Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by
David AngellDavid Lawrence Angell was an American producer of sitcoms. Angell won multiple Emmy Awards as the creator and executive producer, along with Peter Casey and David Lee, of the comedy series Frasier...
,
Peter CaseyPeter Casey is an American television producer and screenwriter. He was a writer for the American sitcoms The Jeffersons, Cheers and Wings, as well as being a co-creator and writer for Frasier.-External links:...
, and
David LeeDavid Lee is an American television producer, director and screenwriter. He was a writer and producer for the American sitcoms The Jeffersons and Cheers, as well as being a co-creator, writer and director for Wings and Frasier...
(as Grub Street Productions) in association with
GrammnetGrammnet Productions is an American television production company owned by Kelsey Grammer and Camille Grammer.-Grammnet Productions productions:* Boss * The Game...
(2004) and
Paramount Network TelevisionParamount Television was an American television production/distribution company that was active from January 1, 1968 to August 27, 2006.Its successor is CBS Television Studios, formerly CBS Paramount Television...
.
A
spin-offIn media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of
CheersCheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
,
Frasier stars
Kelsey GrammerAllen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
,
David Hyde PierceDavid Hyde Pierce is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he received many accolades including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-Early life:Pierce, the youngest of four siblings,...
,
John MahoneyJohn Mahoney is a British born American actor, known for playing Martin "Marty" Crane, the retired police officer, father of Kelsey Grammer's Dr...
,
Jane LeevesJane Leeves is an English film, stage, and television actress, comedienne and dancer.Leeves made her screen debut with a small role in the 1983 popular British comedy television show The Benny Hill Show. Leeves moved to the United States, where she performed in small roles until she secured a...
and
Peri GilpinPeri Gilpin is an American actress known for her role as Roz Doyle in the U.S. television series Frasier from 1993 until 2004. Along with the principal cast, Gilpin won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2000...
. It is one of the most successful spin-off series in television history as well as one of the most critically acclaimed comedy series of all time.
Situation
Psychiatrist
Dr. Frasier CraneFrasier W. Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Frasier and Cheers. 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...
(Grammer) returns to his hometown of Seattle, Washington, following the end of his marriage and his life in Boston (as seen in
Cheers). His plans for a new life as a bachelor are complicated when he is obliged to take in his father, a retired detective from the
Seattle Police DepartmentThe Seattle Police Department is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Seattle, Washington, except for the campus of the University of Washington, for which responsibility falls to the University of Washington Police Department...
,
MartinDet. Martin "Marty" Crane is a fictional character on the American television show Frasier. He was played by actor John Mahoney. Martin is the father of Frasier and Niles Crane.- Biography :...
(Mahoney), who is unable to live by himself after being shot in the line of duty. Frasier and Martin are joined by
Daphne MoonDaphne Crane is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Frasier, played by Jane Leeves....
(Leeves), Martin's English, live-in physical therapist and caretaker, and Martin's dog Eddie (Moose). Frasier's younger brother
NilesNiles Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American sitcom Frasier, a spin-off of the popular show Cheers. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Dr. Frasier Crane, the son of Det. Martin Crane and Dr. Hester Crane, husband of Daphne Moon,...
(Pierce), a fellow psychiatrist, frequently visits their apartment. Niles' infatuation with, and eventual love for Daphne—feelings he does not confess to her openly until the final episode of the seventh season—form a complex story arc that spans the entire series.
Frasier hosts the popular
The Dr. Frasier Crane Show on the talk radio station
KACLKACL is the fictional Seattle, Washington radio station on the television show Frasier. It broadcasts many talk radio shows, including The Dr. Frasier Crane Show between 2:00pm–5:00pm each weekday, Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe's top-rated The Gonzo Sports Show, and Gil Chesterton's Restaurant Beat...
. While his head producer
Roz DoyleRosalinda "Roz" Doyle is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Frasier. She is played by Peri Gilpin. Roz is the producer of Frasier Crane's Dr. Frasier Crane Show on KACL 780AM...
