Ted Danson on 'Cheers' 40th Anniversary: 'Everything I Do Is Because of That Show's Popularity' (Exclusive)

Long before Mr. Mayor, The Good Place and Bored to Death, Ted Danson played Sam Malone, the charming, smooth-talking bartender on Cheers, the beloved sitcom about a bar where "everybody knows your name" that aired from 1982 to 1993.

Sept. 30, 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the show's debut, and Danson told ET's Kevin Frazier back in March that he can hardly believe it.

"Unbelievable. I remember being 35 when I started, that's always a nice kind of memory," Danson recalled of first portraying the heartthrob bartender, quipping, "My hair was brown, and I had a lot of it."

The 74-year-old actor said he has never forgotten where he came from or how he's managed so much success. "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]."

Forever grateful, Danson added, "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."

As for whether he goes back and watches the sitcom, Danson admitted to ET, "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."

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