Dr. Frasier Winslow Crane (born ) is a fictional character who is both a
supporting character on the American television
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...
'' and the
titular protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
of its
spin-off ''
Frasier'' and the latter's
2023 sequel. In all three series, he is portrayed by
Kelsey Grammer
Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and producer. He gained fame for his role as the psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1984–1993) and its spin-off ''Frasier'' (1993–2004, and again F ...
. The character debuted in the ''Cheers'' third-season premiere, "
Rebound (Part 1)" (1984), as
Diane Chambers's love interest, part of the Sam and Diane
story arc
A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of a plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing narrative, storyline in episode, episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strip ...
. Intended to appear for only a few episodes, Grammer's performance in the role was praised by producers, prompting them to expand his role and increase his prominence.
Later in ''Cheers'', Frasier marries
Lilith Sternin (
Bebe Neuwirth) and has a son, Frederick. After ''Cheers'' ended, the character moved to a spin-off series, ''Frasier'', through which the span of his overall television appearances totals twenty years.
In the spin-off, Frasier moves back to his birthplace,
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, after his divorce from Lilith, who retained custody of Frederick in Boston, and is reunited with a newly created family: his estranged father,
Martin, and brother,
Niles. In February 2021, ViacomCBS (now
Paramount Global
Paramount Global (Trade name, d/b/a Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate controlled by National Amusements and Headquarters, headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Times Square, ...
) announced that Grammer would reprise the character in
a new series on
Paramount+
Paramount+ (formerly known as CBS All Access in the United States and 10 All Access in Australia) is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, stream ...
.
Grammer received award recognitions for portraying this character on these two shows, in addition to a 1992 one-time appearance on ''
Wings''. For his portrayal on ''Cheers'', Grammer was nominated twice for
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series but did not win in that category. For portraying the character on ''Frasier'', Kelsey Grammer won four Emmy Awards out of eleven nominations for
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and two Golden Globe Awards out of eight nominations for
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy).
Creation and casting
The character Frasier Crane was created in the third season of ''Cheers'' (1984–1985) by series creators
Glen and Les Charles as
Diane Chambers's (
Shelley Long) "romantic and intellectual ideal" following her breakup with
Sam Malone (
Ted Danson). Not only Sam Malone's rival and opposite, Frasier Crane was also part of the love triangle, "a different form of the
Sam-Diane relationship," said Glen Charles.
[`Cheers' Sam Gets a Rival]
" '' Ocala Star-Banner: TV Week'' cala, FL18 August 1984: 19. ''Google News''. Web. 31 March 2012. The show's writers initially conceived the character as "the role
Ralph Bellamy used to play in
Cary Grant movies — the guy the lady falls in love with, but is not real. You just know he doesn't have the sexual dynamism Grant does."
John Lithgow was originally chosen by ''Cheers'' producers for the role, but turned it down as he felt that TV would down his dignity.
["`Frasier' Says 'Goodnight, Seattle' for Good." '' St. Paul Pioneer Press'' t. Paul, MN13 May 2004: E1. Web. 06 April 2012.][Filichia, Peter.]
John Lithgow to appear at McCarter Theatre
" NJ.com 05 April 2010. Web. 06 April 2012.[Neal, Rome.]
'Frasier' Meets 'Becker'
" ''CBS News
CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio broadcaster CBS. It is headquartered in New York City. CBS News television programs include ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs ''CBS News Sunday Morn ...
'' 11 February 2009. Web. 06 April 2012. Grammer believed that he had failed the audition because no one laughed, but was chosen because of the quality of his performance with Danson. Frasier was supposed to appear only on a few episodes before Diane left him, but Grammer's performance was praised by series executives, leading to an extended role in the series.
His character was not universally popular, however, for coming between Sam and Diane; a viewer approached Grammer asking "Are you that pin dick that plays Frasier?", and the show received
fan mail
Fan mail is mail sent to a public figure, especially a celebrity, by their admirers or "fan (person), fans". In return for a fan's support and admiration, public figures may send an autographed poster, photo, reply letter, or note thanking the ...
denouncing Grammer.
Role in ''Cheers''
Frasier Crane, an alumnus of
Harvard College
Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...
