India, May 21 -- George Wendt, the beloved actor who made beer-loving Norm Peterson a household name on the iconic sitcom Cheers, has passed away at the age of 76.

"George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him," a spokesperson said in a statement. "He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time."

The affable, beer-loving Norm was a regular at the Boston bar where everybody knew your name. From 1982 to 1993, he appeared in every single one of the show's 275 episodes, earning six straight Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

At the height of Cheers, he reportedly earned $200,000 per episode, which added up to...