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Frasier W. Crane, M.D., PhD, A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Frasier and Cheers.^[2] He was played by Kelsey Grammer for 20 years, tying the record for the longest-running character on prime-time American television, which was set by James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. Grammer received Emmy Award nominations for portraying Crane on three different NBC shows, including a 1992 guest appearance on Wings. He made 203 appearances on Cheers and all 264 episode appearances on his spin-off show Frasier.^[3]

Creation and development[link]

Glen and Les Charles created Frasier Crane as a temporary love interest for Diane Chambers on their television show Cheers. Cheers and Frasier writer Ken Levine later wrote, "Who would Diane Chambers be attracted to and why? Those were the only considerations."^[4] Frasier is introduced in the third season of Cheers (1984–1985) as a rival of Sam Malone. In 1985, Diane leaves Frasier at the wedding altar in Europe,^[5][6] and Frasier begins to regularly attend Sam's bar for drinks.^[7] He becomes a friend of Sam and the other bar patrons, and a regular Cheers character.^[5] In Cheers, Frasier is said to be an orphan;^[8] his mother appears in "Diane Meets Mom" (1984). When Cheers ended in 1993, he moves to Seattle to live with his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and father Martin (John Mahoney) on his own spin-off, Frasier.^[8] In "The Show Where Sam Shows Up" (1995), Sam Malone arrives to Seattle to see Frasier, meets his family, and mentions Frasier's inconsistent statements about his family.

Biography[link]

Many of the details of his early life are introduced and elaborated on Cheers, and its spin-off, Frasier.

It is established in Frasier that Frasier W. Crane was born in Seattle, to Hester Rose Crane (née Palmer) (Nancy Marchand in Cheers, Rita Wilson in Frasier), a psychiatrist, and Martin Crane (John Mahoney), a police detective. The Crane family background is Russian, British, German, and French.

The details of Frasier's birth are erratic and changing.

• In the Cheers episode, "It's a Wonderful Wife", the bar celebrates Frasier's birthday in late February.
• In one episode, it is established he was born in March 1952.
• In Frasier, season 5, episode 8, entitled "Desperately Seeking Closure", Martin Crane mistakes Frasier's birthday with Eddie's birthday. In response, Frasier states that his birthday is in March.
• In the episode "Back Talk" it is revealed that Frasier's birthday is the day after one of Queen Elizabeth's children. As Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (born March 10, 1964) is the only one of Queen Elizabeth's children born in March, Frasier's birthday would be March 11, 1952. However, the episode "The Fight Before Christmas" takes place a few days after "Back Talk" (according to the storyline) which contradicts a March birthday. Also, this date is established by Daphne reading a newspaper from the day Frasier was born and assuming it was a current newspaper. This would suggest Frasier was born in 1964, but he is clearly older than this (mentioning being in his 40s consistently before this). Other children of Queen Elizabeth include Anne, Princess Royal (born August 15, 1950) and Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born February 19, 1960). Charles, Prince of Wales was born November 14, 1948, but this was before Elizabeth ascended the throne. If Frasier was born prior to 1952, then the "Queen Elizabeth" referred to in the paper could be Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, wife of King George VI and the queen-mother of Elizabeth II (although her last child was born in 1930). Alternatively, a third "Queen Elizabeth" might have been intended, or the joke from "Back Talk" was simply historically inaccurate.
• In the episode "The Late Dr. Crane" a local Seattle news station incorrectly reports that Frasier died of a heart attack. Frasier's picture is shown on the screen with the dates 1952–1999.
• In the episode "Are You Being Served?" it is revealed that he was named after one of his mother's lab rats. In the same episode, a second birthday contradiction appears: His mother's journal indicates that as of April, she was pregnant with Frasier, making a March birthday impossible. Frasier has one younger brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce), who, like Frasier, was also named after one of his deceased mother's lab rats.
• The episode "Party, Party" suggests a May birthday.
• In a trailer made for the British television network Channel Four, Frasier says that he was born on the 4th day of the 4th month.

In the episode "The Proposal", it is established that Frasier Crane was conceived out of wedlock.

As a child, Frasier was unusually intelligent and sensitive, and as such was a frequent target for bullies, often by the Kriezel siblings. His closest companion when growing up was his even more sensitive brother, with whom he was intensely close yet fiercely competitive. Frasier's interest in human behavior began at the age of eight, when his mother helped him understand why an older boy had bullied him.^[9]

He attended a private school, where he earned the unfortunate nickname "The Bryce Academy Crier", and later said that "the only people who knew me debated, recited, or [were] on a six-month visit from Abu Dhabi."^[10] Frasier was also an actor throughout his school years, playing such roles as Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye Birdie, Dr. Armstrong in Ten Little Indians,^[11] Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, and The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, also directing a school production of Richard III where, on opening night, the boy playing Richard was so fed up with Frasier's constant critiquing that he chased him around the changing room, beating him with his hump. Frasier and Niles also pulled the fire alarm and blamed it on the school bully, John Rajeski, resulting in his expulsion and the start of a life of crime. Frasier graduated as the Salutatorian and was named "Most Likely To Be" by the Existential Club.^[12]

While the rest of the family stayed in Seattle, Frasier settled in Boston, Massachusetts, because of his attendance at Harvard. His first wife, whom he married while a first-year medical student, was Nanette Guzman (Emma Thompson on Cheers; Laurie Metcalf and Dina Spybey on Frasier), a popular children's entertainer.^[13][14] The marriage lasted nine months. (This marriage may contradict Frasier's statement in a fourth-season episode that Diane was his "first love".)