,
Harvard Medical School,
and
Oxford University, debuted in the two-part episode "Rebound" (1984), the premiere of
''Cheers'' season three (1984–85), as a psychiatrist to help bartender
Sam Malone recover from a brief return to
alcoholism
Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...
and also cope with his breakup from
Diane Chambers. Also, Diane's fiancé throughout the third season,
he and Diane are supposed to wed in Italy in "Rescue Me" (1985), the finale of season three. However, in "Birth, Death, Love, and Rice" (1985), the premiere of season four (1985–86), Frasier enters the bar and tells Sam that he was jilted by Diane at the altar in Europe.
A despondent Frasier, who had given up his practice to go to Europe, loses his job lecturing at a university in Europe. Later in season four, he begins to regularly attend Cheers for drinks and finds himself depending more and more on alcohol. In "The Triangle" (1986), Sam feigns symptoms of depression, planned by Diane, to help Frasier recover from alcoholism and regain his self-confidence. This leads Frasier to conclude that Sam's symptoms indicate his love for Diane. However, upon arrival, Frasier sees Sam and Diane arguing in the bar office, and Sam admits the whole plan. Furious, Frasier declares himself to be sober, refuses to be a part of their relationship, and vows to practice psychiatry again.
The character finally becomes a permanent fixture among the other bar patrons by the middle of the series' run and adds to his comedic repertoire an occasional penchant for commenting on the personality flaws of the other Cheers regulars while still managing to remain a likable addition to the gang. As his role is expanded, Frasier becomes romantically involved with a stereotypical "intelligent, ice queen"
Lilith Sternin (
Bebe Neuwirth). Their first date in "Second Time Around" (1986) does not go well; they exchange insults with each other until she leaves the bar, disappointing him. In "Abnormal Psychology" (1986), Frasier and Lilith feel mutual attraction after Diane gives Lilith a makeover. At first reluctant to start anew, they then decide to go on another date. They live together for a year before being married one month before "Our Hourly Bread" (1988) as revealed in the episode and give birth to their son Frederick in "The Stork Brings a Crane" (1989). In "Smotherly Love" (1992), they reenact their wedding to please Lilith's mother Betty (
Marilyn Cooper), who was irritated that she had not been present for their marriage.
In "One Hugs, the Other Doesn't" (1992), Frasier is revealed to have been previously married to Nanette Guzman (
Emma Thompson), now known as the popular children's entertainer Nanny G. When Nanette sings a song implying her possible feelings for Frasier (despite being fully aware he's remarried), Lilith attacks her during Frederick's second birthday party.
In "Teaching with the Enemy" (1992), Lilith admits her affair with another man, Dr. Louis Pascal (Peter Vogt), dooming their marriage. In "Is There a Doctor in the Howe?" (1993), a distraught Frasier is going to sleep with Rebecca Howe in his bed until Lilith unexpectedly returns and—in the following episode, "The Bar Manager, The Shrink, His Wife and Her Lover" (1993)—storms out of the room and heads to Cheers. There, Lilith reveals that the eco-pod experiment with Pascal was a disaster—Pascal turned out to be
claustrophobic, among other mental problems—and she abandoned the project to return to Boston. Frasier, Rebecca, and eventually Pascal converge on Cheers in pursuit of Lilith. Pascal, armed with a pistol, demands Lilith return to him, threatening to shoot Frasier and the others. Lilith demands that he shoot her first, which causes him to back down and surrender to the police. Although Frasier initially refuses to take Lilith back after all this, her pathetic sobbing wins him over, and he hesitantly reconciles with her.
Role in ''Frasier''
Spin-off development
When ''Cheers'' ended in 1993, at first the creators did not plan to spin off the character from the predecessor because they were concerned that a spinoff might fail. Instead, they wanted to cast Kelsey Grammer as a
paraplegic millionaire resembling
Malcolm Forbes, "a magazine mogul
nda motorcycle enthusiast". The idea was deemed unsuitable and scrapped. Then the show's creators decided to move Frasier Crane out of Boston to avoid any resemblance to ''Cheers''. The spinoff idea would have focused primarily on "his work at a radio station", but they found it resembled an older sitcom, ''
WKRP in Cincinnati'', too much. Therefore, they decided to add in his private life, such as his father Martin and younger brother Niles.
[ In his titular spin-off, Frasier becomes "haughty, disdainful, and exceedingly uptight."
]
Moving to Seattle
After ''Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...
