Biography
Nicholas Colasanto, the actor and television director best known for his role as "Coach" on the TV series Cheers (1982) late in his career, was born on January 19, 1924, in Providence, Rhode Island, one of seven siblings. He attended Central High School in Providence but did not graduate initially due to World War II, during which he served in the Navy. After his discharge, Colasanto returned to Rhode Island to complete high school, then enrolled at Bryant College, supporting himself through construction work. Upon graduating in 1949, he worked as an accountant for an oil company.
At 28, after seeing Henry Fonda perform on Broadway, Colasanto developed a passion for acting. He joined a theater company in Phoenix, Arizona, then moved to New York City, where he acted in off-Broadway productions and appeared in TV commercials. In 1965, he relocated to Hollywood, where he began acting on television and also established himself as a TV director. Over the 1960s and 70s, he directed more than 100 TV episodes, including for Bonanza (1959), Columbo (1971), S.W.A.T. (1975), and Starsky and Hutch (1975). His notable film roles included the boxing manager in John Huston's Fat City (1972) and the mob boss in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980).
Although primarily a dramatic actor, Colasanto was cast by the producers of the comedy Cheers (1982) as Ernie "Coach" Pantusso, the lovable but absent-minded bartender. This role brought him fame and earned him three consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series during his tenure on the show.
Tragically, at the peak of his popularity, Colasanto passed away from a heart condition at his home on February 12, 1985. Cherished by the cast, a picture of the Apache warrior Geronimo, which Colasanto kept in his dressing room as a good luck charm, was placed on the wall of Cheers’ main set. This tribute honored "Nicky," as he was affectionately known, and served as a reminder that "Coach" remained present. In the series finale of Cheers, eight years after his death, Ted Danson's character acknowledged Colasanto by straightening the Geronimo picture before exiting the stage for the last time.
