Nicholas Colasanto behind bars

Not a lot of good stuff on TV nowadays so it is nice to have an opportunity to re-visit the classic comedy from the past .

I have returned to my listening habits of the 1960's with the BBC 4 Extra broadcasts of The Navy Lark and early Steptoe and Son, the 1970's with Dad's Army and The Likely Lads and some great satirical humour from the most political of decades, the 1980's. You cannot however beat the visual entertainment of the episodes of Cheers currently on most early evenings on E4 and in particular the memorable quotes from Nicholas Colasanto who played Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso until his untimely death after only three seasons.

Here is a brief snap-shot of the impact lines of a great comedian.

Coach: "Yeah, a beautiful school teacher." Diane: "And Sam is her favorite?" Coach: "Well, I can't say that, but Sam's the only one I ever saw her kiss." Diane: "They kissed?!?" Coach: "Yeah, I saw them smooching in the parking lot. I was putting up a notice here on the bulletin board." Diane: "With probing tongues?" Coach: "No Diane, with a thumbtack and my thumb.

 Coach: "Damn this thing, I've been shivering all the way over here." Diane: "Well, Coach, you don't have a coat on, it's 30 degrees outside." Coach: "Oh, thank God, I thought I had malaria."

Diane: "Coach, what do you do when you are so furious you have to do something?" Coach: "Well, I know you'll think it's kinda crazy, but, I, uh, I bang my head on the bar." Diane: "Doesn't sound crazy to me, might do me lots of good right now." Coach: "Well, Ok" {Bangs head on bar} Diane: "No, no"

　
 Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: Norm. Normie, you want to hear a crazy, hopeless dream? I wanted to play baseball, and uh, maybe coach a little you know, and then afterward tend bar in a nice place. And look what happened to me?
Sam Malone: Coach, that's exactly what happened to you.
Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: Oh yeah. No wonder I'm such a happy guy.




 Cliff Clavin: When I was a lad, I went to see the movie Trapeze with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: No kidding Cliffy, did you sit between them?



 
 Diane: Excuse me. Where is your bathroom?
Coach: Uh, next to my bedroom.

Coach: [answers the ringing telephone] Cheers... Yeah, just a sec.
Coach: [to everyone in the bar] Is there an Ernie Pantusso here?
Sam: That's you, Coach.
Coach: [to the person on the phone] Speaking.

Coach: I'm working on a novel. Going on six years now. I think I might finish it tonight.
Diane: You're writing a novel?
Coach: No, reading it.





　
Norm Peterson: Coach, you've had kids. Does a baby change you?
Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: Are you kidding Normie, it can't even change itself.


Diane Chambers: [about Sam's story] Coach, I think there's something rotten in the State of Denmark.
Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: It's all that cheese


 Sam Malone: Coach, I'm having blackouts.
Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: It's kind of a nice break in the day, isn't it Sam?



Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: Diane, if you're looking for a place to stay, there's a lovely little inn up in Vermont my wife and I used to drive to all the time.
Diane Chambers: What inn?
Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso: In our station wagon

and many, many more.....................................