'', Frasier and Lilith ( Bebe Neuwirth) divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganising of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the M ...
off-screen, and Lilith is awarded custody of their son, Frederick, with Frasier granted visiting rights. In the pilot " The Good Son", Frasier explains that he left Boston because he felt that his life and career had grown stagnant (and he had been publicly humiliated after climbing onto a ledge and threatening to commit suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
before being talked down). Therefore, he returned to his original hometown of Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, where his father Martin ( John Mahoney) and younger brother Niles ( David Hyde Pierce) live, to have a fresh start.
Frasier works for the radio station KACL as the host of his psychotherapeutic radio show, ''The Dr. Frasier Crane Show'', produced by his producer and friend, Roz Doyle ( Peri Gilpin), who has many ex-boyfriends. Later, his father Martin, a retired Seattle Police Department detective who was shot in the line of duty, ends up moving in with him. Frasier is worried about his father in his current state as he can barely walk, and requires a cane to move. In ''Cheers'', Frasier had said that his father was dead and had been a scientist
A scientist is a person who Scientific method, researches to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences.
In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engag ...
. He also says that he is an only child.[ This inconsistency is later explained in " The Show Where Sam Shows Up": At Frasier's apartment, Sam Malone ( Ted Danson) tells Martin and Niles what Frasier had said about them, and Frasier explains that he was trying to distance himself from his family at the time. He confirms in "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" (1988) that his mother Hester, portrayed by Nancy Marchand in "Diane Meets Mom" (1984) and then by Rita Wilson in flashbacks in "Mamma Mia" (1999) and "Don Juan in Hell: Part 2" (2001), is dead off-screen.
Frasier hires a live-in physical therapist, Daphne Moon ( Jane Leeves), to care for Martin. Daphne is an eccentric, working class Englishwoman who professes to be "a bit psychic". Moreover, Martin brings his beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Eddie, whom Frasier is uncomfortable around. After some initial hostility, Frasier grows very close to his new family.
]
Life with Martin and Niles
During the spin-off's run, especially in scenes at Frasier's apartment, Frasier and Martin regularly fight over the living arrangements and each other's personalities: Frasier is intellectual, elitist, and mild-mannered, while Martin is a rugged man of simple tastes who speaks (according to Frasier) in words that no "sophisticated, educated" person could understand. While Frasier has many common interests with Niles and shares adventures (or misadventures) with him, he has little in common with his father, Martin.
In "Dinner at Eight" (1993), Martin takes Frasier and Niles to a themed steakhouse, where health-conscious Frasier and Niles criticize the food, the restaurant's customs, and the clientele. Martin becomes frustrated and angry before leaving, remarking upon departing that their mother, Hester, would be disappointed with their behavior. Frasier and Niles try to prove that they are not "snobs" by finishing their meal, although it takes them until after closing time. Ironically, in the ''Cheers'' season seven episode " I Kid You Not" (1988), Frasier invites Carla and her son Ludlow to a fine dining restaurant, but Carla and Ludlow criticize and mock it, enraging Frasier.
In "Chess Pains" (1996), Frasier teaches Martin how to play chess
Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
, but is horrified when Martin becomes a better player than him, due to Martin's seasoned insight as a police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
detective. Frasier becomes obsessed with winning against his father until Frasier wins one match and Martin does not want to play with Frasier anymore. One late night, Frasier wakes Martin up and asks him whether he lost the chess match on purpose. Martin responds that Frasier "won, fair and square" and nothing more. In the ''Cheers'' season five episode " Spellbound" (1987), dimwitted Woody Boyd consistently beats Frasier in chess, frustrating Frasier.
In an episode of the seventh season "A Tsar Is Born" (1999), Martin takes an old family clock, which Frasier and Niles consider ugly, to exhibit on the television show '' Antiques Roadshow''. As the boys soon discover, the clock is related to their ancestors and royalty, and may be worth a fortune, and heightens their expectations of being descended from royalty. Unfortunately, when they try to sell the clock later, the brothers learn from an antique specialist that it was stolen from the daughter of Tsar Alexander II. Moreover, their great-great-grandmother was discovered to have been the clock thief and the daughter's scullery maid and is discovered to have later been a prostitute
Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...
in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Therefore, the brothers are left without a fortune, a clock, and their royal dreams are destroyed, as Frasier puts it, they are descended from "thieves and whores". Much to their anger, Martin buys a Winnebago RV with money Frasier claimed was the proceeds from selling the clock.
Reunion with Lilith and Frederick
Actress Bebe Neuwirth left ''Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...
