Norm Peterson's Stool - On the sitcom CHEERS/NBC/1982-93 actor George Wendt played the role of a rotund bar patron named Norm Peterson who spent most of his time sitting on his favorite bar stool at Cheers, a local Boston tavern. Norm's stool was covered with red leather and rested on the opposite end of the bar. When Norm entered the establishment, all of the customers in the bar shouted in unison "Norm!" Then Norm and the bartender on duty exchanged  a friendly bit of banter. For instance, Woody says "How's it hanging, Mr. Peterson?" and Norm replies "Better when my butt is hanging off this bar stool with a beer in my hand." Once during a birthday party at Cheers for Dr. Crane's boy Frederick, Norm has a little encounter with a small dark-haired boy who takes up residence on his stool. An excerpt of the script follows:

Norm:	Like that stool?
Boy:	Yep.
Norm:	Drink pretty good there?
Boy:	Yep.
Norm:	Tell ya' what kiddo .. (Norm lifts him off stool) There you go, scoot. I wish someone would have done that for me when I was seven years old.

On the series finale Norm confesses to bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) that he loved "that" stool and upon his death, if that stool was not in Heaven, it just wouldn't be Heaven. And Norm further informed Sam that God better not be sitting on the stool when he gets there.

The stool and the bar used on the series is now housed at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles located one block east of La Brea Avenue in the Hollywood Galaxy complex. If you're in town from September through January during NFL season you can visit the museum's "Monday Night Football" party. Open to the public, the event gives visitors a chance to sit on Norm's stool (and other chairs in the establishment) while watching a football game with a crowd of enthusiastic football/Cheers fans. And, of course, there will be beer.  

The Cheers bar at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum

             

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