How Ted Danson Changed TV Through the Decades - Slideshow Celebrities

How Ted Danson Changed TV

At 69 the actor is still a star — and his work has made a difference

He Launched Must-See TV

By anchoring NBC’s Thursday night lineup, Cheers nurtured great comedies like The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, and Frasier. In this 1985 episode, Ted Danson is surrounded by fellow cast members. From left: Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd, Danson as Sam Malone, John Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin, Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli and George Wendt as Norm Peterson.

He Made Self-Parody Into Hip Comedy

Think Louis C.K. in Louie, Matt LeBlanc in Episodes and everyone — including Danson — in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Here he appeared with Larry David and Cheryl Hines.

He Sparked TV s Platinum Age

Danson starred in FX’s Damages, one of the first regular cable shows to challenge HBO with its dramatic excellence. He then kept police procedurals smart with two CSI shows.

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He s a Family Man

Danson and his wife, Mary Steenburgen, and children Kate and Charlie, attend the Snow Lodge x Eveleigh Host "The One I Love" party in Park City, Utah, in 2014.

He Helps Others

Danson is an active board member at Oceana. He attended the 2014 Oceana's SeaChange summer party in Laguna Beach, Calif. His organization has protected more than 1 million square miles of open sea.

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