Frasier

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Template:Infobox television Frasier was a critically acclaimed American TV situation comedy. A spin-off of the highly successful situation comedy Cheers, it starred Kelsey Grammer, reprising his character of Dr. Frasier Crane. Its first episode aired on NBC on September 16, 1993, and its last episode aired on May 13, 2004. Since March 6 2006, it has been syndicated on the Lifetime Television channel.

1 Creators
2 Cast
3 Storyline
4 Characters
- 4.1 Minor characters
5 The series finale
6 Records
7 Trivia
8 DVD releases
9 See also
10 External links

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Creators

The show was created by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee. It was produced by Angell, Casey and Lee (Grub Street Productions) in association with Paramount Television. Angell, Casey and Lee had also written and produced Cheers and created Wings.

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Cast

Regulars:

Recurring Guest Stars

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Storyline

Dr. Frasier Crane is a psychiatrist who hosts a radio talk show in Seattle on KACL 780AM. His friend and producer is single mother Roz Doyle, and his colleague, the sports show host Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe is always on hand to annoy Frasier and hit on Roz. Frasier lives with his father, retired cop Martin Crane who was shot in the hip when he walked in on a robbery in progress and, because of that, he now walks with a cane. Martin is looked after by his Mancunian health care worker, Daphne Moon, who is the love interest of Frasier's brother Niles Crane, a fellow psychiatrist who is even more stuffy and pompous than Frasier. Completing the lineup is Martin's dog Eddie (Moose, a well-trained Jack Russell Terrier) who responds with alacrity to the other characters but stares uncomprehendingly at Frasier. When not hosting his radio program, Frasier drinks coffee at the Cafe Nervosa.

Image:Frasiercast.jpg

Most of the humor is derived from Frasier's search for romance; social class conflict, particularly with his blue-collar ex-cop father; sibling rivalry; the pomposity of Frasier as a minor celebrity and patron of the local Seattle arts scene; and misunderstandings between the characters.

Almost every episode of the show had Frasier and/or other main characters, through the conflict of their tender-hearted, polite personalities with their personal shortcomings (especially eavesdropping and inclinations towards pomposity), attempting to hide their true motives and actions from other main characters. This comedy of manners often led to farcical results, especially hilarious given that Frasier and Niles, who most often were forced into this situation, so desired to be considered debonnaire and sophisticated, and so often acted ludicrously. The show also employed the use of puns and punning for intellectual effect.

Despite Frasier's allure to highbrow critics, many of its plots shared much in common with the early 1980s sitcom Three's Company. Three's Company has long been panned by critics as simple buffoonery, but both shows had the main single male character (Jack Tripper on Three's Company, Frasier on Frasier) constantly searching for love and failing, constantly mishearing or misreading other people, and constantly forced into increasingly slapstick and farcical situations due to the code of manners employed by their particular social strata. Both shows had tremendous respect for characters as people, despite social differences amongst individual characters, and both shows based their plot a single man forced to live in a close-quartered apartment with persons highly unlike their own personalities. (On Three's Company, Jack's roommates were two females, a ditzy blond and strident brunette, as well as the meddling neighbors who made themselves at home; on Frasier, the roommates were Frasier's blue-collar strident father, his cute dog, and the ditzy psychic who worked as physical therapist and housekeeper.)

Frasier perhaps owes its biggest debt to the comedies of Shakespeare, whose misheard eavesdroppings, character misrepresentations, punning, and exquisite timing can be obviously seen in every aspect of the show.

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Characters

Frasier Crane: Played by Kelsey Grammer. Holds degrees from Harvard University and the University of Oxford and lives in Apartment 1901 of the Elliott Bay Towers on the Counterbalance in Seattle, Washington. His hobbies are playing the piano, attending the opera, collecting eclectic art (such as African art) and participating in wine tasting events with his brother Niles. Although Frasier claims not to be interested in sports and is not known for his physical prowess, he occasionally plays squash with Niles.

Frasier has a son named Frederick with his wife, Dr. Lilith Sternin, whom he divorced around 1993. In the past, he had been married to a free-spirited woman named Nanette, who later achieved fame performing for children as the character "Nanny Gee." Frasier also attempted to marry Diane Chambers in Italy, but she left him at the altar.

Frasier not only helps listeners who call his radio show, but also the people in his daily life, including Niles, Martin, Daphne and Roz. Ironically, while Frasier seems to have the answers for his listeners and friends, his personal life is plagued by problems and dilemmas that he is helpless to resolve. Throughout the show, Frasier dates a succession of women in the search for his soulmate.

Niles Crane: Played by David Hyde Pierce. Frasier's brother and practicing psychiatrist. Niles shares similar interests and educational background to Frasier (he was educated at Yale University and University of Cambridge), and is even more fussy and pedantic than his brother. Niles has an aversion to bugs, has several food allergies, and prefers to dust his chair before sitting. Niles' lack of physical prowess - which includes the inability to catch or throw - is a source of jokes throughout the show.

