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

Before Jay Thomas got word that Eddie LeBec was being killed off, he actually thought the opposite was about to happen. He believed his character — Carla’s lovable, slightly clueless hockey-playing husband — was on the verge of becoming a permanent part of the Cheers family.

Instead, the call he received delivered the complete reverse: Eddie was being written out for good. The sudden shift blindsided Thomas, who had no idea the writers were planning a darkly comic exit. It was a classic Cheers curveball — funny on-screen, but a shock behind the scenes.