Soon after Frasier debuts on Cheers, he dates Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). They get engaged, but the relationship ends when Diane abandons him at the altar. Frasier nevertheless visits the bar often and eventually marries Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), a fellow psychiatrist. Together, they have a son, Frederick, but Lilith cheats on Frasier with a colleague. The couple reconciles briefly, but between the end of Cheers and the start of Frasier, they separate permanently and divorce. During his separation with Lilith, Frasier publicly threatens suicide,^[15] to gain Lilith's attention and win her back, but the thought of his son stops him from doing so. Lilith gains custody of Frederick.

Frasier's divorce from Lilith and the negative effect his public suicide attempt had upon his practice^[16] led him to seek a new life in his hometown of Seattle. The strained relationship with his father and brother continues on his return. In the episode "You Can Go Home Again", which depicts Frasier's recent arrival in Seattle, his father bitterly comments that his son's visits became remarkably infrequent following his mother's death, and neither Martin nor Niles seem particularly welcoming to him. Frasier gets a job at KACL as a radio psychiatrist; The Dr. Frasier Crane Show debuts on May 21, 1993 (the day after the Cheers finale aired). The show, with its tagline "Wishing you good mental health", becomes popular enough for the mayor to proclaim a "Frasier Crane Day" and award him the key to the city to honor its 1,000th broadcast in 1997, and people often ask Frasier for autographs or tell him that they enjoy the show.

Soon after his return to Seattle, Frasier invites his father, who has become unable to live alone, to live with him in apartment 1901^[17] of the Elliott Bay Towers condominiums, on the Counterbalance.^[18] To help out, he hires his father a physical therapist, Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves). Although they frequently argue and remain drastically different personalities, the two men grow very close over the next 11 years. Frasier also develops a much closer relationship with his brother, as well as with Daphne and with the producer of his radio show, Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin).

During this period, although Frasier's radio career, intellectual pursuits and reputation are quite strong, his romantic life is frequently disastrous. The final episode ends with Frasier flying to Chicago to pursue a relationship with Charlotte, forgoing a new career in San Francisco.

Frasier, when driving or in scenes with his vehicle, has had three BMWs – a BMW 540i E34, a later version of the 540i E39 which was black with grey leather interior, and then later in the series a BMW 745i E65 which was dark blue.

Frasier's second ex-wife Lilith maintains contact with him in the second series, with at least one guest appearance per season. Their relationship is tense and uneasy at first, but as the series progresses they grow warmer and more loving. Lilith frequently seeks out Frasier for help and moral support in times of difficulty (divorce from her second husband, her desire for another child), and Frasier reciprocates by seeking advice from her with his chronic relationship troubles. Her drunken one-night stand with Niles leads to fraternal turmoil, which soon passes. In their final appearance together ("Guns N' Neuroses"), the two characters part with silent regret at their marital incompatibility.

Frasier's relationship with his pre-teenage son Frederick, who infrequently visits Seattle, is not well developed in the second series (a conscious decision of the show's creative staff to focus on adult characters). However, Frasier and his Seattle family's relationship with Frederick is portrayed as loving and close, with involvement in Frederick's schooling, youthful romances, and attempts at rebellion. They also participate in his bar mitzvah, and support his "gift" at spelling bee competition.

Personality[link]

