Ted Danson, TV Comedy Icon, Celebrates His Birthday

His characters have run a bar in Boston, attended to the ill, and made the afterlife a misery for a particular set of deplorables. And now, actor Ted Danson stands poised to celebrate a very special milestone.

Happy Birthday, Ted Danson!

And that’s because he was born on December 29, 1947, in San Diego, California, which means that this comedy maestro is turning 73 years old today! Danson began his acting career in 1975 with a small role on the NBC serial The Doctors.

Afterward, he joined the cast of yet another peacock network soap opera: Somerset. Following a year-long stint, he returned to Hope Memorial Hospital (the setting of The Doctors) in order to play yet another character; this time, it was Dr. Mitchell Pierson – the likeness to Dr. Chuck Weldon, Danson’s other part, was completely coincidental!

He subsequently worked as a commercial artist, becoming quite famous as the “Aramis Man,” and as a guest star on various primetime programs. Among the many he appeared on were Trapper John, M.D. (1979), Laverne & Shirley (1980), Benson (1981), and Magnum P.I. (1981).

In 1982, Danson was hired to portray Sam Malone, a womanizing retired baseball player and publican, on the NBC sitcom Cheers. The series, though ratings-challenged during its first year on air, wound up running a total of 11 seasons, and netting him two Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes.

Danson would go on to star in two more acclaimed and popular TV comedies – Becker, which ran from 1998 to 2004, as well as The Good Place, which ran from 2016-2020, in which he played a demonic architect whose fascination with human maturation led him to side with the forces of good.

Among his other TV credits are the series Damages (2007-2010), Bored to Death (2009-2011), CSI (2011-2015), CSI: Cyber (2015-2016), and Fargo (2015).

Danson has also appeared in a plethora of films. Most notably are his starring roles in Three Men and a Baby (1987), its sequel, Three Men and a Little Lady (1990), Made in America (1993), and Saving Private Ryan (1998).

He is an avid environmentalist and ocean conservationist, and he is a co-founder of the American Oceans Campaigns, an organization that merged with Oceana in 2001. Danson hosted the TV series Challenge of the Seas and he has co-authored a book entitled, Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans And What We Can Do To Save Them.

The beloved star has been married to actress and frequent co-star Mary Steenburgen since October 7, 1995. He is also a father of four: daughters Kate (born December 24, 1979), and Alexis via his marriage to producer Cassandra “Casey” Coates, and two stepchildren – Lilly and Charlie – from his marriage to Steenburgen.

Entertainment Hub would like to wish Ted Danson a very happy birthday, and you can too by clicking on the Twitter link below.