February 12th, 1985 - Nicholas Colssanto, actor (Coach-Cheers), dies at 61


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Coach was one of my all time favorite Sitcom characters. The perfect combination of naivete and heart. I don't think Cheers was ever the same without him. Ernie Pantusso was one of a kind! :rip: Nicholas Colassanto

What do you mean, "Died without a proper sendoff?"

That means the actors, characters and viewers never had a chance to say "Goodbye" to Coach . On M*A*S*H, there was an episode where Colonel Henry Blake went home, an episode where Radar told Hawkeye "Trapper John left", and episode where Frank Burns dropped out of sight and was reassigned to the United States, and an episode where Radar went home . On the M*A*S*H message board, everybody wishes there had been an episode where the main focus was Trapper John's chance to go home . Those "Goodbye" episodes mean a lot to the viewers .

Selma Diamond of Night Court and Dolph Sweet of Gimme a Break died at about the same time and each had an episode dedicated to them. Nicholas deserved as much.

I think it's tough when an actor dies before the character does. Maybe the Cheers team thought doing a show solely focused on Coach's passing would be too morbid or sad.

I understand fans who wish that they'd done an episode that focused on Coach's passing and showed the characters' reactions, but keep in mind that they were dealing with the real-life loss of their colleague and friend and handled it their own way.

Coach's passing was acknowledged in the show -- they just didn't get into the details. I don't condemn them for the way they handled it.

I think it's tough when an actor dies before the character does. Maybe the Cheers team thought doing a show solely focused on Coach's passing would be too morbid or sad.

I understand fans who wish that they'd done an episode that focused on Coach's passing and showed the characters' reactions, but keep in mind that they were dealing with the real-life loss of their colleague and friend and handled it their own way.

Coach's passing was acknowledged in the show -- they just didn't get into the details. I don't condemn them for the way they handled it.
And neither do I.

I remember them doing a very short tribute to Nick before one of the episodes soon after he died. I was 7 years old at the time, so the details are a little fuzzy.

He didn't get a "proper sendoff" But they did leave the laugh track out of his last scene in respect, and put his picture on the bar wall.

In Woody's first episode, there was a nice moment where Diane mentions how sorry she was to hear about Coach passing away. You could see the tears welling up in her eyes when bringing it up and you could hear it in Ted's voice too the sadness. I almost cry there because you could tell how hard it was for them to address it. I think them putting up Nick's Geronimo portrait for the remainder of the series was just a great tribute, so symbolic.

In Woody's first episode, there was a nice moment where Diane mentions how sorry she was to hear about Coach passing away. You could see the tears welling up in her eyes when bringing it up and you could hear it in Ted's voice too the sadness. I almost cry there because you could tell how hard it was for them to address it. I think them putting up Nick's Geronimo portrait for the remainder of the series was just a great tribute, so symbolic.

I think that says it all, really. Very tastefully done.

I'm watching now 'Cheers' from the first time.
I'm now finished with season 3, and watching the first episode of season 4 I was a bit disappointed, and I entered here with the intention of start a thread about this thing, but I also understand that is a really difficult thing to do.

Anyway, :rip: Nicholas Colasanto

I remember them doing a very short tribute to Nick before one of the episodes soon after he died. I was 7 years old at the time, so the details are a little fuzzy.


I was about 7 at the time as well. I missed his character. I know the actor and Shelley had a bond.

It always astounds me to find that many people have become so attached to some of these fictional personalities and can identify with their values so greatly,they almost seem to feel as if they've been a real life close friend.Somewhere along THOSE lines,it is STILL an emotional moment for me whenever I catch the "M*A*S*H*" piece when Henry Blake's plane is shot down over the Sea of Japan on his way home to the states.THAT'S how highly definitive alot of writers were with this and other beloved "TV LAND" characterizations.The same way millions around the world felt at the instance of John Lennon's murder.Like you lost a dear,dear old confidant and pal.

It always astounds me to find that many people have become so attached to some of these fictional personalities and can identify with their values so greatly,they almost seem to feel as if they've been a real life close friend.Somewhere along THOSE lines,it is STILL an emotional moment for me whenever I catch the "M*A*S*H*" piece when Henry Blake's plane is shot down over the Sea of Japan on his way home to the states.

Good, I'm not the only one, then.

This is what I love about fanfiction because it gives writers the ability to write their own tributes to beloved actors/actresses, etc who have passed away. I'm going to watch that episode in question, because it sounds very poignant

One thing that amused me was that while Woody and Coach were pen pals, they exchanged pens in lieu of letters.

Does anyone know who Joseph Colasanto is? Is that his brother?

I agree with this. Sam tells Diane what Coach thought of heaven, and Diane says, "It's wise in its way." And that was perfect because it summed up Coach - all kinds of crazy ideas, but wise in his way.

I find most of the dealing-with-death episodes to be pretty poor. Henry's death on MASH was impactful the first time, but doesn't do well in reruns. I thought Barney Miller did very well, in stepping out of character and paying tribute to Jack Soo personally.

Disagree on Henry Blake -- it was something that was different at the time and wasn't your typical "Henry goes home" thing. The producers (Reynolds and Gelbart) said it was to show the reality of war -- that innocent people died in wars as well, but McLean Stevenson thought it was done so that he couldn't have ended up playing Henry Blake in a spinoff.

I just started watching Cheers on Me, and I love it. But now your telling me coach died! :( He's my all-time favorite sit com character! How did they ever replace him?

Woody Boyd ( Woody Harrelson ) and Coach were pen pals . After Coach died, Woody showed up at Cheers, and stayed on as Coach's replacement bartender . Woody was the same general type of character as Coach .

THEY REPLACED COACH WITH A NATURAL BORN KILLER?!?!

I mean . . . ahem . . . Woody Harrelson? Really?:confused:

THEY REPLACED COACH WITH A NATURAL BORN KILLER?!?!

I mean . . . ahem . . . Woody Harrelson? Really?:confused:

Woody started on Cheers 9 years before he did that movie. Besides, it was just a movie.

Woody started on Cheers 9 years before he did that movie. Besides, it was just a movie.

I think he was just joking around.

I think it's tough when an actor dies before the character does. Maybe the Cheers team thought doing a show solely focused on Coach's passing would be too morbid or sad.

I understand fans who wish that they'd done an episode that focused on Coach's passing and showed the characters' reactions, but keep in mind that they were dealing with the real-life loss of their colleague and friend and handled it their own way.

Coach's passing was acknowledged in the show -- they just didn't get into the details. I don't condemn them for the way they handled it.

Indeed, a true goodbye episode, IMHO, would have really been out of place, since the show's focus was more on irreverence, not sentimentality.

Indeed, a true goodbye episode, IMHO, would have really been out of place, since the show's focus was more on irreverence, not sentimentality.

They acknowledged Coach's passing in a more meaningful way -- the look on Sam's face when Diane offered her condolences was genuine and they had that photo of the Indian always up as a nod to Nicholas Colasanto. It stayed until the very end.

At least he was remembered.

A few people in this thread have referred to the picture of Geronimo . Nicholas Colasanto had a picture of the Apache warrior Geronimo in his dressing room for good luck . When he died, they hung this picture in the back wall of the set for a tribute and a reminder that "Coach" was still around . In the last few minutes of the last episode, Sam is seen knocking around his bar, and he straightens the picture of Geronimo before he walked off the stage for the last time . That was a tribute to Nicholas "Coach" Colasanto .

I'm currently watching Cheers and am amazed at what a good actor Nicholas Colasanto was. He played corny and heartfelt at the same time. So amazing.