Woody Boyd
Encyclopedia
Huckleberry Tiberius "Woody" Boyd is a lovable, albeit extremely naive and unsophisticated, character on the American television
show Cheers
, portrayed by Woody Harrelson
. Woody came to Cheers at the beginning of the fourth season of Cheers in 1985.
Woody appeared in 200 episodes of Cheers between 1985 and 1993. He also made a guest appearance on Frasier
in the episode "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" and on The Simpsons
episode "Fear of Flying
".
, where he was voted the smartest student in school. He and his childhood sweetheart, Beth Curtis, were also voted "Couple Most Likely to Explode," as they were both obese at the time. It was later revealed that they always ate, to excess, around one another due to their palpable sexual tension
.
Woody followed in Coach's
footsteps in many ways, failing to understand the most obvious jokes, concepts, and situations. Woody was essentially a straight man
for all of the other characters at Cheers, though his humor stemmed from his misunderstandings. Woody once told Dr. Crane he was the smartest man he knew, apart from Cliff Clavin
.
Woody seemed to have an off-center mentality, misunderstanding others' comments much as Coach had done. For example, when Bill Medley
of the Righteous Brothers appears and starts singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", Woody asks him, "How come you changed your name from Righteous?"
Woody arrived at Cheers expecting to meet his "pen pal" Coach, with whom he exchanged pens instead of letters. Upon learning of Coach's death, he filled the open bartender position, and was quickly accepted by the staff and regulars. He also developed a "big brother/little brother" relationship with Sam Malone
, the owner of Cheers. In the coming years, he filled the void left by Coach and eventually married the wealthy Kelly Gaines
(Jackie Swanson
), overcoming her father's objections to Woody's lowly station in life.
In the final season, Frasier Crane
orchestrated an experiment that went awry and resulted in Woody's election to the Boston City Council. He and Kelly were expecting their first child when Cheers ended. Frasier extrapolates on Woody's interest in a political career to the point that Woody becomes President of the United States
and shows his displeasure with another country by using "The Bomb" (illustrated twice in Frasier's imagination as a mushroom cloud
).
In the series finale, Woody mentions his disdain for "Huckleberry", the name his family calls him by. Norm asks if Huckleberry is his family's nickname for him, to which Woody replies, "No, Woody is." Implying that Woody's actual name is, indeed, Huckleberry. Although, in an earlier episode in which Woody proposes to Kelly Gaines on the eve before she is set to leave to study in Europe for a year, Woody refers to himself as Woodrow Tiberius Boyd.
, the spin-off
show from Cheers, in which during a visit to Seattle he reconnected with Frasier Crane, who had since moved there from Boston. After a one-night reunion, the two began to spend a great deal of time with each other - which gradually turned into an ordeal for both, as they quickly realized they had moved on from their past and settled into new lives (with, ironically, neither man seeing the other's life as being particularly fulfilling). The two men decided to part company on good terms, after sharing a final drink with each other. Although not shown, this episode references Woody singing, "What Kind of Fool Am I?
"
In the episode, "The Show Where Sam Comes Back", it is revealed that Kelly and Woody's first child was a baby boy who is of normal intelligence.
Woody's political career was not mentioned in Frasier. It is implied (though not directly stated) that Woody has returned to work at Cheers.
According to Frasier in "Cheerful Goodbyes," at his going-away party at the bar, Woody grabbed onto his legs and begged him not to go.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
, portrayed by Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
. Woody came to Cheers at the beginning of the fourth season of Cheers in 1985.
Woody appeared in 200 episodes of Cheers between 1985 and 1993. He also made a guest appearance on Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
in the episode "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" and on The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)
"Fear of Flying" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons sixth season. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on December 18, 1994. In the episode, Homer is banned from Moe's Tavern and struggles to find a new bar. When he destroys a plane after being mistaken for a pilot at...
".
Biography
Woody was born on July 23 and hails from Hanover, IndianaHanover, Indiana
Hanover is a town in Hanover Township, Jefferson County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,546 at the 2010 census. Hanover is the home of Hanover College, a small Presbyterian liberal arts college. Hanover is also the home of Southwestern High School...
, where he was voted the smartest student in school. He and his childhood sweetheart, Beth Curtis, were also voted "Couple Most Likely to Explode," as they were both obese at the time. It was later revealed that they always ate, to excess, around one another due to their palpable sexual tension
Sexual tension
Sexual tension is a social phenomenon that occurs when two people interact and one or both feel sexual desire, but the consummation is postponed or never happens....
