Nicholas Colasanto was an American actor and director born on January 19, 1924 in Providence, Rhode Island. He passed away due to a heart condition on February 12, 1985 in Studio City, California. He was most famous for as Coach Ernie in the sitcom Cheers, as well as having worked on various television series and movies. A veteran of World War II, he served in the Navy during the war and later worked as an oil company accountant during his civilian life. He was first inspired towards an acting career at the age of 28 by seeing Henry Fonda perform on Broadway. Colasanto later on appeared in films such as Fat City and Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull.

Ernie “Coach” Pantusso was played by Nicholas Colasanto in the award-winning television comedy series Cheers. Sam's former coach from the Boston Red Sox, he is rather forgetful and slow in his old age, but is constantly warm, caring and likeable. He worked as an assistant bartender for Sam, and provides a genial contrast to his sharper-tongued colleague Carla. Coach says that he got his moniker not because he used to coach, but because he didn't prefer to fly in first class. Other odd things he says include saying that he had another nickname, ‘Red,' which he got from having read a book. Coach eventually passes away, though he's frequently referenced and paid homage to throughout the rest of the series.



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