'' for fear of becoming typecast and to do Broadway; she did not expect to appear recurrently on '' Frasier''. ''Cheers'' and ''Frasier'' writers Ken Levine and David Isaacs found the chemistry between Frasier and Lilith "special" enough to compare them with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy on Prozac. In "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back" (1994), Lilith surprises Frasier by dialing into the radio show. They later make love in a hotel room but end up regretting it, prompting them to part ways again. They decide to remain friends and help each other co-parent their son, Frederick ( Trevor Einhorn), who also appears occasionally in this spin-off. In "Adventures in Paradise, Part Two" (1994), Lilith gets engaged to her fiancé Brian ( James Morrison), much to Frasier's chagrin. In "A Lilith Thanksgiving" (1996), Frasier and Lilith have Frederick admitted to a private school after they annoy the administrator ( Paxton Whitehead) several times on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
. In "The Unnatural" (1997), Frasier is proven unathletic and bad at softball
Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) ...
, which he reluctantly admits to Frederick. Then Frasier tells him that, when Frasier was a third-grade elementary student, Martin was bad at math.
In "Room Service" (1998), Lilith is recently divorced from her husband Brian for his gay affair. Frasier attempts to renew the relationship but changes his mind when he finds out, to his horror, that Lilith and Niles had a drunken one-night stand. Lilith last appears in "Guns 'N Neuroses" (2003), in which she and Frasier are accidentally set up to go on a blind date. Lilith and Frasier are close to restarting a relationship in the hotel room, but they are interrupted by a loud argument between a young married couple next door. Frasier and Lilith can resolve the couple's dispute, spend the night together watching television, and finally fall asleep on the couch without having had sex. The next morning, they part ways with a tender final onscreen moment together.
Reunions with ''Cheers'' characters
Except for Rebecca Howe ( Kirstie Alley), all the surviving main cast members of ''Cheers'' appear in the show at various points. In "The Show Where Sam Shows Up" (1995), Sam Malone reunites with Frasier in Seattle. Later, Frasier is discovered to have slept with Sam's fiancée Sheila ( Téa Leoni), but Sam has not discovered the affair, much to Frasier's relief. Nevertheless, Sam finds out her dalliances with Paul Krapence ( Paul Willson) and Cliff Clavin ( John Ratzenberger). Though Sam isn't initially angry when told of her infidelity with Paul when Sheila reveals she slept with Cliff (something that shocked and horrified both Sam and Frasier), it leads to him ending the romantic relationship. In "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" (1996), Frasier is reunited with Diane Chambers and learns that due to an accident with her and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman ( Jane Seymour), much of her personal life had been turned upside down and the financial backers for her upcoming play rescinded their support, prompting him to support it instead. The play turns out to be based on their relationship in Boston, including her leaving him at the altar. Frasier angrily confronts her about it, but they end up reconciling.
In "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" (1999), Woody Boyd ( Woody Harrelson), still married to Kelly with his son and daughter, accidentally reunites with Frasier after landing in the wrong destination, Seattle. However, they realize that they are no longer friends, as their lives are too different. Nevertheless, they admit that they had good times together in Boston, and they will always think about each other. In " Cheerful Goodbyes" (2002), Frasier arrives in Boston for a psychiatric conference. At the airport, Frasier unexpectedly bumps into Cliff Clavin and is invited to Cliff's retirement party the following evening, where he is reunited with Carla Tortelli ( Rhea Perlman) and then briefly Norm Peterson ( George Wendt). Later, Cliff confides in Frasier that he fears that his friends will not miss him. Frasier tells everyone to say a nice farewell to Cliff; even Carla, who hates him. Moved, Cliff decides to stay in Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, much to Carla's annoyance.
Final years: 2003–04
In "Caught in the Act" (2004), Frasier's ex-wife Nanette Guzman ( Laurie Metcalf), tries to rekindle their relationship, but Frasier refuses. (The character was previously portrayed by Emma Thompson in ''Cheers'' episode "One Hugs, the Other Doesn't" (1992) and by Dina Spybey in "Don Juan in Hell, Part 2" (2001) as part of Frasier's imaginary dream.) Later, he falls in love with Charlotte Connor ( Laura Linney), but the romance turns out to be short-lived when she moves to Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. In the 2004 two-part series finale, " Goodnight, Seattle", Frasier is offered a job as the host of his television talk show, located in San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, and has decided to accept the job. However, in the final scene of the show, it is revealed that Frasier has boarded a plane to Chicago, implying he will be with Charlotte.
