Set in a cozy Boston bar where “everybody knows your name,” the show quickly became a staple of American television, bringing a mix of humor, heart and unforgettable characters into millions of homes each week.
Cheers ran on NBC from September 30, 1982 until May 20, 1993 — that’s 11 seasons, and a total of 275 half-hour episodes. While during the first season, the show was anything but a hit (ranking #74 out of 77 shows), the network gave it a chance, and Cheers thrived, winning 28 Primetime Emmy Awards (from 111 nominations), and six Golden Globes (out of 31 noms).
The charm of Cheers lay in its simplicity. The show’s creators built a world where the everyday lives of bar regulars and staff were filled with witty banter, personal drama and the kind of camaraderie you’d expect from a place that feels like a second home. Sam Malone, Diane Chambers, Norm Peterson and Carla Tortelli became household names, each contributing their unique quirks to the ensemble cast that kept viewers coming back for more.
Another key element of Cheers was its ability to blend comedy with deeper, more poignant moments — exploring relationships, personal growth and the challenges of life, all within the confines of a neighborhood bar. The balance of lighthearted fun and meaningful storytelling is what made Cheers stand out in a crowded field of sitcoms.
Cheers also had a lasting impact on pop culture, with its iconic theme song, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” becoming instantly recognizable. The show’s influence is still felt today, with countless references in modern TV shows, movies and even commercials.
If you’re feeling nostalgic for “Cheers,” we’ve got you covered. Below, find the Cheers theme song video and opening credits, plus the song lyrics for “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” along with a little look back to the end of the show’s run in 1993.
End drawing near for ‘Cheers’
From The Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia) – March 31, 1993
It will be a bad day at Black Rock when the players on “Cheers” gather for the last time at Sam’s bar. The final episode of the Emmy-crunching series won’t air until May 20, but the cast will actually wind up their work on April 7.
With only four more episodes to go, faces are growing longer as the days grow shorter and the performers have already begun their goodbyes to the Boston tavern “where everybody knows your name.”
All of the players admit that they are a little numb at the prospect of not having to report to their favorite bar stool at Paramount on Monday morning.
“I can’t think about endings,” says Rhea Perlman, who has played the snippy Carla from the first telecast 11 years ago. “I would like not to do an ending,” she says. “I can’t even say goodbye. I freak out.”
The decision to pull the bar’s liquor license came from Ted Danson’s determination to quit the show and move on to other things. It was a difficult decision for awhile, he says.
“While I was listening to everyone else’s voice except my own. Once I had a conversation with myself, it was very easy to come to a decision.”
Danson, who has made some minor inroads in feature films like “Three Men and a Baby” and “Cousins,” says that everyone respected his right to make the decision.
“I don’t know that everyone agreed, but no one busted my chops.”
Danson says he’d thought about it in previous years, but never seriously. “I’ve always been, ‘Let’s do it one more year. Come on, guys.'”
His future will be fraught with risks, he admits. Although he has made movie ripples, they were not waves. And skipping from television to a feature film career has its built-in Claymore, as Tom Selleck can testify.
WATCH CHEERS: Get the show on DVD/BluRay or stream it now
The brainchild of brothers Les and Glen Charles, “Cheers” sprang nearly 20 years ago out of Les Charles’ experiences as a bartender at the Gay 90s in Redlands, Calif.
Charles had just graduated from the University in Redlands, and was substitute teaching when his brother (who is five years older) suggested they try their hand at TV writing.
The first script they sold was an episode for M*A*S*H.
“What I liked about the ambiance of a bar,” says the younger Charles, “is that people would come in and there was a lack of feeling about boundaries in a bar. People would say things off the top of their heads, especially to a bartender. And they didn’t have to drink a lot to do it.”
The last episode of “Cheers” will be an hour long. “But I don’t want the end of the show to be the end of the bar,” says Charles. “I’d like to go out with the impression that the bar goes on.”
It was time for the show to end, he says with a sigh. “It’s not that the stories weren’t good anymore. It’s just that we’re feeling that maybe we’re nearing the top of our curve. And we just don’t want to start down the other side.”
Cheers TV show credits and theme song
Cheers theme song lyrics
“Where Everybody Knows Your Name” song written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, sung by Gary Portnoy
Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
your name
You wanna go where people know
people are all the same
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name
Cheers! Main cast members
Ted Danson (Sam Malone)
Shelley Long (Diane Chambers)
Nicholas Colasanto (Ernie “Coach” Pantusso)
Rhea Perlman (Carla Tortelli)
George Wendt (Norm Peterson)
John Ratzenberger (Cliff Clavin)
Woody Harrelson (Woody Boyd)
Kelsey Grammer (Frasier Crane)
Kirstie Alley (Rebecca Howe)
Bebe Neuwirth (Lilith Sternin)
Some featured guest stars: Kate Mulgrew, Alex Trebek, Christopher Lloyd, Carol Kane, Arsenio Hall, Dick Cavett, Barbara Feldon, John Cleese, Emma Thompson, Robert Urich, Johnny Carson