Frasier is well-to-do, with upper class and intellectual tastes and a "lovably pompous",^[19][20] fairly uptight demeanor. He is something of an epicure, and enjoys the finer things in life, such as wine, good food, and expensive tailoring. He is very well versed in the realm of literature, frequently alluding to literary legends such as Shakespeare, Edmund Burke, Henry James, Rudyard Kipling, O Henry, and Lord Tennyson, among others. He is also an aficionado of the arts, including opera, classical music, theatre, and antiquities, and possesses some esoteric and obscure interests, such as Mongolian throat singing and African artifacts. His favourite colour is "arctic silver", an option for a new model of BMW, which is well-established throughout the series as being his automobile brand of choice, while his brother Niles preferred Mercedes Benz. His large ego, coupled with his Harvard and Oxford education, make him extremely confident in the advice he gives on his radio show (where he comes across as much calmer and more thoughtful than in his personal life). He is also somewhat self-absorbed and narcissistic, a consequence of his lonely childhood. When in a negative mood he is prone to being sarcastic. He is also gullible and very trusting of others, as demonstrated in the Season 7 episode "Radio Wars", when he is the subject of prank phone calls from his KACL colleagues. Despite having endured a similar battle in the Season 3 episode "Leapin' Lizards", it does not occur to him that he is being tricked in the same manner. He is extremely pompous and verbose, prone to making grand, melodramatic declarations regarding his intentions and making the most of every opportunity to make a speech. Frequently, his pomposity and snobbery is undercut and belittled by the other characters he encounters, and is often the cause of many of the misfortunes and crises that occur in his life. Although he shares many traits with Niles, he does not have as many allergies, is more realistic and easy going, and appears somewhat more athletic. Despite his own snobbery, Frasier is often required to play straight man to Niles' own quirks, particularly his obsessive hygiene.

Frasier is passionate about psychiatry. A staunch Freudian, he had a poster of his hero on his bedroom wall as a child,^[21] dresses as Freud for Halloween^[22] and states, "the classic Oedipus complex...Well, well, old friend, we meet again."^[23] As a Freudian, Frasier strongly believes that "there are no accidents"^[24] and that every action (and dream) carries with it a meaningful and unconscious subtext. This frequently leads him to obsessively overanalyze and fret about minor details regarding his life and relationships, which frequently creates problems in his life. When obsessing so, he is frequently prone to ignore the advice given to him by his family and friends and pursue his own course of action, which more often than not leads to disaster. His habit to overanalyze is so severe, that he once spent an entire episode fretting about a dream with homo-erotic implications, only later realizing that the dream did not possess any significant implications regarding his life; it was merely a consequence of his subconscious attempting to give himself a challenging patient (himself) following a dearth of them on his show.

Whilst rarely heeding the advice given to him by others, Frasier himself is full of advice to impart, and offers the benefit of his counsel to the extent that he frequently meddles in the affairs and relationships of others, much to the chagrin of his family and friends. Although this approach can be beneficial (such as his influence in bringing together his brother Niles and Daphne Moon) and forms the basis of his successful career, his advice and plans can frequently backfire on him, and can frequently lead to complicated, tangled, embarrassing scenarios. For example, in the above situation of bringing Niles and Daphne together, he is targeted by Daphne's fiancé for a lawsuit because of his actions. Frasier's meddling – and the adverse consequences it frequently leads to – is not intended maliciously, however; he is extremely well-meaning and eager to please, and desires nothing more than to be liked and popular. On the whole, he genuinely does desire to help people and is a fundamentally good and kindhearted person. Frasier becomes much more grounded and down to earth as the series progresses and he seems to desire little more than happiness for himself and his friends and family.

Religious views[link]

Throughout all of his appearances, Frasier's religion generally does not play a large role. However, in Cheers, he states that he was raised as an Episcopalian, but this contradicts a previous statement in the series, immediately after his son Frederick's birth, where he shows enthusiasm for Lilith to raise Frederick in her religion, Judaism, because he "was not raised with any particular religious tradition". This continues in Frasier, where none of the Cranes embrace any theology. They generally do not pray before eating.^[25], though there are exceptions.^[26] Frasier makes a promise with God, however, not to argue with Niles if his brother is spared through his surgery.^[27] He has also, in one case, referred to "the omnipotence and omnipresence of the Lord". He appears to be familiar with the Bible as well, telling Roz, "Oh, He's God, Roz, have you read the Old Testament? He can be ruthless!". On several occasions, he does mention his love for the writings of Søren Kierkegaard, an early 1800s Danish Christian philosopher, theologian and religious author. Although his political views are not a main focus of the show, Frasier appears to lean more on the liberal side. In the episode "The Candidate", Frasier expresses his distaste for a conservative Congressional candidate named Holden Thorpe, for whom Martin appears in a TV ad. He refers to Thorpe as "Himmler without the whimsy." In response, Frasier supports Thorpe's opponent, Phil Patterson, who is described by Martin as a "bleeding heart".

Political views[link]

In Cheers, Frasier appears more neutral, expressing cynicism about the political process. The eleventh season episode "Woody Gets an Election" sees Frasier insisting that politics in general is a superficial popularity contest, full of insincere candidates who only care about re-election, rather than the promises they make to attain their positions. He makes a bet with Sam Malone (Ted Danson) that even bartender Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), a man completely oblivious of the workings of politics, could receive 10% of the vote in the upcoming Boston City Council election by saying the right slogans. In an unlikely twist, a scandal mars Woody's opponent and Woody's speech to withdraw from the election (which Frasier convinces him to do) backfires and boosts the vote for Woody when his wife Kelly tells Woody she is pregnant on television and leads to a shock victory for the dark horse candidate, which causes Frasier some anxiety about the consequences of his experiment (as he visualizes Woody giving the go-ahead for full scale nuclear war). The reporter in Woody's interview is played by Peri Gilpin, who eventually played Roz.

