Kelsey Grammer Movies
For better or worse, leading actor Kelsey Grammer's name will probably forever be associated with the pompous, garrulous, and self-absorbed but lovable psychiatrist Frasier Crane, a character Grammer has played on television since he first appeared on the NBC sitcom Cheers, in 1984, as a love interest for Shelley Long. Though Frasier was not intended to become a series regular, Grammer's performance of the blowhard neurotic charmed audiences and he remained with Cheers through its 1993 demise. At the beginning of the 1993-1994 television season, Grammer's character was resurrected in his own show and moved from Boston to Seattle, where he became a radio psychologist and faced a whole slew of folks just waiting to poke metaphorical pins in his hot air balloon. Thanks to excellent performances and top-notch writing, Frasier became as big a hit as its predecessor. Grammer won three Emmy awards and has been nominated for an unprecedented seven more (twice for Cheers, once for his guest appearance on a 1992 episode of Wings, four times for Frasier).Born on St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Grammer knew extreme tragedy in youth. Following the shooting death of his father when he was a boy, he was raised in New Jersey and then Florida, by his mother and grandfather. His grandfather died before Grammer became a teen. When he was 20, his sister was abducted and violently murdered. Five years later, he lost two half brothers in a diving accident. As a young man, Grammer found comfort in Shakespeare; with his acting debut in a high school production of The Little Foxes came an interest in pursuing drama as a career. He enrolled in Juilliard, but dropped out after two years to work at San Diego's Old Globe Theater, where he gained three years' invaluable experience performing in Shakespearean and classical dramas; afterward, Grammer performed in productions across the country. He eventually made it to Broadway, where he appeared in various productions, including Othello.
Prior to playing Frasier, Grammer appeared occasionally on television and had regular roles in three soap operas, including One Life to Live. He continues to occasionally guest star on other series. Fans of the animated satire The Simpsons will recognize his periodic voice characterization as the venomous Sideshow Bob. Miniseries and telemovies in which he has appeared include London Suite and Beyond Suspicion. Grammer made his feature film debut with a small role in Top of the Hill (1989) and had his first starring role in the much-panned comedy Down Periscope (1996). In addition to his Emmy kudos, Grammer has received an American Comedy Award, two Golden Globes, and a People's Choice Award. In 1995, he published his autobiography So Far. ~ Sandra Brennan, 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
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
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
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
While at the high-school prom, a group of students find romance and fun, while their parents enjoy the same. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Fans of Cheers greeted the series' sixth season in a heightened state of anticipation and anxiety: Now that series regular Shelley Long (Diane Chambers) had left the show, would her replacement be on the same lofty, laugh-getting level? And how would Cheers owner Sam Malone (Ted Danson) respond to a new female sparring partner? Well, for one thing, Sam no longer owned Cheers. When his marriage to Diane fell through, Sam sold the bar to a huge corporation and used the money to purchase an expensive yacht, whereupon he embarked on a round-the-world cruise. Season six picked up six months after Sam's impulsive act; by this time, the yacht had sunk and Sam was flat broke. Returning to Cheers, Sam hoped to at least secure employment as a bartender, but his prospects looked dim indeed when he found himself clashing with the bar's new manager: Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley), a smart, sassy, and sexy young woman who had no intention of succumbing to Sam's charms. Indeed, she declared early on that she was interested only in wealthy men who could advance her career -- men like her immediate boss, Evan Drake (Tom Skerritt). Despite getting off on the wrong foot with Rebecca, Sam was re-hired -- as an assistant to head bartender Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), who had, himself, been hired by Sam two years earlier. Other changes amongst the regulars: Waitress Carla (Rhea Perlman), now married to hockey player Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas), gave birth to twins (Elvis and Jesse), bringing the number of children under Carla's roof to eight (and she became a grandmother during this season!). Also electing to make their union legal were psychologists Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth). And when not tending bar, Woody began pursuing an acting career, while accountant Norm Peterson (George