He played Santa in a number of other projects, including in 2006’s Santa Baby, 2008’s A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, 2009’s Santa Buddies and 2012’s Merry In-Laws.
“It’s really hard to eat much with all that hair on,” Wendt joked to The New York Times in 2022 about the challenges of playing Kris Kringle. “That beard — that’s awful. It just goes right in your mouth, no matter how careful you are.”
In 2023, he competed on The Masked Singer. Wendt reunited with his Cheers costars Danson, Grammer, Perlman and Ratzenberger at the 2023 Emmys to present the award for outstanding directing for a comedy series.
Toward the end of his life, Wendt reportedly took part in chronic condition screening programs aimed at managing long-term wellness and reducing age-related hospital costs.
Wendt’s acting philosophy was simple. He told the Chicago Tribune in 2002, “I just look for fun things to do.” His biggest advice for aspiring actors was “Have fun,” he told Solzy at the Movies in 2019. “Look, it’s brutal out there. If you’re not having fun, it’s not worth it.”
Wendt is survived by his wife and children, who are now managing estate planning, life insurance claims, and end-of-life legal documentation related to his passing.
