Kelsey Grammer Movies

Viewers who are fans of American presidents and their pet dogs should find this video narrated by actor Kelsey Grammer to be lighthearted fun. Harry Truman's well-known statement, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog," rings as true today as when he first said it. Such famous dogs as Richard Nixon's Checkers, George Washington's Sweet Lips, and Bill Clinton's Buddy are shown in either video clips or drawings. Viewers will see that these dogs spend considerable time with their masters, often traveling many miles with them when they vacationed around the country. Those who enjoy showing dogs professionally might want to pick up a copy of this video so they can later share a few of these anecdotes with other trainers or close friends.
~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide

As in earlier years, the action in the first episode of Cheers' fourth season was driven by the plot lines left dangling during the previous one. Having ended their romance in Europe, Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) and Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) returned separately to Boston. Diane entered a local convent to pay penance for the "debauchery" she indulged in overseas, while Frasier repaired to Cheers to cry in his beer. Eventually, Diane gave up the cloistered life to return to her waitressing job at Cheers, prompting owner/bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) to renew his efforts to rekindle his own romance with her. Just when it seemed that couple was an "item" again, along came attractive Boston councilwoman Janice Eldridge (Kate Mulgrew), who deftly managed to wrap Sam around her little finger. This precipitated the series' three-part fourth season finale, in which Sam and Diane angrily broke off their relationship yet again. But there was a last-minute twist for those who stuck around until the episode's fade-out. As for the other regulars, accountant Norm Peterson (George Wendt) continued his search for a new job and kvetching about his never-seen wife Vera, and postman Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) persisted in spouting useless information to anyone who would listen. Abrasive Cheers waitress Carla (Rhea Perlman), now with six children to support, redoubled her efforts to find a new husband -- and to fend off her slimy ex, Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya). With the death of series regular Nicholas Colasanto in February 1985, Cheers was in need of a capable bartender to replace the beloved Coach (whose own demise was finally acknowledged). The man needed was the man found: Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), a gangly naif from Indiana who came into Cheers to meet Coach, with whom he had carried on a correspondence course in bartending. Woody was hired by Sam on the spot. Another future Cheers regular showed up briefly during the February 6, 1986, episode "Second Time Around." As originally conceived, uptight, patronizing, female psychologist Lilith Sternin was supposed to have been a one-shot character, merely another of the many women whom Frasier unsuccessfully tried to date after his split with Diane. But audience response was so positive to Bebe Neuwirth's portrayal of Lilith that the producers decided to bring her back on a recurring basis during the 1986-87 season. Up from 12th to fifth place in the ratings, Cheers not only continued to please the crowd, but also garnered more Emmy awards for its already-burgeoning collection. That year, Emmys were bestowed upon Rhea Perlman for the third time as Outstanding Supporting Actress and the series' sound-mixing crew (Michael Ballin, Robert Douglass, Douglas Gray, and Thomas J. Huth) for the second time. The series also earned nine nominations in other categories. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season five of Cheers opened with a resolution to the cliffhanger established at the end of season four, with Cheers' owner Sam Malone (Ted Danson) finally proposing to mercurial waitress Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). This proposal, and several more like it, would be rejected throughout the season, although, in the end, the couple would decide to march down the aisle. The recurring character of psychologist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) was promoted to series-regular status, where he would remain until the 11th, and final, season. Perhaps to alleviate Frasier's loss of Diane to Sam, he was finally given a "steady" of his own: Prim, severe fellow-psychologist Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), a character introduced as a one-shot during season four. Romance also entered the life of the perennially luckless single mom Carla (Rhea Perlman) in the form of Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas), a goalie for the Boston Celtics hockey team. By mid-season, Carla and Eddie were man and wife; it was a foredoomed alliance, but, happily, the couple was unaware of this at the time. Regarding, Sam and Diane, it appeared by the end of the fifth season that there would be no more hesitation or second thoughts, and that they would indeed tie the matrimonial knot. This was the cue for the re-entry of Professor Sumner Sloane (Michael McGuire), who, on the eve of the wedding, implored Diane to accompany him on a six-month sabbatical so that they could collaborate on a novel Diane had started years earlier. Despite her assurances that she would soon return to Boston, Sam knew all too well -- as did the audience -- that he had lost Diane forever, even though a phony season-ender, in which the wedding went on as scheduled, had been filmed before a live audience to throw industry gossip-mongers off the track. Their on-camera relationship notwithstanding, it was hardly a secret that there was little love lost between series stars Ted Danson and Shelley Long. For whatever reason, Long was not exactly close to any of her other co-stars, and was anxious to leave the series and explore other professional avenues. Thus, viewers were fully aware that the series' fifth season would be Long's swan song, and, accordingly, they were fairly confident that the much-anticipated wedding of Sam and Diane would