(Gilpin) is very different from Frasier in taste and temperament, over time they become close friends. Frasier and the others often visit the local coffee shop
Café NervosaCafé Nervosa is a fictional café featured in the American television sitcom Frasier.-Location and role in the series:It is fictitiously located on the corner of the real-world 3rd and Pike Streets in Seattle and is portrayed as being just across the street from the also fictional KACL Radio Studios...
, the scene of many of their comic adventures.
The sons, who possess fine tastes, intellectual interests, and high opinions of themselves, frequently clash with their blue-collar, down-to-earth father. Frasier and Niles' relationship is often also turbulent; while very close, their intense sibling rivalry frequently results in chaos. Other recurring themes include the breakdown of Niles' marriage to the
never-seenIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
Maris, Frasier's search for love in his own life, and the various attempts of the two brothers to gain acceptance into Seattle's cultural elite.
Cast
Much like its predecessor
Cheers,
Frasier used an
ensemble castAn ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
with storylines involving the same group of characters.
| Character |
Actor |
Notes |
Frasier CraneFrasier W. Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Frasier and Cheers. 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...
|
Kelsey GrammerAllen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
|
A radio psychiatrist. |
| Niles Crane Niles Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American sitcom Frasier, a spin-off of the popular show Cheers. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Dr. Frasier Crane, the son of Det. Martin Crane and Dr. Hester Crane, husband of Daphne Moon,...
|
David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he received many accolades including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-Early life:Pierce, the youngest of four siblings,...
|
Frasier's younger brother, also a psychiatrist, who works in private practice. |
Martin CraneDet. Martin "Marty" Crane is a fictional character on the American television show Frasier. He was played by actor John Mahoney. Martin is the father of Frasier and Niles Crane.- Biography :...
|
John Mahoney John Mahoney is a British born American actor, known for playing Martin "Marty" Crane, the retired police officer, father of Kelsey Grammer's Dr...
|
Frasier's and Niles's father, a police officer who was forced to retire because of a gunshot wound to his hip that led to his living with Frasier. |
| Daphne Moon Daphne Crane is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Frasier, played by Jane Leeves....
|
Jane Leeves Jane Leeves is an English film, stage, and television actress, comedienne and dancer.Leeves made her screen debut with a small role in the 1983 popular British comedy television show The Benny Hill Show. Leeves moved to the United States, where she performed in small roles until she secured a...
|
An English physiotherapist hired by Frasier to help take care of Martin. |
Roz DoyleRosalinda "Roz" Doyle is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Frasier. She is played by Peri Gilpin. Roz is the producer of Frasier Crane's Dr. Frasier Crane Show on KACL 780AM...
|
Peri Gilpin Peri Gilpin is an American actress known for her role as Roz Doyle in the U.S. television series Frasier from 1993 until 2004. Along with the principal cast, Gilpin won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2000...
|
The producer of Frasier's radio show, who becomes a close family friend. |
| Eddie |
Moose Moose was a veteran canine actor. He was a Jack Russell Terrier and is most famous for his portrayal of Eddie Crane on the television sitcom Frasier.-Early life:...
(uncredited) |
Martin's Jack Russell TerrierThe Jack Russell terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting. It is principally white-bodied smooth, rough or broken-coated which is commonly confused with the Parson Russell terrier and the Russell terrier with the term "Jack Russell" commonly misapplied to other small white...
|
The lead actors were with the show for all of its 11 years. Grammer was briefly the highest paid television actor in the United States for his portrayal of Frasier, while Jane Leeves was the highest paid British actress. Following his many appearances in
Cheers, Grammer tied the record for the longest running character in prime time, equalling
James ArnessJames King Arness was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon in the television series Gunsmoke for 20 years...
' twenty years as Marshal Dillon on
GunsmokeGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
, but this was beaten by the principal cast of
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, although Grammer and Arness still hold the record in live action.
