| Ernie "Coach" Pantusso | |
|---|---|
 Coach ruins the blender by mixing a recipe with the coconut cup in "Cliff's Rocky Moment" (episode 38, 1984) | |
| First appearance | Give Me a Ring Sometime (episode 1.01) |
| Last appearance | Rescue Me (episode 3.25) |
| Portrayed by | Nicholas Colasanto |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Baseball coach (retired) Assistant bartender (1982–1985) (until death) |
| Family | Two unnamed brothers Unnamed sister |
| Spouse | Angela (deceased) |
| Children | Lisa Pantusso (daughter) |
| Relatives | Joyce Pantusso (niece) Phyllis Pantusso (sister-in-law) |
Ernie Pantusso (or Pantuso[1][2]), commonly known as "Coach", is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Nicholas Colasanto from 1982 to 1985. Coach is Sam Malone's former baseball coach, who becomes a bartender at Cheers under Sam's ownership. He is not "worldly wise" but has some shred of wit. He had a daughter, Lisa, who appeared in the episode "Coach's Daughter", by his late wife, Angela.
While he last appeared in the cold opening of "Rescue Me",[3] Colasanto's last filmed appearance as Coach was in the episode "Cheerio, Cheers".[4] When Colasanto died in 1985, Coach was written out as deceased without cause of death stated. Woody Harrelson joined the cast as Woody Boyd, a pen pal of Coach's who would end up replacing him as a bartender at Cheers for the remainder of the series.
- ^ Mannix, Vin (May 20, 1992). "Ex-pope player finds decisions don't get easier". The News. Palm Beach County, Florida. p. 1-C. Retrieved January 16, 2015 – via Google News Archive.
[Ben] Ruby [...] learned from that silly song [that] the late Coach Ernie Pantuso used to sing on Cheers: It [Albania] borders on the Adriatic.
- ^ Lewis, John E; Stempel, Penny (c. 1998). Cult TV: The Comedies: The Ultimate Critical Guide. UK: Pavilion Books (previously published by Bay Books). pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-0-912333-65-6. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
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