HomeStatisticsDirector/ProducerTed Danson Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics

Ted Danson Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics

Ted Danson Quick Info
Height 6 ft 2 in
Weight 78 kg
Date of Birth December 29, 1947
Zodiac Sign Capricorn
Spouse Mary Steenburgen

Ted Danson is an American actor and producer, best remembered for his 11-year-long stint as bartender Sam Malone on NBC’s Cheers from 1982 to 1993. Since then, he has continued the momentum and appeared on popular shows like Becker, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Damages, Fargo, and The Good Place. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Danson has received numerous Primetime Emmy Award nominations and established himself as a successful television actor. Additionally, he has received accolades for his efforts as an environmental activist and has published a book on the conservation of oceans in March 2011. He has more than 400k followers on his Instagram account.

Born Name

Edward Bridge Danson III

Nick Name

Ted Danson

Ted Danson attending a meet-and-greet at the Bryant Army Airfield in 2010
Ted Danson attending a meet-and-greet at the Bryant Army Airfield in 2010 (Maj. Guy Hayes / Wikimedia / Public Domain)

Sun Sign

Capricorn

Born Place

San Diego, California, United States

Residence

  • Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Chilmark, Massachusetts, United States

Nationality

American

 

Education

In 1961, Ted began studying at a prep school named Kent School in Connecticut and became a star player on the school’s basketball team.

He got enrolled at Stanford University to study drama but then shifted to Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania since it had a better acting program. In 1972, he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in drama.  

Occupation

Actor, Producer

Family

  • Father – Edward Bridge “Ned” Danson, Jr. (Archaeologist and Museum Director) (Died in November 2000)
  • Mother – Jessica Danson (née MacMaster) (Passed away from pneumonia in 2006)
  • Siblings – Jan Haury (née Jessica Ann Danson) (Older Sister)
  • Others – Edward Bridge Danson (Paternal Grandfather), Anna/Ann Louise Allen (Paternal Grandmother), James Eric MacMaster (Maternal Grandfather), Mary Lucile/Lucille Johnston (Maternal Grandmother), Jesse Bochco (Ex Son-in-law) (Ex-husband of daughter Kate Danson) (TV Director and Producer)

Manager

Ted is represented by –

  • Industry Entertainment Productions in California
  • California-based William Morris Endeavor

Build

Slim

Height

6 ft 2 in or 188 cm

His peak height was 6 ft 2½ in or 189 cm.

Weight

78 kg or 172 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Ted has dated –

  1. Randall Gosch (1969-1975) – Ted began dating actress Randall Gosch in 1969. The two got married a year later in August 1970. After 5 years of being together, they decided to split and got officially divorced in 1975.
  2. Cassandra Coates (1976-1993) – A year later, Ted met and fell in love with producer Cassandra Coates. Their wedding took place on July 30, 1977, and two years later, the couple was expecting their first child together. Unfortunately, Cassandra suffered a stroke while giving birth to daughter Kate Danson on December 24, 1979. Danson took a 6-month-long break from his growing career to focus on his wife’s recovery and to look after their newborn baby. A few years later, the couple also adopted a girl named Alexis Danson (b. 1985). Ted stood by his wife through, possibly, the worst phase of their lives and it seemed like the couple was meant to last. Therefore, it came as a shock when Ted fell head-over-heels in love with his co-star Whoopi Goldberg during the shoot of Made in America (1993). It was his affair that made him file for divorce in 1993 after more than 15 years of marriage. His second divorce became the most expensive divorce settlement of its time costing him $30 million.
  3. Whoopi Goldberg (1992-1993) – Danson first laid eyes on actress Whoopi Goldberg on  The Arsenio Hall Show, a late-night talk show in 1988. Reportedly, he described Whoopi as a sexy and funny woman and the two became friends thereafter. But, it was while shooting Made in America in April 1992, that their undeniable chemistry and attraction began blossoming into love. Although they seemed like an unlikely pair, their romance attracted substantial media attention and became a regular feature in gossip tabloids. However, all of a sudden things went south in October 1993, when Ted performed at the Friars Club Comedy Roast in honor of his girlfriend. His appearance in blackface with a monologue that used abundant racial slurs as well as stereotypes created a huge controversy and was considered highly offensive. Even though Goldberg came forward in defense of his sketch, Ted still suffered immense backlash and negative press for his appearance. In the end, the incident created a significant rift between Goldberg and Danson and they released official statements on November 5, 1993, announcing their split.
  4. Mary Steenburgen (1994-Present) – The next woman to come into Danson’s life was his co-star from the film Pontiac Moon, Mary Steenburgen. Both were experiencing personal difficulties during the film’s shooting in 1993, and so, they leaned on each other for support and fell for each other in the process. The couple began dating in February 1994 and decided to tie the knot on October 7, 1995. Their wedding, which took place at Martha’s Vineyard, saw a host of celebrities like Tom Hanks, Laura Dern, Woody Harrelson, and Bill and Hillary Clinton in attendance. Ted became stepfather to Mary’s kids, Lilly and Charlie, from her ex-husband, actor Malcolm McDowell. The couple is still going strong and seems to be as connected as ever.
Ted Danson supporting wife Mary Steenburgen as she receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2009
Ted Danson supporting wife Mary Steenburgen as she receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2009 (Angela George / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 3.0)

Race / Ethnicity

White

He is of English, German, Scottish, Northern Irish/Scots-Irish, and Irish descent.

