 |
Wood Harrelson played bartender Woody Boyd in "Cheers". Source: https://doyouremember.com/143515/woody-harrelson-career (May be subject to copyright) |
Yet that is exactly what happened to Woody Harrelson.
He has been nominated for Oscars and played a bevy of memorable characters, yet even today I sometimes have a tough time not seeing him as Woody Boyd, a bartender at “Cheers” who was originally from Indiana.
Tough act to follow
“Cheers” had become firmly planted as one of the top comedies of its time. Set in a bar in Boston called “Cheers”, the show centres around bartender and owner Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson, who is a retired baseball pitcher and womanizer. The rest of the cast is made up of rich characters who work there or hang out at the bar.
“Cheers” had become firmly planted as one of the top comedies of its time. Set in a bar in Boston called “Cheers”, the show centres around bartender and owner Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson, who is a retired baseball pitcher and womanizer. The rest of the cast is made up of rich characters who work there or hang out at the bar.
One of the most memorable characters was another bartender named Ernie Pantusso, but simply went by “Coach”. He was on the Red Sox the same time Sam was and was a dear friend to him. Coach was a bit dimwitted, but he also had this wisdom he brought to the bar.
He was played by Nicolas Colasanto, who died in 1985, before the start of the fourth season. That meant the show had to deal with his death on the show. So, sadly, Coach also died.
The fourth season began with the show dealing with Coach’s death, and introducing Woody Boyd. He was a new bartender who was dim witted and charming in his own way, played by a relatively unknown actor named Woody Harrelson.
“Cheers” and its denizens would never be the same.
Memories of Woody
Woody Harrelson would play Woody Boyd for the final eight seasons of “Cheers”. Through that time, I have some fond memories of him.
Woody Harrelson would play Woody Boyd for the final eight seasons of “Cheers”. Through that time, I have some fond memories of him.
Whenever Norm Peterson would enter the bar and everyone would chant “Norm!”, Woody would call him “Mr. Peterson”.
One time, they were talking about the “Far Side” cartoon, and Woody said, “I don’t get the ‘Far Side’.” Everyone just nodded then Frasier Crane started explaining that in the cartoon that day the cows were acting like people.
“I understand the ‘Far Side’ Mr. Crane,” Woody said. “I just don’t get it in any of the newspapers in Indiana.”
Frasier just nodded.
Soon, Woody met Kelly, the love of his life, and they would eventually marry. Kelly was as dim-witted as Woody, which played for a lot of laughs. When Woody gets invited to a birthday party for Kelly in an episode in 1989, Frasier suggested Woody give her a gift from the heart. Consequently, he he writes a song he performs for her at the party. He couldn’t think of anything to rhyme with “Kelly”, so he sang a song to her, accompanied on piano, where he just kept singing the same word over and over – Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly…
Then, after “Cheers” ended, Frasier got his own show. In one episode, Sam comes to visit Frasier in Seattle. Sam fills him in on what everyone back at Cheers is doing.
“Oh, Woody and Kelly had a baby,” Sam says.
Frasier smiles and says that’s great.
“Is he, is he, you know…”
“Oh no,” Sam replies. “He’s smart.”
Still my favourite line.
Harrelson would be nominated five times for Primetime Emmy Awards for the role of Woody Boyd in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991, winning for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1989. He reprised the role in “Frasier” in 1999 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
You oughta be in pictures
Harrelson had appeared in one motion picture before “Cheers”, as an extra in “Harper Valley PTA” in 1978. That was it. While he was working on “Cheers”, Harrelson got his next role in movies, and it would be his only role of the decade.
He appeared as a highschool quarterback in “Wildcats” in 1986, a movie starring Goldie Hawn who takes over coaching a bad highschool football team.
Harrelson had appeared in one motion picture before “Cheers”, as an extra in “Harper Valley PTA” in 1978. That was it. While he was working on “Cheers”, Harrelson got his next role in movies, and it would be his only role of the decade.
He appeared as a highschool quarterback in “Wildcats” in 1986, a movie starring Goldie Hawn who takes over coaching a bad highschool football team.
I saw “Wildcats” on VHS at my friend Mike Schaber’s birthday party on Nov. 15, 1986 in Coaldale. I remember that, because it is the same date as my brother’s birthday.
It may have been his only film role in the 1980s, but by the end of the 1990s, he was a bonified star.
The years after
Woody Harrelson has gone on to a stellar career, including three Oscar nominations and four Golden Globe nominations. Just some of the movies he has appeared in are “L.A. Story”; “Doc Hollywood”; “White Men Can’t Jump”; “Indecent Proposal”; “Natural Born Killers”; “The Cowboy Way”; “The People vs. Larry Flynt”; “Kingpin”; “Wag the Dog”; “Welcome to Sarajevo”; “The Thin Red Line”; “The Hunger Games” movies; “LBJ”; “War for the Planet of the Apes”; the “Venom” movies; and “Midway”.
Woody Harrelson has gone on to a stellar career, including three Oscar nominations and four Golden Globe nominations. Just some of the movies he has appeared in are “L.A. Story”; “Doc Hollywood”; “White Men Can’t Jump”; “Indecent Proposal”; “Natural Born Killers”; “The Cowboy Way”; “The People vs. Larry Flynt”; “Kingpin”; “Wag the Dog”; “Welcome to Sarajevo”; “The Thin Red Line”; “The Hunger Games” movies; “LBJ”; “War for the Planet of the Apes”; the “Venom” movies; and “Midway”.
Parting thoughts
We just saw Woody Harrelson in a funny and touching new movie called “Champions“ which, as expected, made me cry. Harrelson was excellent as a basketball coach sentenced to do community service coaching a team of players with intellectual disabilities.
We just saw Woody Harrelson in a funny and touching new movie called “Champions“ which, as expected, made me cry. Harrelson was excellent as a basketball coach sentenced to do community service coaching a team of players with intellectual disabilities.
Even as I watched, I found myself thinking, he sure has come a long way since those days serving drinks at “Cheers”.
Woody Harrelson is a talented versatile actor, and almost 40 years later, has the career to provide.
No comments:
Post a Comment