Age, Biography and Wiki
John Ratzenberger was born on April 6, 1947. He is best known for his longtime role as Cliff Clavin on the popular sitcom "Cheers," which aired from 1982 to 1993. Ratzenberger's career spans over four decades, with a significant portion dedicated to voice acting in Pixar films.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
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| Date of Birth | 6 April 1947 |
| Age | 78 Years |
| Birth Place | Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | U.S |
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about John Ratzenberger's height and weight are not widely listed, he is generally recognized for his distinct appearance.
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Dating & Relationship status
Information about John Ratzenberger's current relationship status is limited. However, he has been married previously and has two children.
John's father, Dezso, was of Austrian and Hungarian descent, and John's mother was of Polish ancestry. Ratzenberger attended St. Ann's School, Fairfield Prep, and Bassick High School in Bridgeport and then Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. In 1969, Ratzenberger worked at the Woodstock Festival as a heavy equipment operator and as part of the crew building the stage. John moved to London in 1971, where he began his acting, writing, and directing career.
| Parents | |
| Husband | Georgia Stiny (m. 1984-2004) Julie Blichfeldt (m. November 2012) |
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Net Worth and Salary
There is a discrepancy in reported net worth figures for John Ratzenberger. Some sources estimate his net worth at approximately $25 million, highlighting his extensive work in TV and film, especially with Pixar. Conversely, other reports suggest a higher figure of $80 million. His salary is not publicly disclosed, but his involvement in numerous high-grossing films contributes significantly to his wealth.
Career, Business and Investments
- Acting Career: John Ratzenberger's acting career is marked by his role as Cliff Clavin on "Cheers" and his voice acting work in nearly every Pixar film since "Toy Story" in 1995. He appeared in a small role in "Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back" and has been involved in other films and TV shows.
- Business and Investments: Ratzenberger has invested in real estate, purchasing and selling properties in various locations, including Washington's Vashon Island and Milford, Connecticut.
Ratzenberger began his career in the performing arts while living in London, England. Through the 1970s, he performed with Ray Hassett as the comedic theatrical duo Sal's Meat Market, which toured throughout Europe for eight years. Sal's Meat Market heavily influenced Peter Richardson and Nigel Planer as a duo in The Outer Limits and in The Comic Strip. His first role in a major feature film was as a patron in The Ritz (1976). Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, Ratzenberger appeared in various roles in feature films throughout Europe including: A Bridge Too Far, filmed in Holland, as Lieutenant James Megellas; Superman, as a missile controller; Superman II, as the NASA control man; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back as Major Derlin; Outland as a doomed mine worker named Tarlow; and Gandhi, filmed in India, playing an American lieutenant.
Ratzenberger developed a packaging-alternatives product made from biodegradable and non-toxic recycled paper as a safe alternative to foam peanuts and plastic bubble wrap. This product, SizzlePak, was manufactured by his company Eco-Pak Industries, which Ratzenberger co-founded in 1989. In 1992, he sold Eco-Pack to Ranpak Corp.
Ratzenberger is a Republican. During the 2008 presidential race, Ratzenberger campaigned for John McCain, appearing with former Cheers co-star Kelsey Grammer at several Republican party events. Ratzenberger was outspoken in opposition of the 2010 health care reform bill, referring to it as socialism. On January 17, 2010, he appeared and endorsed Scott Brown for the United States Senate at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts. Ratzenberger campaigned for Republican Josh Mandel of Ohio for state treasurer in 2010 and served as master of ceremonies for Mandel's inauguration into the position in 2011. He considered running for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2012.
Ratzenberger endorsed Mitt Romney in 2012. He appeared on Your World with Neil Cavuto to support Donald Trump's candidacy during the 2016 presidential race, shortly after Trump was declared the presumptive Republican nominee. He praised his performance as president in 2017, saying he had done "a wonderful job as far as manufacturing is concerned".
Social Network
John Ratzenberger maintains a presence on social media platforms, though specific details about his personal social media accounts are not widely available.
John Dezso Ratzenberger (born April 6, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the character Cliff Clavin on the comedy series Cheers, for which he earned two Primetime Emmy nominations. Ratzenberger reprised the role in the short-lived spin-off The Tortellis, an episode of Wings, as well as in an episode of Frasier. He has voiced various characters in several Pixar animated feature films including Hamm in the Toy Story franchise, The Abominable Snowman in the Monsters, Inc. franchise, Mack in the Cars franchise, The Underminer in The Incredibles franchise, Fritz in the Inside Out franchise, and many others.
Ratzenberger began his entertainment career while living in London in the 1970s. He acted in and wrote film and television through the 1970s and early 1980s before returning to America. At an audition for a role in a new sitcom, Ratzenberger created the character of Cliff Clavin. Cheers (1982–1993) was a success and went on to run for 11 years. After Cheers, he began voicing characters for Pixar; Ratzenberger's first role was Hamm in Pixar's debut feature film Toy Story (1995), and he would continue to voice characters in many subsequent Pixar films. Including voice acting and cameos, he is the third highest-grossing actor of all time.
Ratzenberger has voiced characters in 23 Pixar films. His roles include: According to Ratzenberger, Pixar's tradition of including him as a good luck charm in every film beginning with the studio's first film, Toy Story, was due to him being good friends with former Pixar filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed or executive-produced each of the first 20 Pixar films. Ratzenberger's tenure at Pixar was parodied during the end credits of Cars, where his character, Mack, watches car-themed versions of Pixar films (Toy Car Story, Monster Trucks, Inc., and A Bug's Life, the latter of which references the Volkswagen Beetle). Mack notes that all the characters that John Ratzenberger has played had excellent voice actors until he realizes that they are performed by the same actor, at which point he remarks, "They're just using the same actor over and over," and asks, "What kind of a cut-rate production is this?!" Ratzenberger stated his favorite Pixar role was Hamm from the Toy Story series, and he has given honorable mention to P.T. Flea from A Bug's Life.
Following Lasseter's exit from Pixar, Ratzenberger revealed he was not a fan of the regime that replaced Lasseter or the studio's subsequent films, claiming "[...] they suck", and was critical of the political messaging that he felt was being placed in the films. Pixar's 23rd feature film, Soul (2020), was the first Pixar film that did not involve Ratzenberger himself, though it featured a character animated in his likeness as a cameo according to the film's co-director Kemp Powers; the cameo was also confirmed by director Pete Docter on the film's audio commentary track. After having voiced a character in every Pixar film from Toy Story (1995) through Onward (2020), Ratzenberger would not have another role in any Pixar film with the exception of their 28th feature film, Inside Out 2 (2024).
Education
Information about John Ratzenberger's educational background is limited. However, his early life and career began in Connecticut before he moved to pursue acting in Los Angeles.
In summary, John Ratzenberger is a storied actor with a career spanning decades, marked by his iconic roles in both live-action and animated films, contributing to his substantial net worth.