Hair Color

Dark Brown

However, due to his advancing age, his hair has turned gray.

Eye Color

Blue

Sexual Orientation

Straight

Distinctive Features

  • Sharp jawline
  • Big Chin
  • Unequally formed chest muscles

Brand Endorsements

Ted has done endorsement work for the following brands –

  • Aramis colognes
  • Head & Shoulders
  • Encore Coffee
  • Colt 45 Malt Liquor (1978)
  • Heifer International (PSA) (2013)
  • Smirnoff Vodka (2017, 2018, 2019)
  • Cigna Health Insurance (2019)
  • Xfinity (2016)
  • Hulu (2015)
  • American Express (2016)
Actor Ted Danson attending the 42nd Emmy Awards in September 1990
Actor Ted Danson attending the 42nd Emmy Awards in September 1990 (Alan Light / Wikimedia / CC BY 2.0)

Best Known For

His breakthrough role as the womanizing bartender Sam Malone on NBC’s sitcom Cheers for which he received 2 Golden Globes and Primetime Emmy awards each

First Film

In 1979, Ted made his theatrical film debut as Det. Ian James Campbell in the Harold Becker-directed crime drama The Onion Field.

First TV Show

His first TV show appearance was in the NBC’s daytime drama series Somerset in 1975 where he played the contract player Tom Conway.

Personal Trainer

Ted is one of the few celebrities in Hollywood to have a thriving career. He has aged well with a surprisingly fit and agile body, all thanks to his personal trainer Flavio, with whom he trains at the Gold’s Gym in Los Angeles. Additionally, his love for outdoor activities like hiking and biking has helped him stay in shape.

Although he had tried to adopt a vegan lifestyle many times in the past, Danson found the diet to be too drastic for his choice. With time though, he found the pescetarian diet (which avoids all meat with the exception of fish) in combination with a gluten-free, plant-based diet to strike the right balance for him. According to Ted, he is “more of a vegetable, fruit, and fish kind of guy.”

A breakdown of his day-to-day diet is as follows –

  • Breakfast – Egg whites and spinach is how he likes to start his workdays. Though he will go for toasted homemade bread with jam and a cup of black coffee on his off days.
  • Lunch – While working on a set, he prefers to keep his mid-day meals light by opting for a salad with some fish or potatoes to keep his energy levels up.
  • Dinner – His dinner plate consists of collard greens and sweet potatoes or other vegetables plucked fresh from his garden.

Ted Danson Favorite Things

  • Food As A Kid – Club sandwich, shrimp cocktail, fried-bologna sandwiches
  • Comfort Food – Fresh almond butter and apples, bread and olive oil
  • Drink – Filthy Smirnoff No. 21 martini
  • Co-Star Kristen Bell
  • Showrunner – Michael Schur
  • Coast – Amalfi Coast
  • Fish – Salmon, Wild salmon, Tilapia

SourceHuffPost, Delish, Entertainment Weekly, YouTube

Ted Danson photographed with Alan Light at the 43rd Emmy Awards in August 1991
Ted Danson photographed with Alan Light at the 43rd Emmy Awards in August 1991 (Alan Light / Flickr / CC BY 2.0)

Ted Danson Facts

  1. Although Ted was born in San Diego, he grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona.
  2. Cheers, the famous show that launched his career, was listed in the “100 Greatest Shows of All Time” by Time Magazine.
  3. During the hit show’s 11-year run from 1982 to 1993, Danson was nominated every year for an Emmy award for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series” for playing the role of Sam Malone. He won the award twice in 1990 and 1993. Additionally, he received 9 Golden Globe nominations, winning 2 times for “Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy” in 1990 and 1991.
  4. He has appeared as the character Sam Malone on sitcoms other than Cheers. These include Frasier (a spin-off of Cheers) and The Simpsons.
  5. Similarly, his character D.B. Russell has appeared in 3 shows – CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2011 to 2015, CSI: Cyber from 2015 to 2016, and CSI: NY in 2013.
  6. Ted with wife Mary and a bevy of other TV and film stars have appeared in a music video for the Beastie Boys‘ 2011 single. The song Make Some Noise, which also mentions Ted in its lyrics, became their highest-charting musical number since 2004 hit single Ch-Check It Out.
  7. Danson has appeared alongside John Mahoney in 3 separate shows viz. Cheers, Frasier, and Becker.
  8. He and Cheers co-star Kelsey Grammer have acted together in other sitcoms such as Frasier, Gary the Rat (adult animated series), and Becker.
  9. He received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in California in 1999.
  10. Ted has a condition known as Poland syndrome. It is a birth defect that has resulted in the unequal development of his chest muscles.
  11. His keen interest in environmental issues from a young age helped him become actively involved in campaigning for the better treatment of oceans. He has since become a board member of Oceana, a non-profit dedicated to ocean conservation and its advocacy.
  12. He released his debut book, Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans And What We Can Do To Save Them in March 2011. Danson co-wrote the book along with journalist Michael D’Orso.
  13. He is close friends with former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton. His wife Mary has known the Clintons since Bill became the governor of Arkansas, which is her hometown.
  14. On July 31, 2010, he was a guest at their daughter Chelsea Clinton‘s wedding to investment banker Marc Mezvinsky in Rhinebeck, New York.
  15. He received an Honorary Doctorate degree from his alma mater Carnegie Mellon University in 2018.
  16. Follow Ted Danson on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Featured Image by Maj. Guy Hayes / Wikimedia / Public Domain

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