Bob Broder, Legendary TV Agent Behind Cheers and Frasier, Dies at 85

Bob Broder, the veteran television agent who packaged the hit sitcom Cheers and helped shepherd Frasier to the screen, has died at age 85 after a battle with cancer. He died September 23, surrounded by family, his representatives said. Broder built his career at BWCS and later ICM, where he helped connect networks, producers and talent to bring some of television’s most enduring programs to viewers.

Broder represented and packaged a range of landmark shows, including Frasier, Dharma & Greg, The X-Files, The King of Queens, Touched by an Angel, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly and Modern Family. He was closely associated with Cheers, the Boston-set bar sitcom created by Glen and Les Charles and James Burrows, and he represented its three creators throughout the show's run. He remained active with producer Chuck Lorre up until his death, working on projects such as Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage. In 1978 he co-founded the Broder Kurland Agency; in 2006 the firm was acquired by ICM.

Broder’s influence extended beyond a single show. He was known for the way he marshaled talent and vision, creating an agency culture that valued both individuality and collaboration. Deadline described him as the 'mayor of Cheers' during visits to the set, a nickname that underscored how central he was to the show’s success. He even appeared on air in the final seconds of the Cheers finale, a cameo that became part of his lore.

Peers recalled his refined approach to talent management and deal-making. Ted Chervin, a partner at ICM, said Broder 'elevated the idea of what it means to be an agent' and operated with 'a level of sophistication and authority that changed the game.' Chris Silbermann, a longtime partner at the agency, said Broder's influence extended to the next generation of agents who still refer to the firm by his name. 'Even now, when people refer to the agency, they just call it Broder,' Silbermann said, reflecting on the culture he helped shape.

Beyond Cheers and Frasier, Broder’s legacy includes a roster of beloved and long-running television properties that helped define the modern TV landscape. The partnerships he built with Glen Charles, Les Charles and James Burrows helped shape how collaborators package shows for networks and studios, a model that informed later hits across genres. Colleagues describe him as a statesman-like figure who managed his clients and the broader television community with professionalism and warmth. His passing closes a chapter in a business that he helped professionalize and globalize, and tributes quickly poured in from peers who highlighted his role in shaping how shows are packaged, sold and sustained over decades.