Ernie Pantusso (or Pantuso[1][2]), commonly known as "Coach", is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Nicholas Colasanto from 1982 to 1985.

Former umpire Ron Luciano auditioned for Coach Ernie Pantusso (or Pantuso), but he failed to get the part because producers "wanted an experienced actor".

[11]Ernie "Coach" Pantusso was a somewhat dim, forgetful bartender[10][12] with a gravel voice,[8] a caring personality,[13] and a warm heart.

Colasanto himself said of the character: "The Coach doesn't have any worldly ambitions — he's very happy to make his paycheck, and drink with the boys,".

Although he appeared in the cold opening of the third-season finale ("Rescue Me"),[3] his last full episode was "Cheerio Cheers" (filmed in late November 1984).

[4] Following Colasanto's death by heart attack on February 12, 1985,[18] the show's creators decided not to recast Coach's role,[10] so Coach was written out of the show as deceased without explanation and was replaced since "Birth, Death, Love and Rice" (episode 70, 1985) by co-bartender Woody Boyd, portrayed by Woody Harrelson.

"[20] Since 1983, Nicholas Colasanto was Emmy-nominated three times as an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role of Coach, including his posthumous award nomination in 1985, but he did not win.

[23] Robert Bianco praised Coach as the "heart" of the show, an ensemble's father figure, and Diane Chambers' "dependable ally".

Bianco praised Coach for giving heart to the "Sam and Diane" story and for making the show a "classic".

[24] Ted Danson, who played Sam Malone on Cheers, felt that the show lost its "heart and soul" following Colasanto's death.

[26] A writer using a pseudonym, Joe Sixpack, from Philadelphia Daily News, named Coach his second most-favorite "complete professional" bartender with a warm heart to customers, despite his limited range of intelligence.

[28] Jeffrey Robinson of the DVD Talk website praised Colasanto's performance for executing many dimensions to his character Coach, as opposed to his replacement Woody Boyd, whom he found one-dimensional and clueless.

[29] Adam Arseneau disdained the show for, in his view, improperly honoring the memory of Colasanto by poorly handling his character Coach's disappearance in the third season and death in the fourth.