not take place. Ending season five as America's third most popular TV series, Cheers also picked two more Emmys: One was awarded to John Cleese for his guest appearance in the episode "Simon Says," and the other was bestowed upon the series' sound-mixing team (Michael Ballin, Robert Douglass, Douglas Gray, and Thomas J. Huth) for the third consecutive year. Finally, it was during this season that Cheers yielded its first spin-off sitcom, the short-lived The Tortellis, in which Dan Hedaya and Jean Kasem reprised their roles as Carla's disreputable ex-husband Nick Tortelli and his annoying spouse Loretta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although, at 22 episodes, the seventh season of Cheers' was the series' shortest since 1983, there was no lack of fascinating plot developments nor any shortage of colorful new characters. Having lost her job as manager of Cheers, Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) swallowed her pride and went to work as the subordinate of the bar's new manager (and former owner) Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Sam continued hoping to make his relationship with Rebecca personal as well as professional, but she wasn't buying. Determined to land a man of wealth who could advance her career, Rebecca was unflagging in this mission. More successful in affairs of the heart were psychologists Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), now husband and wife -- with a baby on the way. Bartender and erstwhile actor Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) also found the love of his life, a pampered young socialite named Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson). Postal worker Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) endured the first of three amorous confrontations with mixed-up Margaret O'Keefe (Annie Golden). And Carla (Rhea Perlman) began to wonder if she could place her trust in her oft-absent hockey player husband Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas). Perhaps because the series' seventh season began relatively late (October rather than September), Cheers slipped slightly in the overall ratings, from third to fourth place. Even so, the show was again honored generally at Emmy time, with Perlman taking home her fourth Outstanding Supporting Actress statuette and Harrelson winning in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category. (There were also four other Emmy nominations). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As Cheers entered its eighth season, viewers began to wonder if the long-awaited romance between Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) would ever blossom. Certainly Rebecca had not backed down from her determination to marry into wealth, as witnessed by her torrid relationship with Trump-like billionaire corporate raider Robin Colcord (Roger Rees). Perhaps hoping to prove his value in Rebecca's eyes, Sam spent most of season eight trying to buy back Cheers -- only to realize this goal in a most surprising fashion. In other developments, psychiatrists Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) became parents with the birth of baby Frederick. Not long afterward, the much-married Carla (Rhea Perlman) became a widow when her hockey-star husband Eddie LeBec died in a freak accident; Carla's grief quickly turned to rage when she discovered that, not only had Eddie been unfaithful to her, but he'd had another wife in another town all along. Meanwhile, the romance between guileless bartender Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) and wealthy Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson) continued along its bumpy but generally satisfying path. The season came to a riotous conclusion when Rebecca's boyfriend Robin was arrested for illegal insider training -- with Sam turning Colcord in out of fear that Rebecca would be implicated. Out of gratitude, the corporation that owned Cheers gave the bar to Sam as a present, leading Rebecca to conclude that Sam had blown the whistle on Robin out of greed. But before Rebecca could renounce Sam once and for all, the couple found themselves locked in a very amorous embrace on the couch in Sam's office -- at which point the seventh season reached its cliffhanger ending. Cheers returned to third place in the ratings during the 1989-90 season, beaten out only by The Cosby Show and the sophomore season of Roseanne. Three Emmys were bestowed upon the series: Ted Danson finally copped a statuette as Outstanding Lead Actor in a comedy; Bebe Neuwirth (not yet a an "official" regular) won as Outstanding Supporting Actress; and the series' sound-mixing team (Robert Crosby, Thomas J. Huth, Sam Black, and Robert Douglass) walked away with its fourth award. Finally, although Cheers spawned no spin-offs this season, it can be said to have godfathered a similar ensemble sitcom assembled by two former Cheersstaffers: Wings, which began a long and healthy run in April 1990, and in the Thursday-night time slot following its "parent" series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season nine of Cheers picked up where the eighth had left off, with Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) poised to consummate their newfound romance on the couch in Sam's office. "Interruptus" came in the form of Rebecca's billionaire boyfriend Robin Colcord (Roger Rees), now on the lam from the law for illegal stock trading. Gradually, Sam came to realize that his relationship with Rebecca was not to be -- although upon agreeing to marry the newly-released Robin, Rebecca developed an acute case of cold feet at the very last minute, leaving her technically free for a unique "business arrangement" dreamed up by Sam. Elsewhere, Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) continued juggling careers as a bartender and actor, and also persisted in his romantic relationship with wealthy Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson), despite the interference of Kelly's amorous French acquaintance Henri (Anthony Cistaro). Sam Malone likewise had a new nemesis in the form of the imperious John Hill (Keene Curtis), landlord of the building housing Cheers and the owner of the posh restaurant Melville's, which occupied the building's