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

Whenever Norm’s never-seen wife, Vera, was heard off-screen, her voice actually belonged to George Wendt’s real-life wife, Bernadette Birkett. It was a fun little inside joke the show slipped in, letting Vera exist in the world of Cheers without ever stepping into the bar.

Birkett’s voice appearances kept the running gag alive — Norm talking endlessly about a wife no one ever met — while quietly tying the character back to Wendt’s real home life. It added a quirky layer to a classic sitcom mystery and made Vera feel oddly real, even without a face.