In addition to the ensemble, a number of additional characters were introduced to advance the storyline. These included characters from Frasier's former incarnation on
Cheers, such as his ex-wife
Lilith SterninLilith Sternin, M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., A.P.A. is a character played by Bebe Neuwirth on the American sitcom Cheers, which spans the course of her marriage to Frasier Crane, and its spinoff series Frasier, during which she made regular appearances as Frasier's ex-wife and the mother of their son...
, played by
Bebe NeuwirthBeatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
. Some other characters, such as Bob 'Bulldog' Briscoe, played by
Dan ButlerDaniel Eugene "Dan" Butler is an American playwright and actor known for his role as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe on the TV series Frasier.- Life and career :...
, the host of a radio sports show that aired following Frasier's show, made regular appearances. He was billed with the main cast for three seasons (seasons 4-6) before that he was a recurring character. After season 6 he was placed back on recurring guest status.
Three of the main cast members reunited in an episode of
The Simpsons. Grammer reprised his role for the tenth time as
Sideshow BobRobert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared briefly in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale, a member of...
, Pierce reprised his role for the second time as Sideshow Bob's brother, Cecil Terwilliger, and Mahoney appeared as Cecil and Bob's father, Dr. Robert Terwilliger, in the episode "
Funeral For A Fiend"Funeral for a Fiend" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season and first aired on November 25, 2007. It was written by Michael Price and was directed by Rob Oliver. It features Kelsey Grammer in his tenth appearance as Sideshow Bob, as well as David Hyde Pierce in his second...
".
Cast member reunions have also occurred on three episodes of
Hot in ClevelandHot in Cleveland is an American sitcom on TV Land starring Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White. The series, which is TV Land's first original scripted series, premiered on June 16, 2010, and was TV Land's highest rated telecast in the cable network's 14-year history. The...
, which currently features Leeves and
Wendie MalickWendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles as Judith Tupper Stone on the HBO series Dream On , Nina Van Horn on the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! , Ronee Lawrence on the NBC sitcom Frasier and Victoria Chase on the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland .-Early...
(who played Martin's girlfriend, then wife) among the show's principal cast. In the Season 2 episode "Unseparated at Birth", Mahoney guest stars as a waiter, Gilpin appears in the episode "I Love Lucci (Part 1)", and
Tom McGowanThomas "Tom" McGowan is an American actor, known for his recurring roles on Frasier, as KACL station manager Kenny Daly; Everybody Loves Raymond, as Ray's friend Bernie; and on The War at Home, as Dave Gold's friend Joe. McGowan also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm as a disgruntled fan of Larry's...
(who played one of the radio station managers) appears in "Love Thy Neighbor" as a casting director.
Hot in Cleveland is also produced by
Suzanne MartinSuzanne Moore Martin is an American television producer and writer. She is best known for writing and producing work on Ellen, Frasier and Hot in Cleveland which she created...
, who wrote multiple episodes of
Frasier.
Creation
As
Cheers approached its last season in 1993, Grammer approached Angell, Casey, and Lee. The actor had enjoyed his appearance on an episode of the three men's
Wings, and hoped that they could create a new show for him. Grammer did not want to continue playing Frasier Crane, and Angell, Casey, and Lee did not want the new show to be compared to
Cheers, which they had worked on before
Wings. The three proposed that the actor play a wealthy,
Malcolm ForbesMalcolm Stevenson Forbes was publisher of Forbes magazine, founded by his father B. C. Forbes and today run by his son Steve Forbes.-Life and career:...
-like paraplegic publisher with a "street smart" Hispanic live-in nurse. While Grammer liked the concept, Paramount Television disliked it because it was unrelated to the enormously popular
Cheers. Although Grammer agreed to star in a
Cheers spin-off, the producers set the new show as far from Boston as possible to prevent NBC from demanding that other characters from the old show make guest appearances on the new show during its first season. After first choosing Denver, Angell, Casey, and Lee ultimately chose Seattle as the setting.
The creators did not want Frasier in private practice so the show would not resemble
The Bob Newhart ShowThe Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...
