Norm Peterson

Norm Peterson
Cheers character
Norm dipping a vegetable piece with beer in "Rat Girl" (episode 219, 1991)
First appearance	Cheers: "Give Me a Ring Sometime" (season 1, episode 1)
Last appearance	Frasier: "Cheerful Goodbyes" (season 9, episode 21)
Portrayed by	George Wendt
Information
Full name	Hilary Norman Peterson
Gender	Male
Occupation	Accountant, customer
Family	Mervyn Peterson (father)
Spouse(s)	Vera Peterson (née Kreitzer)
Relatives	Hilary Peterson (grandfather) Donna Kreitzer (sister-in-law)
Nationality	American

Hilary Norman Peterson is a character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by George Wendt. He is named Hilary after his grandfather.

Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers between 1982–1993 and was initially the only customer featured in the main cast, later joined by 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 (contrary to beliefs that Norm is one of the original characters). 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, 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 in a bar when Charles was its bartender during college.

Meanwhile, Ratzenberger suggested to the producers that a know-it-all character should be added, resulting in Cliff Clavin.