Fred Dryer had an illustrious career as a football player with the NFL, starting in 166 games and recording 104 career sacks with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams. He also had a distinguished career as an actor, starring in the popular police drama series Hunter, portraying the title character Sgt. Rick Hunter. But I think I am always going to think of him as the biggest almost-casting-mistake in history. He was in fact a strong candidate to portray Sam Malone in one of my all-time favorite TV sitcoms Cheers. Thankfully, the role went to Ted Danson, who helped make the show what it was.
But that was not the extent of Fred Dryer’s involvement with Cheers. Perhaps as a consolation, he was given the role of Dave Richards, a former Red Sox teammate of Sam’s and current sports broadcaster for a local Boston news show. In all, he appeared on Cheers four times in all the obnoxiousness of his loud sports jacket.
So thanks to the Cheers connection, I was thrilled to get the chance to meet Fred Dryer when he appeared at the February 12, 2011, Hollywood Show in Burbank. He was there along with his Hunter co-star Stepfanie Kramer. However, since I wasn’t really a fan of the show, I did not interact with her. Although my friend Dick Bann was at the show as a guest of Fred Dryer, I didn’t know this until after I had paid the rather pricey amount of $30 for a signed photo and a picture with him.
But as he said on Cheers: “I make an ungodly amount of money and I know exactly how to use it.”
Celebrities of the Winter 2011 Hollywood Show will continue…
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