second floor. After babysitting for new parents Frasier and Lilith Crane (Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth), a profoundly affected Sam decided that he, too, would like to be a father. It so happened that he had also selected the perfect mother for his child: Rebecca. And on this discordant note, season nine came to a close. This was the year that Cheers finally graduated to number one in the ratings, enjoying a 21.3 share. It also earned four more Emmys -- Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Direction (James Burrows), Outstanding Lead Actress (Kirstie Alley), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (the second such honor for Bebe Neuwirth) -- not to mention nominations in nine other categories. And finally, this was the year that former series regular Shelley Long returned -- albeit briefly, and at a considerable distance from her former co-stars -- during an NBC special celebrating Cheers' 200th episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Picking up where season nine left off, the tenth season of Cheers began with Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) reluctantly agreeing to be the mother of Sam Malone's (Ted Danson) child. Romance did not enter into the picture: Both Rebecca and Sam were responding to the incessant ticking of their respective biological clocks. Ultimately, the consummation never came off, and the two agreed to stay friends, and friends only. Having spent several seasons as a recurring character, Lilith Sternin-Crane (played by Emmy-winner Bebe Neuwirth) was elevated to "also starring" status, although she still did not appear in every episode. Meanwhile, Lilith's husband, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), finally grew the beard that would remain his trademark until the series finally breathed its last. Season ten concluded with the series' first hour-long episode, in which Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) and Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson) were married. The event was deemed worthy of a TV Guide cover -- and it certainly did not disappoint, filled as it was with such last-minute complications as a dead minister and a gun-wielding jealous husband. Having attained the number one slot during its previous season, Cheers dropped back to fourth place, tied with ABC's Home Improvement. For the first time since the series debuted in 1982, Cheers was not honored with an Emmy, although it earned eight nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode literally begins with a bang, as the Enterprise explodes with all hands on board. A few minutes into the episode, we see that the starship and its personnel are still safe, but not for long. Passing through a time warp in the unexplored Typhon expanse, the crew is doomed to repeatedly experience the series of events leading up to their fiery doom. Will they be able to break chain of cause and effect in time to save themselves? The answers were first provided when "Cause and Effect," written by Brannon Braga, made its American TV debut on March 28, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This technically polished debut feature follows a young Los Angeleno's descent into madness and journey back again. As the film opens, he is wearing a tuxedo and is walking zombie-like through the Mojave Desert. In mock-documentary style, his relatives recount how he went wonky on the day he was to have gotten married. His relatives all believe he was killed on that day by being on an Air Force target practice field when guns and rockets were firing. Meanwhile, he is encountering one eccentric desert dweller after another, including an Eastern European woman who seems to believe that the fastest way to stardom is to sleep with every willing man in the state of California who crosses her path. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Former highbrow children's entertainer and failed criminal genius Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer) has once again won parole, and decides to get revenge against the person who twice put him behind bars: Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright). While Bob convinces the authorities that he means no harm to his young nemesis (explaining that his "Die, Bart, Die" tattoo is actually a German expression, "The, Bart, The"), it doesn't take long for Bart to figure out that Bob is the man who's been sending him threatening letters written in blood. After Bob begins stalking Bart and his family, the FBI enrolls the Simpsons in the Witness Relocation Program; renamed the "Thompsons," Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) move the kids to a houseboat in the riverfront community of Cape Feare. However, Bob manages to hitch a ride on the underside of the family car, and soon Bob is battling Bart "Thompson" mano a mano as the family's home floats down the river. "Cape Feare" first aired on October 7, 1993. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The first of Frasier's eleven seasons began just where the series' predecessor, Cheers, left off -- with psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) bidding farewell to Boston and heading to his new home in Seattle, WA, where he has accepted a job as host of a radio advice show on station KACL. Though it was clear that there would be no love lost between Frasier and his producer and call-screener, the abrasive Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), our stylishly neurotic hero could take heart in the fact that he now lived in one of the fanciest apartments in all Seattle. But he didn't live there alone: At the behest of his married brother and fellow psychiatrist Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce), Frasier reluctantly invites his father, retired policeman Martin Crane (John Mahoney), to move in with him. Semi-invalided since sustaining a gun wound, Martin relies upon the round-the-clock ministrations of his attractive, outspoken, and seemingly psychic cockney caregiver, Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), who likewise moves into Frasier's apartment -- along with Martin's tiny, phlegmatic dog, Eddie (played by Moose the dog), who seems contemptuous of Frasier's very existence.

