Jon Cryer, who starred in the 1984 film No Small Affair with Wendt, tells PEOPLE he "met George on one of my first movies and every day we shot together I kind of couldn’t believe it. That I was working with one of my favorite actors in television and he was just such an absolute prince."

Ted Danson is mourning the death of his longtime friend and former “Cheers” co-star George Wendt. For 11 seasons and more than 250 episodes, Wendt entertained fans of the NBC sitcom as the beer-loving Norm. While Norm sat at the same stool, Danson's Sam Malone poured him a cold one from just behind the bar.

Per Wendt’s family, the actor passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday morning. Hours later, Variety received statements from Danson, John Ratzenberger and Rhea Perlman about their late co-star. Danson, who played Sam Malone, owner of the Cheers bar and its main bartender, had this to say about Wendt: