Edward Bridge "Ted" Danson III (born December 29, 1947) is an American Emmy Award winning and Golden Globe nominated actor notable for his television work, and specifically, for his role as central character Sam Malone in the classic sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He is currently a regular on Larry David's HBO sitcom, Curb Your Enthusiasm and stars alongside Glenn Close in legal drama Damages.