.
Woody followed in Coach's
Coach Ernie Pantusso
Ernie "Coach" Pantusso is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Nicholas Colasanto for the first three seasons.Coach appeared in 70 episodes of Cheers between 1982-1985.-Character overview:...
footsteps in many ways, failing to understand the most obvious jokes, concepts, and situations. Woody was essentially a straight man
Double act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
for all of the other characters at Cheers, though his humor stemmed from his misunderstandings. Woody once told Dr. Crane he was the smartest man he knew, apart from Cliff Clavin
Cliff Clavin
Clifford C. Clavin, Jr. is a character on the American television show Cheers, co-created and portrayed by John Ratzenberger.- Character history :...
.
Woody seemed to have an off-center mentality, misunderstanding others' comments much as Coach had done. For example, when Bill Medley
Bill Medley
William Thomas Medley is an American singer and songwriter, best known as one half of The Righteous Brothers....
of the Righteous Brothers appears and starts singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", Woody asks him, "How come you changed your name from Righteous?"
Woody arrived at Cheers expecting to meet his "pen pal" Coach, with whom he exchanged pens instead of letters. Upon learning of Coach's death, he filled the open bartender position, and was quickly accepted by the staff and regulars. He also developed a "big brother/little brother" relationship with Sam Malone
Sam Malone
Sam "Mayday" Malone is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Ted Danson. The central character of the series, Sam is a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball team who owns Cheers and tends bar there. He is a recovering alcoholic and...
, the owner of Cheers. In the coming years, he filled the void left by Coach and eventually married the wealthy Kelly Gaines
Kelly Gaines
Kelly Gaines Boyd is a character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Jackie Swanson. Kelly joined Cheers in the middle of the seventh season as Woody Boyd’s love interest. She appeared in 24 episodes....
(Jackie Swanson
Jackie Swanson
Jackie Swanson is an American actress. She is best known for her role on the American sitcom Cheers as Kelly Gaines, the rich and simple love interest of Woody Boyd.-Early life:...
), overcoming her father's objections to Woody's lowly station in life.
In the final season, Frasier Crane
Frasier Crane
Frasier W. Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Frasier and Cheers. He was played by Kelsey Grammer for 20 years, tying the record for the longest-running character on prime-time American television, which was set by James Arness, who played Marshal...
orchestrated an experiment that went awry and resulted in Woody's election to the Boston City Council. He and Kelly were expecting their first child when Cheers ended. Frasier extrapolates on Woody's interest in a political career to the point that Woody becomes President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and shows his displeasure with another country by using "The Bomb" (illustrated twice in Frasier's imagination as a mushroom cloud
Mushroom cloud
A mushroom cloud is a distinctive pyrocumulus mushroom-shaped cloud of condensed water vapor or debris resulting from a very large explosion. They are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions, but any sufficiently large blast will produce the same sort of effect. They can be caused by...
).
In the series finale, Woody mentions his disdain for "Huckleberry", the name his family calls him by. Norm asks if Huckleberry is his family's nickname for him, to which Woody replies, "No, Woody is." Implying that Woody's actual name is, indeed, Huckleberry. Although, in an earlier episode in which Woody proposes to Kelly Gaines on the eve before she is set to leave to study in Europe for a year, Woody refers to himself as Woodrow Tiberius Boyd.
Appearance on Frasier
Woody would later make an appearance on FrasierFrasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
, the spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
show from Cheers, in which during a visit to Seattle he reconnected with Frasier Crane, who had since moved there from Boston. After a one-night reunion, the two began to spend a great deal of time with each other - which gradually turned into an ordeal for both, as they quickly realized they had moved on from their past and settled into new lives (with, ironically, neither man seeing the other's life as being particularly fulfilling). The two men decided to part company on good terms, after sharing a final drink with each other. Although not shown, this episode references Woody singing, "What Kind of Fool Am I?
What Kind of Fool Am I?
"What Kind of Fool Am I?" is a popular song written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and published in 1962. It was introduced by Anthony Newley in the musical Stop The World - I Want To Get Off...
"
In the episode, "The Show Where Sam Comes Back", it is revealed that Kelly and Woody's first child was a baby boy who is of normal intelligence.
Woody's political career was not mentioned in Frasier. It is implied (though not directly stated) that Woody has returned to work at Cheers.
According to Frasier in "Cheerful Goodbyes," at his going-away party at the bar, Woody grabbed onto his legs and begged him not to go.