Who Is Ted Danson?

Ted Danson is an American actor. His birth name is Edward Bridge Danson III.

He is probably best known for portraying the character Sam Malone in 'Cheers' which ran for 12 years from 1982. During this time he won two Emmys and two Golden Globes for Best Actor in a Comedy.

He was brought up in Arizona, just outside Flagstaff. He attended Stanford Univeristy where he became interested in Drama. He then transferred to Carnegie-Mellon Univeristy in Pittsburgh.

After he graduated, he landed an understudy role in Tom Stoppard's off broadway production of "The Real Inspector Hound". Danson then moved to Los Angeles to  study at the Actors Institute where he also taught.

His career really began in television where he starred in soap opera 'Somerset' from 1975 - 1976. He also appeared in a number of television commercials and high profile programmes before landing his role in 'Cheers'.

Danson has also appeared in many films including 'Three Men and a Baby' and 'Saving Private Ryan'.

In the June 2006, he performed a new short play onstage in New York as part of Atlantic Theater Company's comissioned repertory named '10x20'.

Just to add a little tidbit:  One of the first roles in which Danson garnered attention was Lowenstein, the tap-dancing assistant D.A. in the movie BODY HEAT.

In the first episode of CHEERS, the folks at the bar were debating what was the sweatiest movie ever made.  One character suggested BODY HEAT, and the camera cut to Danson (as Sam Malone) smiling.

NIce little in-joke!