In the Cheers episode "Get Your Kicks on Route 666", Frasier receives a cell phone call from the Democratic Party while stranded in the wilderness and replies "I understand the Democratic Party is in trouble, and I'd love to contribute, but I'm in a little trouble myself, right now!" over the phone.

Education and career[link]

During his school years, Frasier developed interests in – and frequently excelled at – the fine arts, cooking, and other intellectual pursuits. He was keen on and drawn to the theatre, appearing in several amateur school productions, and seems to have considered acting as a future vocation, but inspired by his mother, he developed a fascination for psychiatry. This may also have been partially inspired by his father being a police detective. Frasier stated he became a student of human behavior when at age 8 he was tormented by bullies. His mother explained to him why the children were acting that way, thus leading to his distancing himself from the pain of rejection by analyzing others rather than reacting to them on an emotional level.

Frasier boasts an M.D. and PhD^[28][12] as well completing his medical residency in psychiatry. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychosocial Behaviorism from Harvard College^[29] in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was on the men's rowing team.^[30] and also graduated from Oxford University in Oxford, England where he was a Rhodes scholar.^[16][28] He speaks French,^[31] German,^[32] Italian, and Spanish,^[33] though he apparently learned German after the first two seasons; for example, in one early episode, Frasier could not speak German, and had to use Niles' maid Marta to translate. (At the least, his German pronunciation is suspect; he pronounces Das Boot as if Boot were an English word.) An oversight occurs in a later episode when both Frasier and Niles, despite being wine lovers and able to speak French, fail to pronounce the name of Chateau Petrus, often considered the world's best wine, using the common American English pronunciation. However, in an episode of Cheers, in which Eddie LeBec's French Canadian mother visited, he was able to clearly understand her Québécois French, which was full of colloquialisms. In another episode of Cheers, Frasier understands Woody when he uses the Mandarin Chinese word for "doorknob" (though in a later Frasier episode, he struggles with the language, calling a girl "as pretty as a chicken beak"). Frasier uses German as well in Cheers, defending Sam from an angry German whose wife was hitting on Sam. Frasier's hobbies and talents include playing the piano, composing music, singing, gourmet cooking, chess, collecting fine art, antiquing, home decorating, reading, writing short stories and plays, enjoying fine dining, his wine club, and squash.

In Cheers he is sometimes described as a psychologist, but this may have just been a mistake on the part of the characters.

Frasier's overconfidence in his abilities is often exploited for comedic effect. Examples of this include the episode "They're Playing Our Song", where the theme song Frasier composes for his radio show is mocked by his friends and family, and "Good Grief", where Frasier's cooking is criticized by Niles and Gil, and is spat out by his station manager, Kenny Daly. However, his cooking is most often complimented throughout the series, even with extremely complicated recipes, and this can more likely be attributed to Kenny's simpler tastes. Either way, none of these incidences appear to have tempered Frasier's view of himself, as he remains consistently egomaniacal throughout the series. This self-image is not entirely without justification, however, as he does have legitimate talent in many of the endeavours he pursues, but rarely to the level that he claims.

Romance[link]

In both series, Frasier experiences constant difficulties in his relationships with women. In Cheers, he is left at the altar by Diane Chambers. His seven-year marriage to Lilith Sternin-Crane is loving, but tumultuous and characterised by terse battles of wit; Lilith eventually cheats on him with a colleague and leaves him. In Frasier, he endures eleven years of heartbreak on the Seattle dating scene. Frasier's lack of success with romance in the second series was a core plot device, and the closing scene of the final episode left his character hopefully seeking happiness with a new romantic interest.

In the second to last season of Cheers, it is discovered that Frasier was first married to Nanny G—a children's entertainer—and their marriage was short-lived. In the season 11 episode of Frasier, "Caught in the Act", Frasier and Nanny G attempt to resume connubial relations but it ends up with Frasier in a diaper on stage. Frasier mentions this marriage in the season 5 episode of Frasier, "The Maris Counselor", during his toast that he is “divorced twice, left at the altar once”.

