Eddie Doyle was the chief bartender at Cheers, a bar in Boston, Massachusetts that inspired the classic television program of the same name and is repository of many of the memorabilia from the program.Cheers: Eddie Doyle

After spending 35 years behind the bar, Doyle was laid off from his job in February 2009, because of the economic downturn.Boston Globe: For Boston institution, closing credits roll (March 10, 2009)

Eddie Doyle was a graphics designer in 1969 when he first wandered into the Bull & Finch Pub. He became a regular, and met his wife in the pub. He joined the staff as a fulltime bartender in 1974, when the Bull & Finch was known as the best dart bar in the city.Boston Globe: For Boston institution, closing credits roll (March 10, 2009)

By the 1980s, Doyle had created a community at the bar, setting up a softball team, a running club, and fishing trips for regulars. In 1982, Cheers premiered on NBC, and when it became known that the Bull & Finch was the inspiration, the bar began to grow in popularity. At the peak of the program's popularity, the bar served 5,000 people a day. After Cheers ended its run, the Bull & Finch renamed itself Cheers.Boston Globe: For Boston institution, closing credits roll (March 10, 2009) Metro.co.uk: 'Cheers' bartender laid off (March 10, 2009)