Although the relationship between Daphne and her two male "roommates" is strictly platonic, she becomes the object of obsessive adoration on the part of Niles -- who, of course, would never, ever admit to yearning for Daphne (who seemed oblivious to his ardor), lest he damage his already fragile relationship with his fabulously wealthy -- and never seen -- wife, Maris. Season one of Frasier introduced one supporting character who would soon become a series regular: The insufferably macho Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe (Dan Butler), KACL's resident sports-show host. Others making their first appearances were such recurring characters as Frasier's carnivorous agent Bebe Glazer (Harriet Sansom Harris), Roz's moony eyed admirer and full-time Star Trek freak Noel Shempsky (Patrick Kerr), and KACL's snobbish restaurant critic Gil Chesterton (Edward Hibbert). Also established during this inaugural season was the series' habit of using celebrities to provide the voices of Frasier's mixed-up listeners: Among those heard in the first 24 episodes were Mel Brooks, Christopher Reeve, Joe Mantegna, Eddie Van Halen, Mary Tyler Moore, and even LSD guru Timothy Leary. Arguably the most memorable of the first-season episodes was the self-explanatory "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back," in which Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-star Bebe Neuwirth made a memorable return appearance as Frasier's insufferable ex-wife Lilith. Conspicuous by his absence was Frasier and Lilith's son, Frederick, though his existence was alluded to from time to time. Frasier wound up its maiden season with four Emmy awards including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Kelsey Grammer), Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (single episode) (James Burrows), and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series (single episode) (David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Semi-corrupt public official Mayor Joe Quimby (voice of Dan Castellaneta) is up for re-election, and radio talk-show host and Republican activist Birch Barlow (voice of Harry Shearer) is determined to put a more conservative candidate in office. Looking for the right man to run against Quimby, Barlow and his right-wing brain trust think they may have found their man in Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer), convicted felon, former children's entertainer, and nemesis of Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright). After Barlow's radio campaign results in Sideshow Bob's early release, Bart and Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) help Mayor Quimby in his campaign against the charismatically evil Bob, but Quimby spoils his own campaign and Bob wins with a projected 100 percent of the vote. However, an anonymous tipster tells Bart and Lisa that something was not cricket with the election, and the kids make a shocking discovery as they examine Springfield's polling records. Sideshow Bob Roberts also features a guest voice-appearance by noted disc jockey and music archivist Dr. Demento as himself; the episode first aired on October 9, 1994. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Frasier marked the beginning of its second season on NBC by moving from Thursday evenings to Tuesdays, remaining in this slot for the next four years. The cast from the previous season was by now pretty well set, with only one significant addition to the roster for season two: Eric Lutes as Tom Duran, the new manager of Seattle radio station KACL, where Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) held sway as a phone-in advice show host. Otherwise, the plotlines were the mixture as before, including the erudite Frasier's shaky but affectionate relationship with his down-to-earth dad, Martin (John Mahoney), the nervous efforts by Frasier's brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) to remain in close proximity with Martin's attractive caregiver Daphne (Jane Leeves) without revealing his obsession with the girl--and without destroying his marriage to the fabulously wealthy (and still unseen) Maris. Acknowledging the excellent response to the Season One episode "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back", Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-star Bebe Neuwirth made a return appearance as Frasier's insufferable ex-wife, Dr. Lilith Sternin in the second-season entry "Adventures in Paradise". This two-parter concluded with the biggest surprise of the season (one that was successfully concealed from TV reviewers and industry pundits alike until the very last moment), in which Frasier's former fiancée Diane Chambers (Shelley Long, another one-time Cheers regular) popped up unannounced, much to our hero's horror. In this same "old home week" spirit, still another Cheers star, Ted Danson, guest starred in his familiar role of Sam Malone in "The Show Where Sam Shows Up." As before, a number of high-profile celebrities "appeared" on Frasier, providing the voices of Frasier's call-in listeners. This time the guest roster was an eclectic one indeed, including Tom Cruise, Art Garfunkel, Sandra Dee, Gary Sinise, Jodie Foster, and, most significantly, John Lithgow, the actor who had originally been considered for the role of Frasier Crane back in the Cheers days. Frasier added several more Emmy awards to its trophy room during season two, with stauettes going to regulars Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce, director David Lee, writers Chuck Ranberg and Anne Flett-Giordano, and the series itself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide