Wendt, originally from Chicago, made a name for himself as a comedian at the improvisation theater in his hometown during the 1970s.
In the early 1980s, he landed the role that would define him – as Norm Peterson, whose greeting phrase "Afternoon everybody" became a favorite among many viewers.
For the role, he was awarded six Emmy nominations. After eleven seasons and 273 episodes, he appeared as Norm Peterson in both the spin-off "Frasier" and the animated series "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy".
During the 1980s and especially the 1990s, he was a recurring guest in the comedy classic "Saturday Night Live".
