Since Ted Danson played the handsome, smooth-talking bartender on Cheers, his career has gone from strength to strength. As the show prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary, Danson sat down with ET's Kevin Frazier to reflect on this pivotal time in his career. Does he look back on this time fondly? Or is he looking to disassociate himself from this famous character which he played for over ten years? Here's what he had to say...
"Unbelievable. I remember being 35 when I started; that's always a nice kind of memory," Danson said in reference to the filming of the pilot episode. "My hair was brown, and I had a lot of it," he laughed. Reminiscing on how he got the iconic role, which significantly boosted his fan base, Ted thanked the show's creators for giving him a chance and teaching him the craft of television comedies. "I was so blessed. I got my introduction to this business with [Cheers creators] Jimmy Burrows and [Les Charles] and Glen Charles, who are like half-hour aristocrats. I mean, they were some of the best in the business, and that's how I got introduced to half-hour [television]."
As to who he credits his current success? Ted is adamant that if it weren't for Cheers, he wouldn't be where he is today. "The reason why we're talking, the reason why I'm sitting next to [Mr. Mayor co-star] Holly [Hunter] is because of Cheers. Everything I do is because of the popularity of that show," he insisted. Danson went on to reveal that, just like the fans, he continues to watch the sitcom to this day. "It still makes me laugh when I watch sometimes. It's funny, and it's great to see my friends, and they make me laugh."
Sponsored
Today, Ted stars in the hilarious sitcom Mr. Mayor, which is gearing up for its season two release. Acting alongside his costar Holly Hunter, Danson plays Neil Bremer, a wealthy businessman turned mayor who is constantly challenged by Arpi Meskimen, played by Hunter. "There's a lot of jealousy, there's some romance, but there's a lot of friction involved," Danson teased about the new season. With his latest show, the sitcom comedic legend shows us he's still got what it takes to get us laughing and reminds us how big of a star he really is. Mr. Mayor season two will be released on March 15 on NBC.
