CHEERS CURSE – DRAMEN AND DIDEN CAST CAST After the death of Wendt
Nicholas Colasanto, cherished for his role as coach Ernie Pantusso, died of a heart attack in his studio City, California, at home on 12 February 1985 at the age of 61.
Since the mid -seventies, Colasanto had been fighting heart disease, exacerbated a condition for his earlier struggle with alcoholism.
Although he became sober in 1976, his health fell steadily.
During the day Toast Season 3, Cast members noted his dramatic weight loss, but Colasanto kept the severity of his disease under wraps.
After he was admitted to the hospital for flowing build -up in his lungs just after Christmas 1984, doctors told him he shouldn’t go back to work.
After the death of Colasanto, his character, coach, was written off from the show as deceased, and Woody Boyd, played by Woody Harrelson, was brought in as his replacement.
Like a sincere tribute, the producers hung a photo of Geronimo – a lucky solution Colasanto in his dressing room – on the Toast Bar set.
The moving nod was quietly recognized in the serial final, when Malone (Danson) made the photo straight before he switched off the lights for the last time.
