1971: Helped form and organize an improvisational comedy troupe called "Sal's Meat Market".
Active in the pro-ecological movement, he was owner and operator of Eco-Pak, a conservation-conscious packaging company.
Along with George Wendt, Richard Belzer and Paul Fusco, he is one of only four actors to play the same character (Clifford C. 'Cliff' Clavin, Jr.): "Cheers" (1982), "St. Elsewhere" (1982), "The Tortellis" (1987), "Wings" (1990), "The Simpsons" (1989) and "Frasier" (1993). He has appeared in episodes of all six series with George Wendt.
Attended and helped construct the stage at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. Recalls that an unpopular National Guard became vital emergency personnel of the event - distributing water and food to the hundreds of thousands of attendees.
Center for America senior fellow.
Co-wrote two British TV plays and directed several episodes of "Cheers" (1982).
Formerly engaged to Lindsay McGrail.
Has two children named James John b. 1987 and Nina Katherine b. 1989.
He does not, as believed, play the bagpipes but in fact plays snare drum for a pipe band called "Gold Coast Pipe Band" in which he was a founding member.
He recently started the Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs Foundation, whose mission is to "Give children tools and watch them build America.".
His speaking role in Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982), was dubbed by Martin Sheen. Later he went on to become a trademark voice for Pixar Studios.
Holds a Red Belt in karate.
Late 2000: He is going to the Supreme Court with "Cheers" (1982) co-star George Wendt to get control of their characters (Cliff and Norm), which are wanted to be used for commercials for Cheers-like airport bars. Wendt and Ratzenberger say they created their characters and do not want them exploited.
Only "Cheers" (1982) cast member to have actually lived in Boston -- specifically, the "Combat Zone" red-light district.
Spent his early years in London where he was once an assistant to a tree surgeon.
The only person to voice a character in all of Pixar Animation's feature films: as Hamm in Toy Story (1995); PT Flea in A Bug's Life (1998); Hamm again in Toy Story 2 (1999); the Abominable Snowman in Monsters, Inc. (2001); Fish School in Finding Nemo (2003); Underminer in The Incredibles (2004); Mack in Cars (2006), Mustafa in Ratatouille (2007), John in WALL·E (2008), Construction Foreman Tom Up (2009) and Hamm in Toy Story 3 (2010) and it has been confirmed that he will appear in Cars 2 (2011).
The trading card for his Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) character, Bren Derlin, says that "At the Mos Eisley Cantina, everybody knows his name." Derlin is never seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina. This is an inside joke about his character Cliff Clavin the mailman, who frequents Cheers, "where everybody knows your name".
Was buried alive up to his neck in Motel Hell (1980), same as his "Cheers" (1982) co-star Ted Danson was in Creepshow (1982).