Woody Harrelson wore a cast while playing Woody Boyd on the iconic sitcom Cheers because he broke his arm in a real-life car accident.
The Real-Life Accident
The incident that led to Woody Harrelson's on-screen cast occurred in 1987. During a practice session for the Pro-Celebrity preliminary of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Harrelson's car flipped. This serious accident resulted in him sustaining a broken arm.
How the Injury Was Handled on Cheers
Rather than attempting to conceal the injury or write his character out of episodes, the production team of Cheers chose to integrate Harrelson's actual broken arm into the storyline of Woody Boyd. This approach ensured:
- Authenticity: The cast seen on television was genuinely needed by the actor.
- Seamless Production: It allowed filming to continue without interruption, as there was no need for complex camera tricks or plot deviations to explain Woody's absence or hide his arm.
- Specific Episode Appearance: The cast was notably visible in episodes that aired following the accident, including the 1987 Cheers episode titled "One Last Fling" (Season 5, Episode 26).
By openly incorporating the cast, Cheers effectively addressed Woody Harrelson's real-life injury, making it a distinctive, albeit temporary, part of his character's appearance during that season.
