Quote Originally Posted by Moodybluebird View Post
I used to love Cheers and Cliff Clavin was one of my favourite characters. Apparently John R approached the producers and asked them if they had a know-all character in the script. They thought it was a great idea and the rest us history.
True. He got wind of the show, saw the proposal and said that no bar in Boston would be credible without a barfly/know-it-all. Apparently, they are common. He basically created his own character, and the history of television comedy can be grateful that he did.

Another thing he told me I will always remember. During his 'Cheers' years, he said, he was inundated with fan mail, which he largely kept. In his retirement he would travel the country visiting, announced, the homes of those fans. "Hi, I'm John Ratzenberger. You sent me a letter." He got a big kick out of their reactions. Once, he said, he interrupted a man who was renovating his kitchen. He stayed two days with the family and helped him get the job done.

Lovely guy.