Ted Danson revealed that the end of his hit NBC show “Cheers” paved the way for his romance with his wife of 28 years, Mary Steenburgen.
The 75-year-old actor played the lead character of Sam Malone in the long-running series, which aired from 1982 to 1993. On Friday, Danson reunited with co-stars George Wendt and John Ratzenberger and “Cheers” co-creators James Burrows, Les Charles and Glen Charles for a panel discussion about the show during the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas.
While discussing why “Cheers” ended after 11 seasons, Danson admitted that he was behind it. “In my defense, we’d all been talking for a couple of years [about ending the series],” the two-time Emmy Award winner said, according to People Magazine.
He then added, “Okay, sorry. It was me.”
The pair were reunited in 1994 when they co-starred as on-screen spouses in the adventure movie “Pontiac Moon.” By that time, both had ended their previous marriages.
Danson and his wife Cassandra Coates split in 1993 and Steenburgen divorced her husband Malcolm McDowell in 1990.
The hit sitcom ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty Images)
While working together on “Pontiac Moon,” the two struck up a friendship. “I wasn’t ready for anything like a relationship. We just kept working together and becoming better and better friends,” Steenburgen told People.
Steenburgen and Danson tied the knot in 1995 after co-starring in the adventure movie “Pontiac Moon.” (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
After they married, the couple went on to work together in the TV series “Gulliver’s Travels” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and the 2004 romantic comedy “It Must Be Love.”
“I want as long as possible in my life with Mary,” Danson told People. “I know it will have all of its hard parts, but I want to experience love in all those moments.”
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