John Ratzenberger is an accomplished director, producer and multi-Emmy nominated actor, as well as having earned credentials as an entrepreneur and humanitarian. 

He is best known to international audiences as know-it-all postman Cliff Clavin on “Cheers,” for which he garnered two Emmy nominations, and is proud to be a member of the Oscar® winning Pixar animation team.

His prominent recent work includes serving as creator and star of the popular Travel Channel series “John Ratzenberger’s Made in America” and as author of the new book, We’ve Got It Made in America:  A Common Man’s Salute to An Uncommon Country.  He also recently starred on the hit show “Dancing With the Stars”.

A former carpenter, archery instructor, carnival performer and oyster boat crewman, Ratzenberger was raised in the seaside community of Black Rock in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  An English literature major at Sacred Heart University, he trod the boards in drama club and after graduation starred in one-man shows while directing several others. 

In 1971 he received a tax refund check for $263, at the time the exact one-way airfare to London.  John spent a decade in England as co-founder of the improvisational duo Sal’s Meat Market, earning acclaim across Europe and a grant from the British Arts Council. 

While in Europe, John appeared in over 22 motion pictures including, “A Bridge Too Far,” “Superman,” “Gandhi” and “Star Wars:  The Empire Strikes Back,” starred in the Granada TV series “Small World,” and cut his teeth as a producer and writer for the BBC, Granada TV and several prestigious theater companies.

In 1982 John took a writing assignment for CBS in Los Angeles.  As serendipity would have it, on the day he was scheduled to return to London, he auditioned for a role on “Cheers.” At John’s suggestion, the character of Cliff Clavin was brought to life, and the “Cheers” team rewrote the pilot to include him. 

During eleven seasons on “Cheers” John continued to improvise many of his own lines, helping bring freshness and enduring popularity to a show that would earn 28 Emmys.  With “Cheers” now in syndication worldwide, Cliff Clavin remains one of television’s most beloved characters.

Animation has been a natural home for his versatile vocal talents, and John is the only actor to participate in every Pixar film.  Beginning with the charming and witty Hamm the piggy bank in “Toy Story” (reprised in “Toy Story 2”), then came P.T. Flea in “A Bug’s Life,” Yeti the snow monster in “Monsters. Inc.” and a school of Moonfish in “Finding Nemo.” 

He was most recently seen in both “The Incredibles” and “Cars.” His other animation roles include the Academy Award®-winning feature “Spirited Away” and the long-running TBS series “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” and “The New Adventures of Captain Planet.”

Appearing as himself on “The Drew Carey Show” and “Monty Python’s Flying Circus:  Live in Aspen,” among other programs, he has spent two decades bringing his gifts as a character actor to such episodic series as “8 Simple rules,” “That ‘70s Show,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Love Boat,” “Magnum P.I.” and “Hill Street Blues.”  John has also reprised Cliff Clavin in “Frasier,” “The Simpsons,” “Blossom,” “Wings,” “St. Elsewhere” and eight NBC specials.  Among his numerous TV movies are starring roles in “The Pennsylvania Miners Story” for ABC, “A Fare To Remember,” “Remember Wenn,” PBS Masterpiece Theater’s “The Good Soldier" and the BBC’s “Song of a Sourdough” and the “Detectives.” 

John also recently wrapped filming on the lead role of "The Village Barbershop."
John’s non-profit organization, Nuts, Bolts, and Thingamajigs Foundation (www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org), is positioned to restore esteem and dignity to the manual and industrial arts, and introduce children to the joys of tinkering to inspire the next generation of American artisans, inventors, engineers, repairmen and skilled workers.

John will celebrate Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs Foundation’s first ‘Tinkering Day’ at the foundation’s upcoming event titled John Ratzenberger’s Discovery and Invention (www.discoveryandinvention.org), being held at the beautiful Limoneira Orchards outside of Los Angeles this November 1-3, 2007. 

Participants will imagine, build, fix and create at various workstations that are sponsored by America’s best manufacturers, machinists, tradesmen, and technical programs.  From introducing a child to the experience of building a birdhouse, or the inner workings of a robot, to an adult discovering the exhilaration of operating a bulldozer, Tinkering Day is intended to expose all ages to the excitement and benefits of the manual and industrial arts. 

Each participant will walk away with a better understanding of the process of creation and innovation, providing them with a genuine feeling of accomplishment.  The event will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Santa Clara Valley and The Education for Children with Diabetes Foundation.