The revival: 2023–2024
In the revival series, Frasier again returns to Boston, coming from Martin's funeral. Off-screen, Frasier has since been disillusioned with and then quit his eponymous television talk show in Chicago, and his relationship with Charlotte has ended as well. He tries to reconnect with his son Frederick (now Jack Cutmore-Scott), nicknamed Freddy, who has dropped out of Harvard and then become a firefighter. Frasier becomes recruited by Harvard's psychology department as a psychology professor, especially to prove himself as a serious psychiatrist rather than a mere showman. He also buys Freddy's apartment building, and has Freddy move in with him in his new apartment across the hall from Freddy's old apartment.
Frasier and Freddy move back to Seattle in the revival's second season, where Frasier reunites with his old KACL coworkers.
Other appearances
Kelsey Grammer has made several appearances as Dr. Frasier Crane outside of ''Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...
'' and '' Frasier''.
* '' Mickey's 60th Birthday'' (1988)
* '' Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'' Season 34, Episode 15, "Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration" (1990)
* '' The Earth Day Special'' (1990)
* '' Wings'' Season 3, Episode 16, "Planes, Trains and Visiting Cranes" (1992)
* '' The John Larroquette Show'' Season 3, Episode 1, "More Changes" (1995)
* Dr Pepper TV Commercial (2008)
An animated version of the character appears in ''The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' episode "Fear of Flying
Fear of flying is the fear of being on an aircraft, such as an airplane or helicopter, while it is in flight. It is also referred to as flying anxiety, flying phobia, flight phobia, aviophobia, aerophobia, or pteromerhanophobia (although aero ...
", although Grammer, who voices Sideshow Bob on the show, does not voice the character of Frasier.
Characterization and analysis
Frasier Crane is a licensed psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...
who is, as Kelsey Grammer described, "flawed, silly, pompous, and full of himself, etkind ndvulnerable." Judy Berman from ''Flavor Wire'' describes him as also "a child prodigy, theater geek, and frequent target for bullies." According to ''Cheers'' and ''Frasier'' writer Peter Casey, Frasier is "very complicated, very intelligent, but also very insecure"; he may have solutions to such problems as a psychiatrist but is clueless about himself.
Reception
Reception on the character
At the time ''Cheers'' originally aired, Rick Sherwood from Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
disdained Frasier Crane and his existence as part of the " Sam and Diane" dynamic. Sherwood found Frasier's frequent appearances in the bar setting ("his ormergirlfriend's former lover's bar") responsible for turning ''Cheers'' into "as believable as onservative Archie Bunker rom ''All in the Family''">All_in_the_Family.html" ;"title="rom '' rom '' ''voting for a Modern liberalism in the United States">liberal Democratic Party (United States)">Democrat." According to a 1993 telephone survey before the ''Frasier'' premiere and the ''Cheers'' finale, Sam Malone ( Ted Danson) scored 26 percent as a favorite character, and Frasier Crane scored 1 percent.[Mills, Kim I.]
TV viewers glad Sam stayed single
" '' The Sunday Gazette'' [Schenectady, NY">The Daily Gazette">The Sunday Gazette'' [Schenectady, NY2 May 1993: A3. ''Google News''. Web. 21 Jan. 2012. The margin of error in the survey was ±3, according to the polls. In this web edition, scroll down to see the title of the headline. In response to the question of spinning off a character, 15 percent voted Sam, 12 percent voted Woody Boyd ( Woody Harrelson), 10 percent voted Norm Peterson ( George Wendt), and 29 percent voted no spin-offs. Frasier Crane, whose own spin-off '' Frasier'' debuted in September 1993, was voted by 2 percent to have his own show.
Later, while the character became more prominent in the series, inspiring a spin-off '' Frasier'', in a 1999 book ''Writing and Responsibility'', Beverly West and Jason Bergund noted that Frasier's father Martin was supposed to be dead in ''Cheers'' but turns out still alive in ''Frasier'', calling it inconsistent with "a bout of amnesia[,] poor scriptwriting", or desperation to elicit more laughter. (In " The Show Where Sam Shows Up" 995 Frasier addresses the inconsistency by explaining that he told his friends Martin was dead after an argument with him.) In another book ''TV Therapy'', Frasier Crane in ''Cheers'' is considered "high-strung ndpseudo-sophisticated" and an attraction to 1980s demographics of "anti-intellectual snobbery",[''TV Therapy'' 2005, p. 57,]
You've Got a Friend TV
. but Frasier in ''Frasier'' is considered a good, positive role model for intellectuality and sophistication.[''TV Therapy'' 2005, p. 44,]
Diva TV
. In 2004, he was ranked by Bravo No. 26 of ''Bravo's The 100 Greatest TV Characters'' of all time. 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.