, and conceived the idea of the psychiatrist working in a radio station surrounded by "wacky, yet loveable" characters. After finding that such a setting resembled
WKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
, Lee's experiences with caring for an aging parent very different from the son caused the creators to emphasize Frasier's home life and family history, which
Cheers had rarely explored, and "the relationship between an aging father and the grown-up son he never understood."
Casting
Originally there was to be no brother because Frasier told his bar friends at
Cheers he was an only child. After a casting director noticed Pierce's resemblance to Grammer, the creators were "blown away" by his acting ability and created a role for him. Martin Crane is based on creator Casey's father, who spent 34 years with the
San Francisco Police DepartmentThe San Francisco Police Department, also known as the SFPD and San Francisco Department Of Police, is the police department of the City and County of San Francisco, California...
; Grammer, who lost his father as a child, and the childless Mahoney immediately built a close father-son relationship. NBC suggested Martin's nurse be English instead of Hispanic as it favored Leeves for the role. Grammer was initially reluctant as he thought the casting made the show resemble
Nanny and the ProfessorNanny and the Professor is a U.S. fantasy situation comedy created by AJ Carothers and Thomas L. Miller for 20th Century Fox Television. During pre-production, the proposed title was Nanny Will Do. The series first aired as a mid-season replacement on January 21, 1970, on ABC and was last telecast...
, but approved Leeves after a
read-throughThe read-through, table-read, or table work is a stage of film and theatre production when an organized reading around a table of the screenplay or script by the actors with speaking parts is conducted....
with her. The only main role that required auditions was Roz Doyle, named in memory of a producer of
Wings. She was originally to be played by
Lisa KudrowLisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
, but during rehearsals, it became apparent that she did not fit the role. The creators quickly hired Gilpin, their second choice.
Filming
As Pierce's role as Niles became a
breakout characterA breakout character is a fictional character in different episodes, books or other media that becomes the most popular, talked about, and imitated. Most often a breakout character in a television series captures the audience's imagination and helps to popularize the show, sometimes inadvertently...
, focus shifted to the brothers' relationship. The cast had an unusual amount of freedom to suggest changes to the script. Grammer used an acting method he called "requisite disrespect" and did not rehearse with the others, instead learning and rehearsing his lines once just before filming each scene in front of a live studio audience. Although effective, the system often caused panic among guest stars. In 1996 Grammer's recurrent alcoholism led to a car accident; the cast and crew performed an
interventionAn intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
that persuaded him to enter the Betty Ford Clinic, delaying production for a month.
Only one episode, "The 1000th Show", was filmed in Seattle. As with
Cheers, the remainder was filmed on Stage 25 (34°5′8.38"N 118°19′18.14"W),
Paramount StudiosParamount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, and at various locations in and around
Los AngelesLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
The radio station callers' lines were spoken by anonymous
voice-overVoice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
actors while filming the show in front of a live audience. This gave the cast something to which they could react. During
post-productionPost-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
, the lines were replaced by celebrities, who literally phoned in their parts without having to come into the studio. The end credits of season finales showed headshots of all the celebrities who had "called in" that season.
The closing credits for each episode features the song "Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs", sung by Grammer, and a short silent skit. Season finales were the exception, usually showing black-and-white photos of guest callers.
Skyline
No building or apartment in Seattle really has the view from Frasier's residence. It was created so the
Space NeedleThe Space Needle is a tower in Seattle, Washington and is a major landmark of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and a symbol of Seattle. Located at the Seattle Center, it was built for the 1962 World's Fair, during which time nearly 20,000 people a day used the elevators, with over...
would appear more prominently. According to the Season 1 DVD bonus features, the photograph used on the set was taken from atop a cliff, possibly the ledge at
Kerry ParkKerry Park is a park on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington, located at the corner of 2nd Avenue W. and W. Highland Drive. According to a plaque on a wall in the park, "Kerry Park [was] given to the City in 1927 by Mr. and Mrs...
, a frequent photography location. Despite this,
Frasier has been said to have contributed to the emergence of an upscale urban lifestyle in 1990s Seattle, with buyers seeking properties in locations resembling that depicted in the show, in search of "that cosmopolitan feel of Frasier".
