John Mahoney Movies
Though he most frequently plays American character roles on stage and television and in feature films, silver-haired John Mahoney was born and raised in England until he emigrated to the U.S. at age 19 in the 1950s and joined the Army. One of the first things he worked on was losing his British accent, something he succeeded at doing. Once out of the service, Mahoney earned a B.A. from Quincy College and then graduated from Western Illinois University with a master's in English. For the next decade and a half, Mahoney worked at different careers including college professor and medical journal editor in Chicago. Though he had appeared on-stage in his teens, Mahoney did not again become interested in acting until he was 37 and decided to enroll in classes at the St. Nicholas Theater, a Chicago institution co-founded by playwright/screenwriter David Mamet. After performing in one of Mamet's plays, Mahoney quit his latest job. Later, at the invitation of distinguished actor and classmate John Malkovich, Mahoney joined Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater, where he appeared in about 30 productions. He also appeared on and off-Broadway, winning a Tony (among other awards) for his work in House of Blue Leaves and a Theater World Award for his performance in an off-Broadway production of Orphans. He entered films, both feature-length and television movies in the mid-'80s. Some of his better early film roles can be found in Tin Men, Moonstruck (both 1987), Say Anything (1989), and Primal Fear (1996). Some of his notable television movies include Dinner at Eight (1989) and David Mamet's The Water Engine (1992). In 1993, Mahoney was cast in the role in which he may be best recognized, that of retired policeman Martin Crane, the bane of existence for pompous radio shrink Kelsey Grammar on the successful Fraiser (1993- ). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 2001
- PG
The site of James Dean's legendary, fatal car crash is the setting for this reflective, eccentric drama about idolatry, lost hopes, and aging. Max Harris (John Mahoney) owns and operates a diner/service station in the small, deserted town of Cholame, CA, just down the street from the James Dean Memorial. His placid existence is disrupted by the appearance of a slick movie crew, eager to shoot a quickie flick in the area that references Dean's life. Max is nonplused, although his employees (Ian Gomez and Virginia Madsen) are smitten with the flashy production. Even more aggravating to Max is the emergence of a reporter (Linda Emond) who suspects that he has a long-buried secret regarding the fallen idol. Almost Salinas premiered at the USA Film Festival before making the rounds of the country's second-tier fests. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
DreamWorks and Pacific Data Images collaborated on this all computer-animated comedy-adventure about the ant angst of misfit worker ant, Z (voice of Woody Allen), who feels trapped by the conformist confines of his totalitarian ant civilization and eventually sets forth in search of Insectopia. After DreamWorks began animating Prince of Egypt June 1, 1995, the company launched Antz in Palo Alto a year later (5/20/96), the same month the DreamWorks/PDI partnership was announced. The screenplay by Chris and Paul Weitz and Todd Alcott has uncredited input by Woody Allen (who matched dialogue to fit his usual style of verbal delivery). The story suggests the possible influence of Yevgeny Zamatin's classic novel We (1923) and Ayn Rand's similar-themed Anthem (1936), filmed in the early '70s in a rarely seen unauthorized film adaptation (which Rand never allowed to be shown commercially). Following the 1995 Toy Story (1995), Antz is the second fully computer-animated feature, preceding the release of Disney's all-CGI A Bug's Life by seven weeks. Antz begins with worker ant Z discussing his feelings of insignificance with a shrink (voice of Paul Mazursky) before heading off to his tunnel-digging job, work supervised by General Mandible (Gene Hackman) and Colonel Cutter (Christopher Walken). Mandible has big dreams of conquest, and he convinces the Queen (Anne Bancroft) an attack is necessary to prevent a termite invasion. Her daughter is Princess Bala (Sharon Stone), who's not overly enchanted by her engagement to Mandible. The Princess goes slumming, visiting the bar where Z hangs out with his friend Weaver (Sylvester Stallone). To the tune of "Guantanamera," Bala dances with Z -- in a scene with allusions to the dance in Pulp Fiction (1994). Entranced by the encounter, Z convinces Weaver to swap places, so a military parade will allow him to see Bala in the reviewing stand. Befriended by soldier ant Barbatus (Danny Glover) during the parade, Z nervously realizes he's actually marching into battle. Attacked by termites, the troops experience horrors highly reminiscent of the Starship Troopers (1997) bug battles. The dying Barbatus tells Z, "Don't follow orders all your life." As the only survivor of the slaughter, Z returns home a war hero. Threatened by Mandible, Bala and Z are thrown together in a journey into the outside world, and they travel toward the legendary Insectopia. Major city newspaper critics were almost unanimous in their praise of Antz. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, (more)
