Recently in seeing "Fairy Tales Can Come True" (episode # 3.4) 25 October 1984, I was stunned to see the woman playing "Tinker Bell/Sharon O' Hare" was none other than Bernadette Birkett, aka the voice of Vera, aka George Wendt's real-life wife. So we do get to see her after all! Obviously well before the running gag that Vera is never seen.

Actually.... I think the "we'll never see Vera" gag began in "Episode 7 - Friends, Romans, and Accountants"


Diane: Where's your wife?

Norm: She couldn't make it.

Diane: Why's that?

Norm: She didn't hear about it.






And so.... one of the greatest gags of the series run was born.

Vera was not as mythical as Maris is.

Did the studio audience ever see Vera when the series was filmed?

Originally posted by Brian
Did the studio audience ever see Vera when the series was filmed?

No, well possibly in the episode "thanksgiving orphans" she had to walk from off-stage to on-stage and she had a pie covering her face....now whether or not it was on when she was visible to the studio audience is unknown...unless you happened to be in the taping.

Well, that's what I'm trying to say with this post. Bernadette Birkett was seen in full view in living color in front of the stud. aud. for that Halloween episode.

Originally posted by McFly121
Well, that's what I'm trying to say with this post. Bernadette Birkett was seen in full view in living color in front of the stud. aud. for that Halloween episode.

well Bernadette Birkett.... George's wife. Not the character "Vera"

well, the audience didnt know that she would b vera in season 3. she wasnt heard/seen until...thanksgiving orphans, right? (season 5). after that, she was seen(heard)...in "Its a wonderful wife?" (a later season)

so i doubt any of the audience remembered from season 3 it was the person. during the warm up, im sure she was just introduced as "george wendt's wife"