The first girl Frasier kissed reportedly punched him, as he later told Freddy the kiss was worth it as he was, "smiling all the way to the nurse's office." During high school Frasier had a crush on Lana Gardner, a cheerleader. He reunites with her as adults and they date briefly. Frasier lost his virginity to his piano teacher, Clarisse Warner, whom he left for college. A drinking companion from Cheers writes about the experience, titling his best-selling book Slow Tango in South Seattle. Frasier briefly dates a woman who is identical to his mother,^[34] and in another series of episodes Frasier dates a career woman. In that relationship Frasier takes the less than dominant role, as he is lavished with gifts and pouts when he is not given enough attention. In an extended fantasy sequence Frasier is confronted by all the women with whom he has had relationships, including both his ex-wives, his mother, and Diane. Although the dream-Lilith is convinced that his problems are at least partly caused by his idolatry of his mother, Frasier realizes that he is pushing away women, and decides to commit to a lasting relationship.^[14]

His last girlfriend is a woman named Charlotte, with whom he spent three weeks before her return to Chicago. With the help of his manager Bebe Glazer, Frasier accepts a new job in San Francisco, and tells his family and friends that information. The final scene sees Frasier on a plane, but the pilot welcomes passengers not to San Francisco but to Chicago.^[35]

Crossovers[link]

Outward crossover[link]

In the third season of the TV show Wings, Frasier and Lilith visit Nantucket so Frasier can host a seminar. This appearance earned Kelsey Grammer a nomination for an Emmy as best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

Frasier also had a small cameo on The John Larroquette Show that lasted only a few seconds.

In The Simpsons episode "Fear of Flying", Homer enters a bar similar to Cheers with most of the main characters present. While Cheers co-stars Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, Woody Harrelson, George Wendt and John Ratzenberger voice their respective characters, Frasier is depicted silently.^[36] This was due to schedule conflicts making Kelsey Grammer (who voices recurring character Sideshow Bob on the series) unavailable.^[37] A later episode, "Brother from Another Series", features Sideshow Bob's brother, Cecil (voiced by David Hyde Pierce), and a number of references to Frasier. Cecil returns in "Funeral for a Fiend", which introduces the brothers' father (voiced by John Mahoney).

In October 2008, Dr. Frasier Crane appeared in a television commercial for soft drink Dr. Pepper, in a campaign featuring a group of fictitious "doctors". Grammer once again returned to the role and is depicted as still hosting his radio show on KACL-AM.^[38][39][40]

Inward crossover[link]

Dr. Phil appears as himself, losing at poker to Frasier's agent.

Reception[link]

According to the April 1–4, 1993, telephone survey of 1,011 people by the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press (now Pew Research Center),^{[N 1]} Sam Malone (Ted Danson) was voted a favorite of 26%, and Frasier Crane was a favorite of 1%.^[41][42] For a question of having a spin-off of a character, 15% voted Sam, 12% voted Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), 10% voted Norm Peterson (George Wendt), and 29% voted no spin-offs.^[42] Frasier Crane, whose own spin-off Frasier debuted in September 1993, was voted 2% to have his own show.^[43]

In the book Writing and Responsibility, Frasier's family background in Cheers and Frasier is considered inconsistent with either "a bout of amnesia", "poor scripwriting", or a desperation for more laughter.^[8] In 2004, Frasier Crane was ranked by Bravo No. 26 of Bravo's The 100 Greatest TV Characters of all-time.^[44][45] In 2009, the National Lampoon website ranked him No. 20 of "Top 20 Sitcom Characters You'd Kill in Real Life" and called him "hilarious" in the fictional world and "unbearable" in the real world.^[46]

References[link]

Notes

General

Specific

External links[link]

• Frasier Crane at the Internet Movie Database
• Dr. Pepper commercial starring Frasier Crane
• Detailed Listing of Frasier Crane Locations in Seattle

Kelsey Grammer
During Fleet Week in New York City, 2006
Born	Allen Kelsey Grammer (1955-02-21) February 21, 1955 (age 57) Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Occupation	Actor, comedian, film producer, film director, writer, singer
Years active	1980–present
Notable work(s)	Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier
Spouse	Doreen Alderman (m. 1982–1990; 1 child) Leigh-Anne Csuhany (m. 1992–1993) Camille Donatacci (m. 1997–2011; 2 children) Kayte Walsh (m. 2011–present)

Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the hit NBC sitcoms Cheers and Frasier. He has been nominated for fourteen Emmy Awards, including one for playing his character on three sitcoms, and has also worked as a television producer, director, writer, and as a voice artist. Grammer has been married four times and has four children.

Early life and family tragedies[link]

Grammer was born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, the son of Sally (née Cranmer),^[1] a singer, and Frank Allen Grammer, Jr., a musician and owner of a coffee shop and a bar & grill called Greer's Place.^[2][3][4] His parents divorced when Grammer was two years old.^[5] He attended Pine Crest School, a private preparatory school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Grammer later spent two years at the Juilliard School.^[6] Grammer's personal life has been affected by several tragedies: in 1968, his estranged father, whom he had seen only twice since his parents' divorce, was shot and killed;^[3] in 1975, his younger sister, Karen, was abducted, raped, and murdered by spree killer Freddie Glenn;^{[7][8][9][10]} in 1980, his twin half-brothers died in a scuba diving accident; and in 2001, David Angell, close friend and producer of Frasier, died in the 9/11 attacks.^[11][12]

Career[link]

Stage[link]

After leaving Juilliard, he had a three-year internship with the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in the late 1970s before a stint in 1980 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He made his Broadway debut in 1981 as "Lennox", in Macbeth taking the lead role when Philip Anglim withdrew after receiving negative reviews. Grammer then played Michael Cassio in a Broadway revival of Othello, with James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer. In 1983 he performed on the demo of the Stephen Sondheim–James Lapine production Sunday in the Park with George, starring Mandy Patinkin. Also featured on the demo was Christine Baranski, who later starred as Mrs. Lovett to Grammer's Sweeney Todd in the 1999 LA Reprise! production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. In 2000, Grammer again played Macbeth on Broadway.

