Al is a recurring character on NBC series Cheers. He is portrayed by Al Rosen.
Character[]
Al was a frequently seen barfly through much of the series run. He was usually seen sitting at the back end, usually dressed in a suit or plaid blazer, and almost always with his trademark hat. In at least one episode he's seen with dark rimmed glasses ("Second Time Around"). He spoke with a gravelly old voice. Occasionally he was sitting in a table or booth.
Series arc[]
Al clearly thought himself the bar stud. In "The Groom Wore Clearasil", Woody takes a phone call for "The Outlaw of Love", and Al assumes it's for him. In "And God Created Woodman", Cliff is selling mail order shoes, and Al orders the "Playboy" model.
Though Al typically only had one or two lines in a show, usually the lines were memorable. He occasionally played a key part of an episode. In "Cheers: The Motion Picture", for instance, it was Al that saved Woody from having to return to Indiana.
Al's Credited Appearances[]
see uncredited appearances here: Al's Uncredited Appearances
S2E17-Fortune and Men's Weight
S2E19-Coach Buries a Grudge
S3E17-The Mail Goes to Jail
S3E18-Bar Bet
S3E19-Behind Every Great Man
S4E2-Woody Goes Belly Up
S4E12-Fools and Their Money
S4E15-The Triangle
S4E16-Cliffie's Big Score
S4E22-Diane Chambers Day
S5E14-Diamond Sam
S5E20-Dinner at Eight-ish
S5E22-The Godfather, Part III
S5E24-Cheers: The Motion Picture
S6E1-Home Is the Sailor
S6E12-Christmas Cheers
S6E14-And God Created Woodman
S6E19-Airport V
S6E21-Our Hourly Bread
S6E23-Bar Wars
S6E24-The Big Kiss-Off
S6E25-Backseat Becky, Up Front
S7E1-How to Recede in Business
S7E6-Norm, Is That You?
S7E7-How to Win Friends and Electrocute People
S8E2-The Improbable Dream, Part 2
Appearances outside of Cheers[]
St. Elsewhere:S3E24-Cheers (1985) (Uncredited)
Trivia[]
- Al stopped appearing after the 8th season because the actor who played him, Al Rosen, died from cancer. No mention of what happened to Al was made on Cheers, but in a Season 9 episode of Frasier ("Cheerful Goodbyes ") it was mentioned that he had died 14 years prior, which was technically a goof as that puts death as 1988, whereas "Al" (Al Rosen) died in 1990. Though his last credited appearance was season 8, episode 2 which aired in September 1989, so they might have been implying the character died around that time within Cheers canon which is closer to 14 years. Season 9, episode 10 ("Norm and Cliff's Excellent Adventure ") is dedicated to Rosen with "to our friend Al Rosen" shown during the credits.