Now that he’s on “CSI,” CTV.ca takes a look back at Ted Danson’s long and productive career.

1. Cheers

Ted Danson became a household name for his role as Sam Malone on “Cheers,” a former relief pitcher and owner of the aforementioned bar. He appeared in every single episode of the series, which began in 1982 and ran for 11 seasons until 1993. He reprised his role for an appearance on the “Cheers” spin-off, “Frasier” in 1995. For each season of the show Danson was nominated for an Emmy, winning two.

2. Becker

Following appearances in a couple miniseries and one season of “Ink,” Danson found success again with “Becker,” about a doctor that lives in a rough Bronx neighbourhood. Becker ran from 1998 to 2004 for six seasons. Like the character Sam, Becker was a womanizer who oozed charm and had an acerbic wit. Many co-stars from “Cheers” appeared on the series, including Rhea Perlman as Becker’s therapist.

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm

Appearing as a fictional version of himself, Danson is one of star Larry David’s seemingly endless gallery of opponents. As a recurring character, Danson appeared in every season except for the show’s second. In season three Danson’s character attempts to open a restaurant with Larry -- a season which culminates in a barrage of curse words in a restaurant dining room. He also runs into problems with Larry over anonymous donations and Larry suggested they trade sandwiches named after them. Despite the new season of “Curb” being shot in New York City where Danson was located during the filming of “Bored to Death,” he did not appear on the series.

4. Damages

In 2007 Danson was cast as Arthur Frobisher, and agreed to take on the role after learning his one-time co-star Glenn Close was going to star. He did background research on the character by watching “Enron” documentaries and meeting with high-power CEOs. Unlike most of his other roles (except for “Curb”) Danson plays a pretty bad guy, and is very unlike the lovable Sam Malone. The role earned him an Emmy nomination, and when he returned as a recurring character in season two, he earned another nomination.

5. Bored to Death

After his monogamous role on “Curb,” Danson returned to a character who was a womanizer, George Christopher, a New York magazine editor who is the boss and friend of Jonathan Ames, played by Jason Schwartzman. The series also stars Zach Galifianakis. As Jonathan becomes a private detective for hire on Craigslist, he routinely looks for help and advice from George, who eventually worms his way into a case. Danson’s George is seen constantly drinking, as well as lighting up a joint -- something that could be seen as shocking to those who became fans of Danson on “Cheers.” Despite taking on a new role on “CSI,” Danson will remain on as a regular on “Bored to Death,” much to the relief of the cult audience around the show.

Other notable mentions:

• Danson made waves in Hollywood with his memorable starring performance in “Three Men and a Baby” in 1987 and “Three Men and a Little Lady” in 1990.
• In 1996 Danson appeared as the titular character in “Gulliver’s Travels.”
• Danson appeared in 22 episodes as Mike Logan alongside his wife Mary Steenburgen in newspaper drama “Ink,” which aired in 1996.
• Alongside a stable of Hollywood elite, Danson appeared as Capt. Fred Hamill in “Saving Private Ryan.”
• Danson returned to the Bronx as Richard in the TV movie “Knights of the South Bronx.”
• No story about Danson would be complete without mentioning his one-time character “Little Danson Man” on the courageously weird sketch show “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”

“CSI” with Ted Danson premieres in a new time slot, Wednesday night at 10 on September 21 on CTV.

About Tyrone Warner

Tyrone Warner has been with CTV.ca since 2005, covering news, entertainment and everything related to CTV. When he’s away from the computer, you can find him writing, recording and performing his own music, running his own record label and dabbling in photography, painting and creative collage. Follow him on Twitter!