Robert Bianco from ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' considered Frasier Crane masculine in the days of " Fred Astaire and William Powell" instead of recent "beer-belching" days of the reality show, '' Survivor''. Bianco found the series of Frasier's love life repetitive and "tiring".[Bianco, Robert. "Sophisticated 'Frasier' signs off." '']USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' 29 March 2004. Web. 20 May 201
Gillian Flynn from ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' considered Frasier Crane's "diction" an inspiration of '' Fringes Walter Bishop (John Noble
John Noble (born 20 August 1948) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Denethor in ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy (2001–2003), and Dr. Walter Bishop in the Fox science fiction series '' Fringe'' (2008–2013). ...
), who has an addition of "daffiness" of roles portrayed by actor Christopher Lloyd.[ Flynn, Gillian. "Fringe (2008)." '']Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' 17 September 2008. Web. 20 May 201
. Joe Sixpack, a pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
ous name for writer Don Russell, called Frasier an "insufferable twerp".[ Record no. at '' NewsBank'': 7006886267]
Archived
fro
An internet user from Ken Levine's blog considered Frasier a successor to more prestigious, experienced Bostonian medical doctor and surgeon Charles Winchester ( David Ogden Stiers) from the television series '' M*A*S*H''. However, Levine did not consider the comparison when Frasier was introduced in ''Cheers'' in 1984. (Coincidentally, in the ''Frasier'' episode " Fathers and Son" (2003), actor Stiers, portrayer of Winchester, appears as Hester Crane's former lab assistant Leland Barton, who is suspected as Frasier and Niles' biological father.)
'' Television Without Pity'' called Frasier "snooty and pretentious", even if he may be "smart" on television and a "rare" species of all characters. Steve Silverman from ''Screen Junkies'' praised Kelsey Grammer's performances as Frasier Crane but found them "predictable". Silverman thought that Grammer did not deserve an Emmy, especially in 1998. In a note, Silverman deemed the character Frasier as "a windbag with a sense of humor" and "a whining schoolboy with a series of lame excuses."
Reception on Frasier and Lilith
Martha Nolan from ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' called Frasier and Lilith "repressed" when married together in ''Cheers''. Josh Bell from '' About.com'' called Frasier and his ex-wife Lilith Sternin one of the "best sitcom divorced couples" of all time. Steven H. Scheuer from '' Sarasota Herald-Tribune'' considered Lilith's significance to and marriage with Frasier "fun" to watch, especially when, in "Severe Crane Damage" (1990), she uses comparisons between "the duller good boy" Frasier and "the interesting bad boy" Sam Malone as "psychiatric examples of the good boy-bad boy syndrome". Faye Zuckerman and John Martin from ''The New York Times'' called their marriage in ''Cheers'' a hilariously "perfect mismatch". Television critic Kevin McDonough from New York praised Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth's performances as "repressed individuals" and "separate couple on TV" with "acidic and hilarious" chemistry together.
Accolades
For his performance as Frasier Crane in ''Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...
'', Kelsey Grammer was Emmy
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...
Award-nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1988 and 1990.[ There were no nominations for guest performances in television series in 1992 Primetime Emmy Awards.] For the same role in '' Wings'' episode "Planes, Trains, and Visiting Cranes", he was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series at the 1992
1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General.
* January 6
** The Republ ...
Emmy Awards.[
For the same role in ''Cheers'' spin-off '' Frasier'', Grammer was consecutively nominated as an Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series during the show's whole run except in 2003. He won that Lead category in ]1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
, 1995, 1998, and 2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
.[ He earned eight ]Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy) throughout the series's whole run and won that category in 1996 and 2001. Grammer won American Comedy Awards
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films. They were first presented in May 19 ...
as the Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) in 1995 and 1996. Grammer won the Screen Actors Guild Award as part of an ensemble cast of ''Frasier'' in 2000.[
]
Notes
References
Bibliography
Another edition
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External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crane, Frasier
American male characters in sitcoms
Cheers characters
Frasier characters
Fictional American psychiatrists
Fictional attempted suicides
Fictional academics
Fictional radio personalities
Television characters introduced in 1984