The title card of each episode shows the Seattle skyline being drawn in white over the show's title against a black backdrop, frequently with an added element such as a helicopter lifting off or a cloud moving in to rain on the buildings. The color of the title changed at the beginning of each season.
Relationship to Cheers
Many regular cast members seen on
Cheers made appearances on
Frasier, with the exceptions of
Nicholas ColasantoNicholas Colasanto was an American actor and television director, known primarily for his role as Coach Ernie Pantusso on the sitcom Cheers...
(Ernie "Coach" Pantuso, 1982–1985), who died in 1985 prior to the advent of
Frasier, and
Kirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
(
Rebecca HoweRebecca Howe-Santry is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Kirstie Alley. She is introduced after Shelley Long, who played overeducated barmaid Diane Chambers, left to pursue a movie career...
, 1987–1993).
Bebe NeuwirthBeatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
(
Lilith SterninLilith Sternin, M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., A.P.A. is a character played by Bebe Neuwirth on the American sitcom Cheers, which spans the course of her marriage to Frasier Crane, and its spinoff series Frasier, during which she made regular appearances as Frasier's ex-wife and the mother of their son...
, 1986–1993) was the lone character of
Cheers, other than Grammer, to become a recurring character on
Frasier. Kelsey Grammer has said that
Frasier allowed him the opportunity to settle an old disagreement with
Shelley LongShelley Lee Long is an American actress best known for her role as Diane Chambers on the sitcom Cheers, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress...
, who had played
Diane ChambersDiane Chambers is a fictional character portrayed by Shelley Long on the American television show Cheers , and on several episodes of the subsequent Cheers spin-off Frasier...
on the first five seasons of
Cheers. Long did not like the Frasier character in
Cheers and lobbied to get Grammer removed from the show. The producers disagreed, noting his popularity with the audience. Grammer has said "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" is one of his favorite episodes; it had the effect of allowing the two actors to make peace. Long also played Diane Chambers in two other
Frasier episodes, the first a brief surprise cameo in a 1994 episode and once again in the 2001 season premiere.
Some cast members of
Frasier had appeared previously in minor roles on
Cheers. In the episode "Do Not Forsake Me, O' My Postman" (1992), John Mahoney played Sy Flembeck, an over-the-hill advertising executive hired by Rebecca to write a jingle for the bar. In it, Grammer and Mahoney exchanged a few lines. Peri Gilpin appeared in a
Cheers episode titled "Woody Gets an Election" playing a reporter who interviews Woody when he runs for office.
In some cases
Cheers directly contradicts
Frasier or vice versa. Frasier's mother is remembered in
Frasier as a sensitive, kind woman and a wonderful mother, yet she appears in a
Cheers episode (played by
Nancy MarchandNancy Marchand was an American actress, whose career encompassed both stage and screen. She appeared in various theatre productions throughout the early 1950s, before being offered roles on film and television....
) as a haughty, overbearing woman who threatens Diane Chambers at gunpoint to end her relationship with Frasier. Mrs. Crane was portrayed in a 2001 episode of
Frasier (on Martin's old cine movies) by
Rita Wilson-Early life:Wilson was born Margarita Ibrahimoff in Los Angeles, California.Her father, a Bulgarian who worked at a racetrack, was born in Greece. Before immigrating to the US, he had lived in Bulgaria and Turkey....
, who reprised the role during Frasier's imaginary experiences with the important women in his life. In this case she was once again portrayed as threatening toward Diane (and Lilith), citing as her reasons her concern for Frasier's happiness.
In the eighth-season
Cheers episode "Two Girls for Every Boyd", Frasier tells
Sam MaloneSam "Mayday" Malone is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Ted Danson. The central character of the series, Sam is a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball team who owns Cheers and tends bar there. He is a recovering alcoholic and...