Niles is initially married to Maris, a rich heiress and keen society social climber. Niles is also strongly attracted to Daphne Moon, which on the show is (often humorously) suppressed. A major part of the later seasons is dedicated to Niles and Daphne getting together at last and their developing relationship

Martin Crane: Played by John Mahoney. Frasier and Niles' father, also known as "Marty" by his friends. Martin worked as a detective in the police force for 30 years until he was shot in the hip during an armed robbery. After finding it increasingly difficult to live on his own, Martin moves in with Frasier (bringing Eddie and his battered armchair). Martin's working-class attitude and simpler outlook on life sometimes lead to confrontations with Frasier.

Martin enjoys watching sports on the television and is a frequent visitor to McGinty's bar. His best friend's (nick)name is 'Duke'.

Daphne Moon: Played by Jane Leeves. An immigrant from Manchester, England, Daphne was hired by Frasier to be Martin's physiotherapist and general helper (despite Frasier's initial reservations). Daphne claims to be psychic, and claims her psychic flashes are most prominent when she is approaching her menstrual cycle.

Daphne often mentions her family, including her overbearing mother Gertrude (Millicent Martin), drunken father Harry (Brian Cox) and her boorish brothers Simon, Steven, Michael and Nigel (played by Anthony LaPaglia, Richard E. Grant, Robbie Coltrane and Cameron Dye respectively). Another brother who is mentioned, Billy, is a ballroom dancer. Daphne also mentions her grandmother, Grammy Moon, who had some interesting food recipes.

Roz Doyle: Played by Peri Gilpin. Roz is the producer of Frasier's radio show. She grew up as part of a large family in Wisconsin, including a cheese-making uncle. Her mother, Joanne, is the attorney general of Wisconsin. Roz is known for her sassy attitude and quick-witted remarks, and enjoys deflating Frasier's ego.

She is renowned as a serial dater and once claimed to have had three dates in one day, yet still found time to rotate her tires and defrost her freezer. She eventually becomes pregnant after a brief romance with 20-year old Rick Garrett, a waiter at Cafe Nervosa. Rick proposes to Roz, but she turns him down & tells him to continue with his planned college studies in Paris. Her daughter Alice May Doyle is born in 1998.

The character was named after a producer of the television series Wings, who died shortly before the series began.

Eddie: Played by Moose and Enzo. Martin's Jack Russell Terrier. In the first season a running gag features Eddie staring at Frasier.

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Minor characters

Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe: The host of The Gonzo Sports Show, which follows Frasier's show on KACL. "Bulldog", as he is popularly known, is a womanizer and also enjoys playing pranks on Frasier. Bulldog is fired from KACL in 1999 for falling ratings, although he returns in 2001 working behind the scenes. Played by Dan Butler; the casting is ironic as Bulldog is a macho, chauvinistic womanizer, yet Butler himself is openly gay.

Gil Chesterton: A pompous restaurant critic who hosts Restaurant Beat on KACL. Gil is apparently married to Deb, the owner of a chain of auto-repair stores, although his sexual orientation has been debated many times by other characters and is something of a running joke on the show. The character is apparently named after Frasier producer Christopher Lloyd's high school English teacher. Played by Edward Hibbert.

Kenny Daley: The nervous yet cheerful station manager of KACL from 1998 to 2004. Kenny (Tom McGowan) initially superstitiously refuses to unpack his boxes, believing that if he unpacked, he would be fired. Before becoming a station manager, Kenny was a DJ. At one stage in 1998 he is reduced to delivering pizzas. Kenny often asks Frasier for advice.

Bebe Glazer: Frasier and Bulldog's (and later Roz's) ruthless and money-obsessed agent. Bebe is not afraid to use trickery and deceit to further her (and her clients') goals. Her methods include pretending to be suicidal during Frasier's contract negotiations and attempting to marry an old, rich millionaire (who unfortunately dies at the altar). Played by Harriet Sansom Harris.

Noel Shempsky: Frasier and Roz's Star Trek-obsessed co-worker, Noel works in production at the radio station. Noel is infatuated with Roz, who does not reciprocate his feelings. Noel has a restraining order against him by William Shatner, is able to speak fluent Klingon and can faint at will. Played by Patrick Kerr.

Maris Crane: Niles Crane's wife. She is never seen. She is regularly referred to throughout the series as an eccentric millionaire's daughter who is extremely thin, and suffers from a never-ending stream of medical problems, including:

Various allergies;
Hypoglycemia;
"Unusually rigid vertebrae";
"Inability to produce saliva";
Tight quadriceps;
Various nervous breakdowns;
An addiction to cough syrup;
Fear of flying - after being removed from first class.

Frederick Crane: Frasier's son who lives with his mother Lilith in Boston. Frederick regularly flies to Seattle to visit Frasier. Similar to his father and uncle, Frederick is academically gifted but has a distinct lack of physical prowess. He becomes a Goth during his teenage years. Played by Trevor Einhorn (played in some earlier episodes by Luke Tarsitano).

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The series finale

On May 13, 2004, the series finale of Frasier aired. It was watched by 25.4 million viewers.

