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

In the earliest drafts of Cheers, Sam Malone wasn’t a former baseball pitcher — he was an ex–football player. The role was even shaped with NFL defensive end Fred Dryer in mind, and he nearly landed the part, opposite Julia Duffy as Diane. William Devane was also a major contender.

But once Ted Danson and Shelley Long auditioned together, their chemistry blew everyone else out of the water. After Danson was cast, the creators realized football didn’t quite fit his lean frame, so they rewrote Sam’s backstory to make him a retired Red Sox pitcher instead. A perfect pivot.