(played by
Ted DansonEdward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
) that his father, a research scientist, had died. In the
Frasier Season 2 episode "The Show Where Sam Shows Up", when Sam meets Martin, Martin brings up the discrepancies. Frasier explains it away by saying that at the time, he was angry after a recent argument with his father on the phone. In "The Show Where Woody Shows Up",
Woody BoydHuckleberry Tiberius "Woody" Boyd is a lovable, albeit extremely naive and unsophisticated, character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Woody Harrelson. Woody came to Cheers at the beginning of the fourth season of Cheers in 1985....
upon meeting Martin says he remembers hearing about him – probably from Sam talking about his experiences in Seattle when he returned to Boston.
In the ninth-season episode, "Cheerful Goodbyes" in 2002, Frasier returns to Boston to give a speech and Niles, Daphne and Martin come along to see the city. Frasier runs into
Cliff ClavinClifford C. Clavin, Jr. is a character on the American television show Cheers, co-created and portrayed by John Ratzenberger.- Character history :...
(played by
John RatzenbergerJohn Deszo Ratzenberger is an American actor, voice actor, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his role as Cliff Clavin in Cheers.-Early life:...
) at the airport and learns that Cliff is retiring and moving to Florida. Frasier and company attend Cliff's retirement party where Frasier reunites with the rest of the gang from Cheers (sans Sam, Woody and Rebecca), including bar regular
Norm PetersonHillary Norman "Norm" Peterson is a character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by George Wendt. Norm's real first name was revealed to be Hillary, named after his grandfather....
(played by
George WendtGeorge Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
); waitress
Carla TortelliCarla Maria Victoria Angelina Teresa Apollonia Lozupone Tortelli LeBec, known as Carla Tortelli, is a waitress on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Rhea Perlman. Outwardly, at least, Carla is a mean-spirited woman who expresses disdain for many people...
(played by
Rhea Perlman); barflies Paul Krapence (played by
Paul WillsonPaul Lee Willson is an American actor, most notable for his television work.Willson has played numerous guest characters on a variety of shows including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Public, Caroline in the City, and Star Trek: Voyager...
) and Phil (played by Philip Perlman); and Cliff's old post office nemesis Walt Twitchell (played by
Raye BirkRaye Birk is an American film and television actor famous for playing the role of Papshmir in the first and last of the Naked Gun movies. He was the main villain in Naked Gun 33: The Final Insult...
).
In the eleventh-season episode of
Frasier, "Caught in the Act", Frasier's married ex-wife, children's entertainer Nanny G, comes to town and invites him backstage for a rendezvous. Nanny G appeared on the
Cheers episode "One Hugs, The Other Doesn't" (1992) and was portrayed by
Emma ThompsonEmma Thompson is a British actress, comedian and screenwriter. Her first major film role was in the 1989 romantic comedy The Tall Guy. In 1992, Thompson won multiple acting awards, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, for her performance in the British drama Howards End...
. In this episode of
Frasier she is portrayed by
Laurie MetcalfLauren Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf is an American actress. She is widely known for her performance as Jackie Harris on the ABC sitcom Roseanne, Mary Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, the voice of Mrs. Davis in the Toy Story film series and as Debbie Salt in Scream 2...
. She also appeared in the second episode of Season 9 of
Frasier, "Don Juan in Hell: Part 2" and was played by Dina Waters.
The set of
Frasier itself was built over the set of
Cheers on the same stage after it had finished filming. The producers for
Frasier made certain there were no stools in the coffee shop in order to distance it visually from the
Cheers bar.
Critical reaction
Critics and commentators broadly held
Frasier in high regard, with acclaim fading in the later seasons. Caroline Frost said that the series overall showed a high level of wit, but in common with other commentators such as Ken Tucker and Robert Bianco felt that the marriage of Daphne and Niles in season ten removed a lot of the comic tension. Tucker specifically felt that their marriage made the series seem desperate for storylines, while Bianco felt that it was symptomatic of a show that had begun to dip in quality after so much time on the air. Kelsey Grammer acknowledged the creative lull, saying that over the course of two later seasons the show "took itself too seriously". Commentators do, however, acknowledge that there was an improvement following the return of the writers
Christopher LloydChristopher Lloyd is an American TV screenwriter and producer of Wings, Frasier, Out of Practice, Back to You, and Modern Family...
and
Joe KeenanJoe Keenan is an award-winning screenwriter, television producer and novelist and openly gay American.-Early life:Keenan was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His family is Irish American and Roman Catholic. He has a twin brother, John, and two other siblings Ronald and Geraldine. He grew up in...
