Nicholas Colasanto (January 19, 1924 - February 12, 1985) was an American actor, known primarily for his role as Coach Ernie Pantusso on the long-running sitcom Cheers. He also appeared in feature films which include Fat City, Family Plot, and Raging Bull.
A decorated veteran of World War II, he also directed various television series, such as Columbo, Starsky and Hutch and CHiPs. He attended Bryant University, now located in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Colasanto directed an episode of Columbo ("Swan Song") starring Johnny Cash as a murdering country and western singer. At one point during the episode, Cash's character refers to his (unseen) colleague "Nick Solacanto". This is an example of a Spoonerism.
Colasanto died of a heart ailment on February 12, 1985 at the age of 61, just as Cheers was achieving its greatest success. He was never replaced on Cheers. Instead Cheers hired Woody Harrelson to play the low IQ-ed Woody Boyd. After his death, his presence on the show was represented by the placing of a picture of Geronimo on the wall of the show's primary set. The photo had previously hung in Colasanto's dressing room and was said to hold a special meaning to the actor. The picture remained on the set for the rest of the series' run.
Coach died shortly after the filming of episode 22 ("Cheerio, Cheers") of season 3. However, he appears (albeit rarely) in episodes following this and in the title credits up to the final episode of season 3. This was achieved by using outtakes from previous episodes.
Eight years after Colasanto's death, the show offered a subtle but important nod to him in its final scene: star Ted Danson walks up to and straightens the Geronimo picture before walking off stage for the last time.
Nicholas Colasanto, the actor and television director who achieved his greatest success as "Coach" on the TV series "Cheers" at the end of his career, was born January 19, 1924 in Providence, Rhode Island, one of seven children. He attended Providence's Central High School but did not graduate due to World War II, as he joined the Navy. After being discharged at the end of the war, Colasanto returned to Little Rhody and finished his high school education, then went on to Bryant College, earning money for tuition and board by working construction jobs. He worked as an accountant for an oil company after graduating from Bryant in 1949. At the age of 28, he saw Henry Fonda perform on Broadway and was infected by the acting bug. He joined a theater company in Phoenix, Arizona before moving back to New York, where he performed in off-Broadway productions and appeared in TV commercials. He relocated to Hollywood In 1965 and began to appear on TV, were he also made his mark as a TV director. Eventually, he directed over 100 episodes of series TV in the 1960s and 70s, including episodes of "Bonanza," "Columbo," "S.W.A.T.," and "Starsky and Hutch." His two most memorable film roles were the the boxing manager in John Huston (I)'s "Fat City" (1972) and the mob boss in Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" (1980). Colasanto was primarily a dramatic actor but the producers of the TV comedy "Cheers" cast him as Ernie "Coach" Pantusso, the absent-minded and dumb but lovable bartender. The role made him famous and he earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series each of the three years that he appeared on the show. Sadly, at the height of his fame, he died from a heart ailment at his home on February 15th, 1985. Much beloved by the cast, the picture of the Apache warrior Geronimo that Colasanto had kept in his dressing room as a good luck charm was hung on the wall of the primary set of "Cheers." The picture of was not only a tribute to "Nicky," as he was known to his friends and co-workers, but was a reminder that "Coach" was still around. On the final episode of "Cheers," eight years after his death, Nicky Colasanto was acknowledged when series star Ted Danson, in the final scene, straightens the Geronimo picture before walking off stage for the last time.
