The day that “almost ruined” a young Ted Danson

Ted Danson’s role on “Cheers” as Sam Malone, a professional baseball player turned bar owner, launched his career as an iconic comedic actor. But before “Cheers,” Danson’s journey to stardom hit a bump when he got a small part in a soap opera at the age of 25. “I had my first full-on anxiety attack,” Danson recalls. When a friend urged him to take a Valium, things only got worse. “Me and Valium do not get along,” Danson says, recounting a series of mishaps. “That almost ruined me for acting completely. It was a horrifying, horrifying day.”