On April 18, 2010, Grammer made his Broadway musical debut playing the role of Georges in a revival of the Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical La Cage aux Folles, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.

Television[link]

His television career began in the early 1980s when he portrayed Stephen Smith in the NBC miniseries Kennedy.

[edit] Cheers and Frasier

Grammer came to broader public attention as Dr. Frasier Crane in the NBC sitcom Cheers. Grammer's former Juilliard classmate and Broadway co-star Patinkin suggested Grammer to the New York casting director, and he got what was supposed to be a six-episode job, but ended up as a regular cast member.^[13]

The character became the center of the spin-off Frasier, one of the most successful spin-offs in TV history. In addition to starring, he also directed many episodes, especially during the second half of the series, and sang the closing theme "Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs." Frasier won and was nominated for many awards during its 11-year run.

In 2001, he negotiated a US$700,000-per-episode salary for Frasier. His 20-year run playing Dr. Frasier Crane ties a length set by James Arness in playing Marshall Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke from 1955 to 1975^[14] and Richard Belzer in playing Det. John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1993.

Later shows[link]

In 2005, Grammer returned to television. He produced and appeared in an American adaptation of the British show The Sketch Show, which aired on Fox. The main cast consisted of Malcolm Barrett, Kaitlin Olson, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Paul F. Tompkins, as well as Lee Mack from the British version of the show. Grammer appeared in only short opening and closing segments in each episode. Many of the sketches from the British version were recreated, such as the "California Dreamin'", "English Course", and "Sign Language" sketches. Only six episodes of the show were made, and it was cancelled after only four of them had aired.

In 2007, Grammer starred with Patricia Heaton in the American sitcom Back to You. It was cancelled by Fox after its first season.

His next attempt, ABC's Hank, fared even worse. It was cancelled after only five episodes had aired. Grammer later commented, "Honestly, it just wasn't very funny."^[15]

He is currently starring in the Starz drama series Boss, as a fictional mayor of Chicago in the mold of Richard J. Daley which premiered in October 2011.^[16] It is his first dramatic TV series.^[17] At the 2012 Golden Globe Awards Kelsey Grammer won the award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama for his role on Boss.

Other appearances[link]

In addition to being producer he guest-starred as the Angel of Death on Medium, and Captain Morgan Bateson in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Cause and Effect".

Voice work[link]

Grammer's smooth, deep voice and Mid-Atlantic accent make him popular for voiceover work. He has provided the voice of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons, winning an Emmy Award for his work in the episode "The Italian Bob".^[18] He has appeared in thirteen episodes since the show's inception in 1989, the most recent being "At Long Last Leave" that aired in February 2012, in which his character makes a cameo speaking appearance. Grammer supplied the voices for "Stinky Pete the Prospector" in 1999 Disney/Pixar film Toy Story 2, Vladimir in the Fox animated movie Anastasia, Rothbart in Barbie of Swan Lake, Zozi the Bear in the subsequently produced prequel Bartok the Magnificent, and the title character in the short-lived animated series Gary the Rat. He provided the opening speech and piano in The Vandals' song "Phone Machine" from the album Fear of a Punk Planet, and sang a rewritten version of the "grinch" on an episode of Just Shoot Me!. He was the voice of the mad scientist, Dr. Frankenollie, in the Mickey Mouse short Runaway Brain.

Grammer's voice has been featured in many commercials. One of the earliest was a 1998 commercial for Honey Nut Cheerios, where he played the voice of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. Since 2006, Grammer has provided the voice for television commercials advertising Hyundai. In 2008, Grammer reprised his role of Dr. Frasier Crane in a commercial for Dr Pepper.

Production work[link]

His production company, Grammnet Productions, produces the CW sitcoms Girlfriends and The Game which is now on BET, the NBC drama Medium, and is involved in many other projects.

Other work[link]

In 1996 he starred in the feature comedy Down Periscope. Additionally his film work includes the role of Dr. Hank McCoy (also known as the Beast) in X-Men: The Last Stand, and he was the voice of Snowball in the live-action film adaptation of the George Orwell book Animal Farm. Grammer co-starred in the movie Swing Vote, playing the Republican incumbent. He played General George S. Patton in An American Carol. In 2010, he starred in The Kelsey Grammer Bill Zucker Comedy Hour.

