When Kevin McHale first appeared on screen in 1991, many likely expected him to be just another basketball player struggling in acting, wondering, "Why not stick to his day job?"
TV writer Ken Levine shared similar thoughts when the "Black Hole" was cast in the sitcom "Cheers," anticipating the Boston Celtics forward would have a brief role. While that prediction was accurate, Levine's initial doubts about McHale's acting skills weren't. In fact, he found them quite impressive.
"As a rule of thumb, when you stunt cast with non-actors, especially sports stars, it's best to give them the minimal to do and say. And by that I mean, have them enter, stand there, and leave. A real exception was Kevin McHale...[He] was hired for one brief scene in one episode. But he proved to be so good, so natural," reflected Levine in a 2006 blog post.
"Cheers" and the Celtics
Levine is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and author known for his work on TV series like "Frasier," "The Simpsons," and "Everybody Loves Raymond." He won Prime Time Emmy awards for "MAS*H" and also found success with "Cheers," which aired on NBC from 1982 to 1993.
Set in a Boston bar of the same name, "Cheers" explores the lives of its regulars as they interact over drinks and work, highlighting the camaraderie of a place "where everyone knows your name."
Given the local proximity to the iconic NBA team, the Celtics, it made sense to include this connection, which ultimately took place in season nine's second episode with the title "Cheers Fouls Out." The plot centers on a bar-versus-bar basketball game, and to secure a win, "Cheers" owner Sam Malone (Ted Danson) "hires" three-time NBA champion McHale from the C's.
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The "Black Hole" was a natural
Levine, who grew up in California, remarked that the contributions of the "Black Hole" were "so funny that we increased his part and then brought him back for a second episode."
This episode, titled "Where Have All the Floorboards Gone," aired in Season 10, Episode eight. In it, the regular customer Norm Peterson (George Wendt) receives a Celtics jacket personally delivered by McHale. However, before this delivery takes place, Kevin gets caught up in the usual trivia discussions -- something the bar has a "magical connection" to that makes it hard to stop talking about.
Interestingly, Levine mentioned a short scene in that episode (co-written with David Isaacs) where the seven-time All-Star is seen in bed with his wife. They actually cast Kevin's real wife for this scene, and the writer noted that she was "funny too."
Overall, McHale's performance on the show was a significant success, even leading to an indirect job offer from Levine. He suggested that if things didn't pan out for the then-GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Hall of Famer could always take a role in another one of his shows, "Still Standing," which was airing at the time of his blog post.
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