, although not necessarily to its earlier high standards.
Writing about the first season, John O'Connor described
Frasier as being a relatively unoriginal concept, but said that it was generally a "splendid act", while Tucker thought that the second season benefited greatly from a mix of "high and low humor". Tucker's comment is referring to what Grammer described as a rule of the series that the show should not play down to its audience. Kevin Cherry believes that
Frasier was able to stay fresh by not making any contemporary commentary, therefore allowing the show to be politically and socially neutral. Other commentators, such as Haydn Bush disagree, believing the success of
Frasier can be attributed to the comedic timing and the chemistry between the characters.
In spite of the criticisms of the later seasons, these critics were unanimous in praising at least the early seasons, with varied commentary on the series' demise ranging from believing, like Bianco, that the show had run its course to those like Dana Stevens who bemoaned the end of
Frasier as the "end of situation comedy for adults".
Awards
Frasier is one of the most successful spin-off series in television history and one of the most critically acclaimed comedy series of all time. The series won 37 prime-time
EmmysAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
during its 11-year run, breaking the record long held by
The Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
(29). Grammer and Pierce each won four, including one each for the final season. The series holds the record for the most consecutive
Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy SeriesThe Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series is an Emmy given to the best television comedy series of the year.-Winners and nominees:...
, winning five from 1994 to 1998.
Grammer has been Emmy-nominated for playing Frasier Crane on
Cheers and
Frasier, as well as a 1992
crossoverA fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
appearance on
Wings, making him the only performer to be nominated for playing the same role on three different series. The first year Grammer did not receive an Emmy nomination for
Frasier was in 2003. Pierce was nominated every year of the show's run, breaking the record for nominations in his category with his eighth nomination in 2001; he was nominated a further three times after this.
In 1997, the episode "The Matchmaker" was ranked #43 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
In 2002,
Frasier was ranked No. 34 on
TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All TimeTV Guides 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time is TV Guides list of the 50 most entertaining and influential television series in American pop culture...
.
A poll taken by the British
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
of the sitcom industry voted
Frasier the best sitcom of all time.
Nielsen ratings
The ratings for the show should be read in the context of their broadcasting times on NBC, listed here:
All times listed are North American Eastern Standard Time.
| Season |
TV Season |
Time Slot |
Rank |
Viewers
(in millions) |
| 1 |
1993–1994 |
Thursdays at 9:30 pm |
# 7 |
15.82 |
| 2 |
1994–1995 |
Tuesdays at 9:00 pm |
# 15 |
13.83 |
| 3 |
1995–1996 |
# 11 |
13.04 |
| 4 |
1996–1997 |
# 16 |
11.44 |
| 5 |
1997–1998 |
# 10 |
11.76 |
| 6 |
1998–1999 |
Thursdays at 9:00 pm |
# 3 |
15.5 |
| 7 |
1999–2000 |
# 6 |
20.06 |
| 8 |
2000–2001 |
Tuesdays at 9:00 pm |
# 17 |
15.8 |
| 9 |
2001–2002 |
# 16 |
15.0 |
| 10 |
2002–2003 |
# 26 |
12.48 |
| 11 |
2003–2004 |
# 35 |
10.92 |
Home media
Paramount Home EntertainmentParamount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
and CBS DVD have released all 11 seasons of
Frasier on DVD in Region 1, 2 and 4. A 44-disc package containing the entire 11 seasons has also been released.