Personal life[link]

Family[link]

Grammer has been married four times and has four children (as well as two on the way) and one grandchild as of 2012.^[19]

His first marriage, to dance instructor Doreen Alderman,^[20] lasted from 1982 to 1990, although they were separated for the last six years of that period.^[21][22] They had one daughter, Spencer Grammer (born October 9, 1983),^[23] an actress on the CBS Daytime soap opera As the World Turns and the ABC Family show Greek. Through Spencer's marriage, Grammer has a grandson, Emmett Emmanual Hesketh (born October 10, 2011).^[20]

After this marriage to Alderman, Grammer had a daughter, Kandace Greer, with hair and makeup stylist Barrie Buckner.^[24][25]

His second marriage, to stripper Leigh-Anne Csuhany in September 1992,^[26] lasted one year. Grammer says that she was abusive and fired a gun at him,^[27] and that after talk of divorce, she attempted suicide, which resulted in the miscarriage of their child.^[3]

In 1994 he met 28-year-old Tammy Baliszewski, also known as Tammy Alexander, at a bar in Manhattan Beach, California. In December 1994 the two of them appeared on the cover of People magazine, announcing their engagement and Grammer's substance abuse problems.^[28] They broke up in 1995.^{[citation needed]}

In August 1997 Grammer married Camille Donatacci, a former Playboy model. They met on a blind date in 1996.^[29] They have a daughter, Mason Olivia (born October 24, 2001), and a son, Jude Gordon (born August 28, 2004), both born to a surrogate mother.^[25] During their marriage, several of Grammer and Donatacci's homes were featured in magazines, including ones in: Malibu, California (February 2001, InStyle), Maui (May 2004, InStyle), Long Island, New York (April 2008, InStyle), Bachelor Gulch, Colorado (Architectural Digest),^[30] and Bel Air, Los Angeles (Architectural Digest). It was announced on July 1, 2010, that Donatacci had filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.^[31] Grammer and Donatacci's divorce was finalized on February 10, 2011.^[32]

On August 12, 2010, Grammer announced that he was going to be a father for the fifth time with his girlfriend Kayte Walsh, a British flight attendant who is 25 years his junior.^[33] However, in October, Grammer announced that Walsh had miscarried six weeks earlier.^[34] The couple announced their engagement in December 2010.^[35] At the beginning of February, Grammer and Walsh booked the ballroom at the Plaza Hotel for their wedding, at a cost of more than $100,000 for the reception, despite rumors of Grammer's divorce not being finalized.^[36] The couple wed there on February 25, 2011, two weeks after the finalization of his third divorce.^[37] In January 2012, Grammer announced that he and Walsh are expecting twins.^[38]

Sex tape lawsuit[link]

In 1998, Grammer filed a lawsuit against Internet Entertainment Group, which Grammer claimed had stolen a videotape of him having sex with a woman from his home. IEG countersued Grammer, denying they were in possession of such a tape, and Grammer's suit was eventually dropped.^[39] IEG President Seth Warshavsky told the New York Post, "We have been presented with another Kelsey Grammer tape. But we have no plans to air it. We are still evaluating it at this time."^[40] Grammer later told Maxim, "Whether or not you’re a celebrity—even if you’re just an old slob with a video camera—you don’t realize you shouldn’t do it. So you throw the tape in the back of a dark closet until your old girlfriend remembers it’s there because you’re famous now and she’s not. But if you’re not prepared to do the time, don’t do the crime."^[41]

Substance abuse and legal issues[link]

Grammer began drinking at age nine^[42] and became a frequent abuser of alcohol.

In 1988, Grammer was arrested for drunk driving and cocaine possession and sentenced to 30 days in jail.^[43]

Grammer was arrested again for cocaine possession in August 1990 and was sentenced to three years' probation, fined $500, and given 300 hours of community service.^[43]

In January 1991, Grammer was given an additional two years' probation for violating his original probation through additional cocaine use.^[43]

In 1995, Grammer was sued by ex-girlfriend Cerlette Lamme for defamation of character and invasion of privacy over content he included in his autobiography So Far.^[44]

In September 1996, he crashed his Dodge Viper while intoxicated and subsequently checked into the Betty Ford Center for 30 days.^[43]

In August 2008, Bradley Blakeman, a former aide to George W. Bush, filed a copyright lawsuit in federal court on Long Island over Grammer's movie Swing Vote, claiming that parts of its plot and marketing had been stolen from him. The lawsuit claimed that Blakeman had given a copyrighted screenplay called Go November to Grammer in 2006, and that Grammer agreed to develop the project and star as a Republican president but instead ended up playing a similar role in Swing Vote, which was released on August 1, 2008. Grammer's spokesman dismissed the claims as "frivolous" and a "waste of time". The lawsuit claims that Blakeman's copyrighted screenplay had the same basic plot as Swing Vote.^[45]

