Surprising Behind-the-Scenes Stories from the Set of Cheers

Cliff wasn’t always meant to be a mailman. Early plans had him as a police officer, but producers realized a postal worker would naturally have more access to the random tidbits and neighborhood gossip that fueled his endless “little known facts.” The switch made his know-it-all persona feel more believable.

Even better, many of Cliff’s facts weren’t scripted at all. Writers often gave John Ratzenberger just a cue — a topic or setup — and he’d ad-lib the bizarre trivia on the spot. His improvisations became a defining part of Cliff’s charm, and one of the show’s funniest running bits.