| | DVD Name | | Ep # | | Release dates |
| Region 1 |
Region 2 |
Region 4 |
| The Complete 1st Season |
24 |
May 20, 2003 |
November 24, 2003 |
January 13, 2004 |
| The Complete 2nd Season |
24 |
January 6, 2004 |
June 7, 2004 |
June 3, 2004 |
| The Complete 3rd Season |
24 |
May 25, 2004 |
September 6, 2004 |
September 10, 2004 |
| The Complete 4th Season |
24 |
February 1, 2005 |
July 18, 2005 |
July 20, 2005 |
| The Complete 5th Season |
24 |
June 7, 2005 |
November 27, 2006 |
January 11, 2007 |
| The Complete 6th Season |
24 |
September 13, 2005 |
May 14, 2007 |
May 3, 2007 |
| The Complete 7th Season |
24 |
November 15, 2005 |
July 9, 2007 |
July 12, 2007 |
| The Complete 8th Season |
24 |
June 13, 2006 |
February 4, 2008 |
February 14, 2008 |
| The Complete 9th Season |
24 |
May 15, 2007 |
April 28, 2008 |
July 31, 2008 |
| The Complete 10th Season |
24 |
December 11, 2007 |
July 28, 2008 |
November 6, 2008 |
| The Complete 11th & Final Season |
24 |
November 16, 2004 |
September 15, 2008 |
January 15, 2009 |
| The Complete Series |
264 |
December 11, 2007 |
October 6, 2008 |
July 30, 2009 |
The first four seasons were also released on
VHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
along with a series of 'Best Of' tapes. These tapes consisted of four episodes taken from seasons 1-4. No more video releases have been announced.
| Video Name | Release date |
| The Best Of Frasier 1 - From Boston To Seattle |
TBC 1999 |
| The Best Of Frasier 2 - Crane Vs. Crane |
TBC 1999 |
| The Best Of Frasier 3 - Serial Dater |
TBC 1999 |
| The Best Of Frasier 4 - Like Father Like Sons |
TBC 1999 |
| The Best Of Frasier 5 - Brotherly Love |
TBC 1999 |
| The Best Of Frasier 6 - Love Is In The Air |
TBC 1999 |
| The Best Of Frasier Box Set |
TBC 1999 |
| The Complete 1st Season |
July 16, 2001 |
| The Complete 2nd Season |
December 3, 2001 |
| Season 3 - Part 1 |
May 6, 2002 |
| Season 3 - Part 2 |
July 1, 2002 |
| Season 4 - Part 1 |
October 14, 2002 |
| Season 4 - Part 2 |
November 18, 2002 |
One Frasier CD has been released featuring a number of songs taken from the show.
| CD Name |
Release date |
| Tossed Salads & Scrambled Eggs |
October 24, 2000 |
Books
Several books about
Frasier have been released, including the following:
| Title |
Publisher |
ISBN |
| The Best Of Frasier |
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
Books |
ISBN 0-7522-1394-6 |
| Cafe Nervosa: The Connoisseur's Cookbook |
Oxmoor House Oxmoor House is the book publishing division of Birmingham, Alabama based Southern Progress Corporation. Oxmoor House was founded in 1979 when it began publishing Southern Living's Southern Living Annual Recipes. Today it publishes books relating to cooking, crafts, holidays, home improvement, and...
|
ISBN 0-8487-1550-0 |
| Frasier |
Pocket BooksPocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.- History :Pocket produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in America in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing industry...
|
ISBN 0-671-00368-2 |
| The Frasier Scripts |
Newmarket Press Newmarket Publishing and Communications Company, and its publishing arm Newmarket Press, was founded in 1981 by President and Publisher Esther Margolis...
|
ISBN 1-55704-403-1 |
| Goodnight Seattle |
Virgin BooksVirgin Books is a United Kingdom book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Enterprises, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company.-History:...
|
ISBN 0-7535-0286-0 |
| Goodnight Seattle II |
Virgin Books |
ISBN 0-7535-0717-X |
| What's Your "Frasier" IQ: 501 Questions and Answers for Fans |
Carol Publishing |
ISBN 0-8065-1732-8 |
| The Very Best Of Frasier |
Channel 4 Books |
ISBN 0-7522-6179-7 |
External links