Ted Danson

Edward Bridge Danson III, born December 29, 1947, is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of lead character Sam Malone on the NBC sitcom Cheers, a role that brought him two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Over a career spanning television and film, Danson has starred in numerous comedy and drama series, earning widespread recognition and accolades including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the 2025 Carol Burnett Award.

Danson was born in San Diego to Edward Bridge Danson Jr., an archaeologist and museum curator, and Jessica Harriet MacMaster. Raised primarily in Flagstaff, Arizona, he attended the Kent School in Connecticut before enrolling at Stanford University, where he developed an interest in drama. Seeking a dedicated acting program, he transferred to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama in 1972.

Danson began his acting career in television soap operas, playing Tom Conway on Somerset from 1975 to 1976 and Dr. Mitchell Pierson on The Doctors in 1977. He also appeared in commercials and guest-starred on various series before making his feature film debut in the 1978 crime drama The Onion Field. He subsequently appeared in films such as Body Heat and Creepshow. In 1982, Danson secured his breakout role as bartender Sam Malone on Cheers. The hit series ran for eleven seasons through 1993, establishing him as a major television star and earning him eleven consecutive Emmy nominations for the role.

During and following his tenure on Cheers, Danson expanded his film credits with prominent roles in comedies such as Three Men and a Baby, Three Men and a Little Lady, Cousins, and Made in America, as well as dramas like Dad and Saving Private Ryan. In 1984, he earned a Golden Globe Award for his performance in the television movie Something About Amelia. After Cheers concluded, he starred as the title character in the CBS sitcom Becker from 1998 to 2004 and began playing a fictionalized version of himself on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Danson continued to earn acclaim with roles in dramatic and comedic television series. He received Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Arthur Frobisher in the legal drama Damages and later starred in HBO's Bored to Death and the second season of FX's Fargo. Danson also led the cast of CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as D.B. Russell, later reprising the character in CSI: Cyber. From 2016 to 2020, he starred as Michael on the NBC comedy The Good Place, receiving critical praise and additional award nominations. His later television credits include Mr. Mayor and the Netflix series A Man on the Inside.

Beyond acting, Danson is a prominent environmental activist focused on ocean conservation. A co-founder of the American Oceans Campaign, which later merged with Oceana, he serves on the organization's board and co-authored the 2011 book Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them. Danson has been married to actress Mary Steenburgen since 1995, following previous marriages to Randy Gosch and Cassandra Coates. In 2025, Danson and Steenburgen were presented with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.