Cheers: The Tortelli Tort

Air Date

Thursday October 14, 1982

Production Code

004

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  9.5 Superb

  Carla crosses horns with a fan of Boston's baseball archrivals. hide show

  Carla Tortelli probably doesn't spend a lot of time reading meditation books. Tortelli, a die-hard Red Sox loyalist, takes the law into her own hands after a Yankees fan comes into the bar and badgers Carla to the breaking point. The victim threatens a suit that could bring down the bar. Sam loves his friend but can't stand to lose the business. So as hard as it's going to be, Carla must learn anger management and somehow be able to say those two magic words.
  
  No, not "Take that!" More like, "I'm sorry."
  
  Rhea Perlman is hilarious and plays the character to the hilt--Carla will drive you crazy, but you can't stay mad at her. The guy who plays the Yankee fan fits well too. Plenty of funny scenes in this one.
  
  
  
  

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  Lokar Added Jan 25, 2006 All my reviews

• Guest Cast

  • Thomas Babson Customer #1
  • John Fiedler Fred
  • Rex Ryon Bruin
  • Paul Vaughn Customer #3
  • Richard McGonagle Customer #2
  • Stephen Keep Dr. Graham
  • Ron Karabatsos Ed Kellner

• Stars

  • Rhea Perlman Carla Lozupone Tortelli
  • John Ratzenberger Clifford C "Cliff" Clavin, Jr
  • Nicholas Colasanto Ernie "Coach" Pantusso
  • Shelley Long Diane Chambers
  • Ted Danson Sam "Mayday" Malone
  • George Wendt Hilary Norman "Norm" Peterson

• Directors

  • James Burrows Director

• Writers

  • Tom Reeder Writer
Episode Cast and Crew Details »

• It's not uncommon for patrons who are anxious to just hound any waiter or waitress. While that means it must be implied that the customer was a returning one, there's no reason to say they weren't. So, he probably knew Carla was a waitress, and just wanted his beer - or even just wanted to hound Carla personally. [edit]
• In this episode the Yankee fan states that the Yankees have won 23 World championships as where the truth is that the Yankees had won 22 at that point. [edit]
• In the 'Tortelli Tort' episode, in the very last scene of the show a customer yells to Carla "Where's the beer I ordered?" She subsequently throws a glass of beer to the back room from the bar area. Carla, however, had just arrived at the bar on her day off and hadn't even been to the back room. How could he have ordered a beer from her? [edit]

• TV Guide citation: In the October 9, 1982 issue of TV Guide, there is a feature article on Ted Danson with a behind the scenes view of one of the scenes from this episode.
  
  "So the next day on the set, Danson appeared more as a cheerleader than an athlete. While costar Shelley Long rehearsed a scene in which she threw a baseball, Danson, in a blue windbreaker, munched pretzels and gave encouragement, but no instruction. ("I never even played Little League," he said.) The script called for Long to throw at Nick Colasanto, who plays Danson's somewhat addled bartender and ex-coach, so that Colasanto could demonstrate his ability to let a pitched ball hit him. The veteran retreated offstage. ("Go ahead, throw. Try to miss me.") Danson, who had been tapping on the bar with a baseball, tossed it to Long. "Let her go," he said. Long cranked up and threw, but the ball bounced a few feet away, in plain view of the camera.
  "You can throw better than that," Danson said, and handed her the ball again. This time her effort carried out of camera range. There was a sound-effects thump offstage. Long, who had covered up her eyes, looked up in alarm. "You didn't see him catch it back there," Danson laughed. Colasanto emerged, triumphantly rubbing his head. "Right on the old melon," he said. Danson gave him a high-five handshake and a congratulatory pat on the fanny." [edit]
• TV Guide Citation: In the October 9, 1982 issue of TV Guide, Ted Danson is the subject of a feature article. This excerpt contains his early impressions of Sam Malone along with writer Edwin Kiester Jr.'s description of the new series.
  
  "As Sam Malone, he plays a former star relief pitcher and reformed alcoholic("I quit because of elbow trouble, I bent it too much.") who now operates a Boston bar. Into the bar comes blonde Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), an animated fugitive from the academic world who stays on to work as a waitress. The series is a comedy built around their deepening romance, but it's filled with poignant moments, as the former hero tries to cope with faded glory and the occasional temptations of the bottle. "True for him, true for me," Danson says, "We both have light sides to our lives, and dark sides, and they'll both be there. I think I express myself best in humor, but to play the other side of life with integrity excites me, too." [edit]
• NBC rebroadcast this episode on May 19, 1983. [edit]

• Ed: The Bruins are a bunch of sissies!!
  (Carla does not react)
  Ed: OK, Sam. I'm dropping the whole thing. Time I leave here anyway.
  Rex: Here, let me walk you to your car.
  Ed: Who are you?
  Rex: I'm a Bruin. [edit]
• Ed: (To Sam) How did it feel to come in with the bases loaded, and so were you?! [edit]
• Diane: Hi doctor.
  Dr. Graham: Hi Diane. How are you?
  Diane: In what sense?
  Dr. Graham: Pardon me.
  Diane: Oh you mean how are you, right. Not you know how are you. Well if that's what you meant, I'm fine. [edit]

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