Vera Peterson

Cheers character


caption='Vera, hidden by pie.'
name=Vera Kreitzer Peterson
"Vera"
gender=Female
hair=Brown
eyes=Unknown
actor=Bernadette Birkette
role=Wife

Vera Kreitzer Peterson was an almost unseen character on the American television show "Cheers", who is the wife of popular Cheers patron Norm Peterson. She was voice acted by Bernadette Birkette (George Wendt's real-life wife.). When she is finally seen by the viewers in the episode “Thanksgiving Orphans”, her face is covered in a thrown pie. The only other time she is seen, viewers can see only her legs. Her voice, however, has been heard numerous times.

Vera is the brunt of many of Norm's jokes, Norm would frequently make comments and quirks about Vera, her apparent unattractiveness, and the lack of sex involved in their marriage; Vera was once caught on tape mocking Norm's sexual prowess, stating, "He's not exactly Don Juan. He's more like "Dawn of the Dead"." However, on private occasions, Norm would talk about how beautiful the ex-cheerleader was, and the lack of sex never seemed to bother Norm too much, for the act itself seemed to be one of his least favorite things, though it is possible Norm was lying. Norm has professed secretly an undying love for his wife, or defended her honor, explaining his jokes were for the benefit of the rest of the bar. There have been times when Norm was presented with the opportunity to take a mistress, but would ultimately turn them down, for he would realize that Vera is his one and only true love.

In one episode, Vera took a job at Melville's, which deeply disturbed Norm as an invasion of his private space.

Norm and Vera separated during the second season of "Cheers" but reconciled in the last episode of the season, which contrasted the romance between Sam and Diane, who enjoyed a romance then bitterly broke up in that last episode.

Kreitzer is not Vera's middle name, but her maiden name, which was revealed on the episode "The Two Faces of Norm". On that episode Norm invented a sadistic alter-ego named Anton Kreitzer in order to install fear into his slacker employees at his painting business. When asked how he came up with name, he said he used his wife's maiden name because it was the scariest name he could think of.