Ted Danson is mourning the death of his longtime friend and former “Cheers” co-star George Wendt. For 11 seasons and more than 250 episodes, Wendt entertained fans of the NBC sitcom as the beer-loving Norm. While Norm sat at the same stool, Danson's Sam Malone poured him a cold one from just behind the bar.

Ted Danson is raising a glass to the one and only George Wendt. Hours after news of Wendt’s death at age 76 broke, the “Man on the Inside” star, 77, shared a heartfelt sentiment for his fallen co-star.

Jon Cryer, who starred in the 1984 film No Small Affair with Wendt, tells PEOPLE he "met George on one of my first movies and every day we shot together I kind of couldn’t believe it. That I was working with one of my favorite actors in television and he was just such an absolute prince."