| IMDbPro offers the latest entertainment industry news from the Hollywood Reporter. Sign-up for a two-week free trial today. Click here for a free trial! |
Frasier To Produce Cheers Reunion Of Sorts
8 March 2002 (StudioBriefing)
In an unusual backwards spin, four cast members of Cheers, which left the air in 1993 after 11 seasons, are due to reunite on Frasier in an upcoming episode, TV Guide Online reported Thursday. When it debuted as a Cheers spinoff in 1993, Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammer, saw the title character leave his stool at the Cheers bar in Boston and head for Seattle. According to TV Guide, the upcoming episode, titled "Cheerful Goodbyes," has Frasier returning to Boston to convince mailman Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) not to retire and move away, much to the dismay of Cheers waitress Carla (Rhea Perlman) and another regular at the bar, accountant Norm (George Wendt.)
Cheers Stars Cheer Settlement
19 June 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Paramount has settled a lawsuit brought against it by actors George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, who had claimed that their likenesses were used for two robots installed in a chain of Cheers "theme bars" operated at major airports by Host International. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Cliff And Norm Settle Over Robots
19 June 2001 (WENN)
Reuters reports George Wendt and John Ratzenberger have finally come to a settlement in their lawsuit over a couple of robots named Hank and Bob. The duo sued back in 1993 after Paramount, owner of the TV series Cheers, had licensed Cheers theme bars for airports that included animatronic robots based on their characters. Claiming that this violated a California law giving them the right to control the use of their likeness for profit, the duo stuck by their guns through 8 years of legal wrangling until bar operator Host International affirmed that a settlement had been reached last week, though details were not provided. A lawyer for the actors said a joint statement will be released soon. (This story was compiled by IMDb staff)
Cheers Stars Win A Round
3 October 2000 (StudioBriefing)
George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, who played Norm and Cliff on Cheers, will have their day before the bar as a result of a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to let stand an appellate court ruling reinstating their lawsuit against Paramount. At issue is the use of two talking robots in a chain of Cheers airport bars. Wendt and Ratzenberger claim that the robots commercially exploited their likenesses without their permission. Paramount claims that the robots, named "Bob" and "Hank, " do not resemble the actors.
Cliff And Norm Can Sue Cheers Says Supreme Court
3 October 2000 (WENN)
George Wendt and John Ratzenberger who played Norm and Cliff on "Cheers" (1982) are being allowed to sue the producers of the show. The US Supreme Court declined to review on Monday a dispute pitting the actors against the show's producers. The fight erupted over two robots, which were displayed at a chain of Cheers-themed airport bars, that the Cheers stars claim resemble them. But the justices let stand a ruling in California that reinstated the lawsuit by the actors after a federal judge in Los Angeles dismissed it. Wendt and Ratzenberger claimed their identities were commercially exploited without their permission by two life-size talking robots at a chain of Cheers-type airport bars.