Health problems[link]

Grammer suffered a heart attack on May 31, 2008. He told Jay Leno on the July 24, 2008, airing of The Tonight Show that he had to wait approximately 90 minutes for paramedics to arrive. He was hospitalized in Hawaii after he had symptoms while paddleboarding with his then-wife, Camille.^[46] He was released on June 4, 2008, and was listed as "resting comfortably" at his Hawaiian residence.^[47] Seven weeks after his attack, Grammer told Entertainment Tonight that, although at the time his spokesman described the attack as mild, it was in fact more severe, almost leading to his death, as his heart had stopped.^[48]

Grammer thought Fox's decision to cancel his TV sitcom Back to You contributed to his health problems, stating that "It was a very stressful time for me, and a surprise that it was cancelled. But you know, everything that doesn't kill us—which it almost did—makes us stronger!".^[49]

On June 28, 2008, Grammer checked into an undisclosed Manhattan hospital after complaints of feeling faint. His publicist said that it may have been due to a reaction to medication.^[50]

Politics[link]

Grammer is a member of the Republican Party and has expressed an interest in someday running for United States Congress.^[51] Grammer was a guest at President George W. Bush's first inauguration.^[52] Grammer endorsed Rudy Giuliani in the 2008 presidential primary and later campaigned for John McCain in the general election.^[53][54] Grammer promotes RightNetwork, a conservative start-up American television network.^[55] He endorsed Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination for president in 2012.^[56]

Awards[link]

He won a number of Emmys, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Golden Globes for his work on Frasier. He was the first American actor ever to be nominated for multiple Emmy awards for portraying the same character on three different television shows (Cheers, Frasier, and Wings).

Grammer has received at least 45 nominations for major awards and has won on 18 occasions.^[57] He has received 14 individual Emmy Award nominations for 4 different television shows (plus an additional 2 as part of the Frasier ensemble) and has won on 5 occasions. At the Golden Globes, he has received nine nominations and thrice been victorious. He has received two People's Choice Awards, and in 1999 his directorial skills were recognized with a nomination for a Directors Guild of America award for directing an episode of Frasier. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in X-Men: The Last Stand. On May 22, 2001, he was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television. On April 20, 2009, Grammer was presented the inaugural Television Chairman's Award at the annual NAB Show in Las Vegas.^[58] In 2010, Grammer enjoyed his first Tony Award nomination for "La Cage Aux Folles" as Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

The following table gives a selection of the awards he has won.

Filmography[link]

Video games

The Simpsons Game (2007) – Sideshow Bob

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Grammer, Kelsey. So Far. New York: Viking Press, 1995. Print. ISBN 978-0-670-86671-7. OCLC 32743033. His Autobiography.

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Kelsey Grammer

• Official website^{[dead link]}
• Kelsey Grammer at the Internet Movie Database
• Kelsey Grammer at the Internet Broadway Database
• Kelsey Grammer at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Kelsey Grammer at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Neal, Rome (February 4, 2003). "'Frasier' Meets 'Becker'"". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/04/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main539348.shtml. 

David Hyde Pierce
Pierce in New York City in 2010
Born	(1959-04-03) April 3, 1959 (age 53) Saratoga Springs, New York
Nationality	American
Occupation	actor, comedian
Years active	1982–present
Notable work(s)	Dr. Niles Crane in Frasier
Spouse	Brian Hargrove (m. 2008)
Awards	Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 1995, 1998, 1999, 2004 Frasier

David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing the psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he won four Emmy Awards during the series' run.

Early life[link]

Pierce, the youngest of four siblings, was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, the son of Laura Marie (née Hughes) and George Hyde Pierce, an insurance agent and aspiring actor. He has three older siblings: Barbara, Nancy, and Thomas,^[1] and adapted his name as an adult.^[2]

As a child, Pierce became very interested in the piano and frequently played organ at the local Bethesda Episcopal Church in Saratoga Springs.^[3] He began acting while in high school, earning recognition as best Dramatic Arts student. In 1977, Pierce received the Yaddo Medal for character and scholarship and worked in theater while a counselor at Camp Kabeyun in New Hampshire.^[4] However, his love of music was still strong, so he decided to study classical piano at Yale University. However, Pierce soon grew bored with music history lessons and found that he wasn’t dedicated enough to practice the required number of hours to become a successful concert pianist. Instead, he graduated in 1981 with a double major in English and Theatre Arts.

While attending Yale, Pierce performed and directed student productions, appearing as Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B., in the Yale Gilbert & Sullivan Society's production of H.M.S. Pinafore. He also directed the Gilbert & Sullivan Society's operetta Princess Ida and occasionally accompanied rehearsals on the piano. Among other roles Pierce played at Yale were in Waiting for Godot, Saint Joan, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

Career[link]