Wendt) occasionally moonlighted as a house painter. Having spent the better part of season six trying to get into the pants of the rich and desirable Evan, Rebecca was left in the lurch when Drake was transferred to Japan. Would she finally "give in" to the persistent Sam or would she start casting about for another millionaire swain? (The answer, of course, would not be forthcoming until the following season). The departure of Shelley Long apparently had no negative effect on Cheers' popularity: The series remained comfortably in third place in the ratings, just below its Thursday-night NBC "neighbors" The Cosby Show and A Different World. The series also managed to earn another Emmy award, this time for editor Andy Ackerman, and was nominated in ten additional categories. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
- 1986
A six-hour adaptation of Danielle Steel's best-selling novel, the ABC miniseries Crossings began on board a transatlantic ocean liner in 1938. In the course of a truly eventful sea voyage, a torrid romance developed between powerful American steel magnate Nick Burnham (Lee Horsley) and Liane DeVilliers (Cheryl Ladd), the wife of French ambassador Armand DeVilliers (Christopher Plummer). This indiscretion would ultimately embroil both characters in the political intrigues leading up to WWII, with a rousing denouement in Nazi-occupied France just after America's entry into the war. To give the project a semblance of verisimilitude, several prominent historical figures flitted in and out of the action, notably Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and France's Marshal Petain. Even so, most of the audience's interest was focused on the antics of Nick Burnham's hot-to-trot wife Hilary, played by Jane Seymour. Billed near the bottom of the huge cast was future Cheers and Frasier star Kelsey Grammer as "Craig Lawson." Partially filmed on the old British liner Queen Mary (then dry-docked as a tourist attraction), Crossings originally aired from February 23 to 25, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheryl Ladd, Lee Horsley, (more)
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
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Shelley Long, (more)
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
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Shelley Long, (more)
There was good news and bad news for Cheers during its third season. In the former category, the series continued to climb upward in the ratings (thanks largely to the goodwill engendered by NBC's most popular Thursday-night series The Cosby Show), sharing 12th place with ABC's Hotel. The sitcom also took home two more Emmys -- Outstanding Supporting Actress (the second such award for Rhea Perlman) and Outstanding Live and Tape Sound Mixing and Sound Effects (Douglas Gray, Michael Balin, and Thomas J. Huth for the episode entitled "The Executive's Executioner") -- in addition to ten other nominations. In the "bad news" category, the cast and crew were forced to bid farewell to one of the series' most beloved regulars, who died all too soon. Picking up where season two left off, the romance between Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) was kaput thanks to a foolish argument. Recovering alcoholic Sam crawled back into the bottle and Diane briefly had herself committed to a mental institution, where she was placed under the care of imperious, insufferable Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer, inaugurating a role which he would play for the next two decades in two different series). Once Sam had come to terms with the loss of Diane and had sobered up, he had to deal with the fact that Diane and Frasier were now lovers. By season's end, the couple had embarked upon a working vacation to Europe, where Frasier finally popped the question -- but would the notoriously mercurial Diane accept his proposal? And back at Cheers in Boston, the still-unmarried Carla (Perlman) was pregnant yet again (for the sixth time). Amidst all this comic intrigue, the ineffable Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), Cheers' venerable bartender, emerged as the sole spokesman for calm and reason. Alas, actor Colasanto was suffering from cancer, and died February 12, 1985, shortly after completing work on the episode entitled "The Executive's Executioner" (for which the actor received a posthumous Emmy nomination). Rather than have the character die, as well, the producers went through an elaborate charade during the season's climactic episodes, explaining away Coach's absences with a multitude of lame excuses, or having him briefly show up via outtakes from earlier episodes. Perhaps this was done to avoid an excess of melancholy, or simply to keep the audience's attention on the Sam-Diane-Frasier triangle which determined the outcome of the third-season finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Shelley Long, (more)
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
~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
