaled Sam and Diane as the show's best pairing, and she became one of the show's most reliable performers — and Neuwirth has a pair of Emmys to prove it.

An insufferable know-it-all with an endless supply of useless factoids, this overly dedicated mail carrier played by John Ratzenberger paved the way for hilariously infuriating characters like Dwight Schrute and Sheldon Cooper. Cliff was a lovable loser who still lived with his mother, constantly mocked by Carla and just about everybody else at the bar, and he was as fun to laugh at as he was to laugh with. The writers boldly took Cliff to some dark and unlikable places at times, and Ratzenberger's underrated comedic stylings made him and George Wendt's Norm an all-time great TV buddy duo. Cliff never won a thing in his life, but he gets pretty darn close to taking the top spot on our list.

Cheers chugged right along with Kirstie Alley's Rebecca after Shelley Long left the series following Season 5, but the essential heart of the series is in those first five seasons, thanks to Long's peerless portrayal of the brainy barmaid. An aspiring writer who often quoted famed authors, Diane stuck out like a sore thumb among Cheers' uncultured clientele and took a lot of abuse for it (mostly from Carla). But she also cleverly one-upped them a few times, happily getting down in the muck with them. Her insult wars with Carla were a joy to watch, as was her tender bond with Coach. But it was her rollercoaster romance with Sam that elevated Cheers to classic status and broke the mold for TV relationships, with Long and Ted Danson both at the absolute top of their games as they exchanged savage banter... and, yes, even slaps. Cheers was still a terrific sitcom in the Rebecca years, but with Diane, it was truly special — and that's why she tops this list.