Several circumstances led to the decision to end the series:

The high cost, which amounted to $75 million for the last season;
The series had matched Cheers in number of seasons, a goal Grammer had for the show
The changing broadcast time of the show. It was moved several times, and had to compete against very popular shows like American Idol and 24.

Special guest stars in the series finale included Wendie Malick, Anthony LaPaglia, Robbie Coltrane, Richard E. Grant, Laura Linney, Jason Biggs, and Jennifer Beals.

The last show was dedicated to David Angell, one of the creators of Frasier, who, along with his wife, Lynn Angell, died on American Airlines Flight 11 in the 9/11 attacks.

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Records

As of 2004, the series won 37 Emmys, more than any other show; Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce each won four of them for acting, including one each for the final season.

Grammer played Dr. Frasier Crane for twenty years, which tied the James Arness portrayal of Marshall Dillon on Gunsmoke in terms of character longevity in primetime television.

Grammer was briefly the highest-paid TV star in history, reaching a salary of $1.6 million per episode for the last two seasons; his record was surpassed by Ray Romano within a year.

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Trivia

David Hyde Pierce (Dr. Niles Crane) and John Mahoney (Martin Crane) are the only actors to appear in every episode of the series. Although the character of Frasier Crane appeared in every episode, Kelsey Grammer was not present at the filming of the fourth season "Head Game" due to his treatment for drug problems. Grammer and Pierce filmed the opening scene featuring Frasier at a later date.
When the idea of Frasier was presented for the first time, the makers of Frasier questioned whether or not the idea of two brothers of similar temperament would work as a television series. However, the writers created a successful television series that lasted for 11 seasons.
Frasier's radio show is on KACL 780 AM, which is so named to honor the show's creators: Angell, Casey, Lee. (The K is a prefix because the station is west of the Mississippi river, a standard in broadcast stations. See the page on call signs for more on this.)
The studios for KACL are based on the Los Angeles newsradio station, 790 KABC.
Niles' wife Maris never makes an appearance on the show, even after 11 seasons. This was a continuation of a tradition started on Cheers. Norm Peterson's wife, Vera, never shows her face (however, her character did make three "appearances" of sorts: one in which she is hit with a pie before her face is actually shown, another where she is only shown from the knees down, and one episode in which her voice is heard on an audio tape talking about Norm having an affair). She was also almost seen in an episode when they are on a cruise ship. Frasier and Niles are hiding in her shower, and her shadow can be seen on the shower curtain as she passes by. A diminutive, skinny actress was hired to walk by and provide the shadow.
Niles' and Daphne's son David Crane is named after Frasier co-creator David Angell.
Lisa Kudrow was originally cast as Roz though the role was recast very early in production.
The casting directors' second choices for the roles of Niles and Martin Crane were Peter MacNicol and Robert Prosky respectively. Prosky had previously played the father of another Cheers regular, Rebecca, on an episode of that show.
Most of the surviving cast members of Cheers appeared at one time or another, except for Kirstie Alley.
The view from Frasier's apartment in Seattle is impossible to achieve. There is no place in the real city where the view he has from his apartment can be seen. The view was made as it is so that the landmark Space Needle would appear more prominent. According to the bonus features on the DVD for season 1, the photograph was taken from atop a cliff.
Frasier was voted by sitcom writers, producers and actors as the greatest sitcom of all time in the Channel 4 (UK) show The Ultimate Sitcom, aired on January 2 2006.
In the last episode of the fourth season (Odd Man Out), a wrong number message on Frasier's answering machine refers to American Airlines Flight 11. This is the same flight that producer David Angell and his wife Lynn Angell would die on in the 9/11 attacks, more than 4 years after the airing of this episode.
"Eddie" was played by two dogs: the original named "Moose", and his son "Enzo" when he became too old to do the part. The younger dog had to have his fur dyed to match his father. Curiously, the two dogs did not get along and had to be separated when they were both on the set. Both dogs also appear in the film "My Dog, Skip", playing an older and younger version of the same dog.
The actor who plays the deliveryman who wheels in Martin's chair in the first episode was also hired to wheel Martin's chair out in the final eipsode.
The radio station callers were done by anonymous voiceover actors while filming the show in front of a live audience. During postproduction, their voices were replaced by celebrities.

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DVD releases

Image:Frasier S8.jpg

DVD Name	Release dates
DVD Name	Region 1	Region 2
The Complete 1^st Season	May 20 2003	November 24 2003
The Complete 2^nd Season	January 6 2004	June 7 2004
The Complete 3^rd Season	May 25 2004	September 6 2004
The Complete 4^th Season	February 1 2005	July 18 2005
The Complete 5^th Season	June 7 2005	TBA 2006
The Complete 6^th Season	September 13 2005	N/A
The Complete 7^th Season	November 15 2005	N/A
The Complete 8^th Season	June 13 2006	N/A
The Complete 9^th Season	June 13 2006	N/A
The Complete 10^th Season	TBA 2006	N/A
The Complete 11^th Season	November 16 2004	N/A