Cheers
(September 30, 1982 – May 20, 1993)

The New England Comedy Guide proudly pays tribute to one of the timeless icons of the sitcom world. Located at what was the Bull & Finch Pub in the Hampshire House at 84 Beacon Street, Cheers featured an ensemble cast in Boston going through a crazy set of adventures together.

Although filmed in Hollywood, California, for many across the country, the bar where everyone knows your name became their exposure to New England. From the Red Sox pitcher owning the bar, to having a Boston area mailman, to the upper-crust of New England society represented, a microcosm of New England was portrayed to the country.

For 11 seasons, Cheers often ruled the ratings. Though it took awhile for audiences to catch up with the critical acclaim, Cheers proved to be a huge part of the TV landscape. Dominating the Emmy's became a regular occurance and even cast changes didn't negatively impact the shows popularity.

Emmy awards went to multiple cast members including Kirstie Alley, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Shelley Long, Bebe Neuwirth and Rhea Perlman. Even John Cleese, from a guest appearance, won an Emmy for his appearance on the show. Cheers won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Show 4 out of its 11 years on the air.

Although the interior of the bar does not match the memories from the show (an island bar was better for the production, for example), the Cheers on Beacon Street is open to the public and fully embraces its position in the history of New England comedy .

More information on the history of improv is available on the Improv Miami website and information on the history of stand-up is available on our History of Stand-Up page.