The title Article 99 refers to a fictional legal loophole which states that American veterans cannot be treated in VA hospitals unless their illnesses are related to their military service. The pinchpenny administrator of a Kansas City hospital intends to follow this proviso to the letter, while his irreverent staff does everything it can to circumvent rules and red tape. When freewheeling surgeon Ray Liotta is fired for exhibiting traces of humanity, the patients stage a revolt. Playing a new medico, Kiefer Sutherland also stars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Liotta, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
Atlantis: Milo's Return is a direct-to-video animated sequel made up of three episodes. In the first episode, Milo (voice of James Arnold Taylor) and Queen Kida (voice of Cree Summer) find a town called Krakenstad, lead by Magistrate Edgar Volgud (voice of Clancy Brown). In the second story, the team of adventurers heads to the American Southwest to investigate a sandstorm and meet land prospector Sam McKeane (voice of Jeff Bennett). In the third episode, Whitmore (voice of John Mahoney) fights his old adversary Erik Hellstrom (voice of Morgan Sheppard). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
The first Disney cartoon to be produced in the 70 mm format since The Black Cauldron (1985), this blend of traditional animation with computer-generated imagery is a straight adventure tale of the Jules Verne school, eschewing the studio's typical formula of cute critters mixed with song-and-dance routines. Michael J. Fox is the voice of Milo Thatch, a lowly museum employee and linguist in the early 20th century who's determined to continue his late grandfather's search for the lost, sunken empire of Atlantis. Bankrolled by eccentric millionaire Preston Whitmore (John Mahoney), Milo teams up with a diverse crew of mercenaries led by submarine commander Rourke (James Garner). After a sea battle with a giant denizen of the deep, the explorers locate the submerged civilization. Milo falls in love with Princess Kida (Cree Summer), the daughter of Atlantis' aged ruler (Leonard Nimoy), and must choose sides when it's revealed that some of his fellow expedition members intend to steal a mystical energy source from their hosts. Claudia Christian, Mark Hamill, David Ogden Stiers, Don Novello, and the late Jim Varney co-star. Although considered a shoo-in for a nomination in the debut year of the new Oscar category of Best Animated Feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire faced stiff competition from other non-live-action entertainment in the summer of 2001, including Shrek, Final Fantasy, and Monsters Inc.. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, James Garner, (more)
The title character, played by John Turturro, is a Broadway playwright, based on Clifford Odets, lured to Hollywood with the promise of untold riches by a boorish studio chieftain (played by Michael Lerner as a combination of Louis B. Mayer and Harry Cohn). Despising the film capital and everything it stands for, Barton Fink comes down with an acute case of writer's block. He is looked after by a secretary (Judy Davis) who has been acting as a ghost writer for an alcoholic screenwriter (John Mahoney, playing a character based on William Faulkner). Also keeping tabs on Fink is a garrulous traveling salesman (John Goodman), the most likeable, stable character in the picture. And then comes the plot twist to end all plot twists, plunging Barton Fink into a surreal nightmare that would make Hieronymus Bosch look like a house painter. Once more, Ethan and Joel Coen serve up a smorgasbord of quirkiness and kinkiness, where nothing is what it seems and nothing turns out as planned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Turturro, John Goodman, (more)
Set in Iowa, Betrayed stars Debra Winger as an FBI agent who infiltrates a Klanlike white supremacist organization. Allegedly a woman of intelligence and perception, Winger throws caution and logic to the winds when she falls in love with local farmer Tom Berenger. Much to her surprise Berenger turns out to be the most rabid racist of all. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Debra Winger, Tom Berenger, (more)
- 1992
One year before he was reunited with Cheers regular Kelsey Grammer on Frasier, John Mahoney guest starred on Grammer's earlier series as Sy Flembeck, a hack songwriter hired by Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) to compose a jingle for Cheers. As for the main plot of this episode, a pregnant Maggie (Annie Golden) returns and insists that Cliff (John Ratzenberger) is her baby's father. Meanwhile, mercurial ex-convict Andy (Derek McGrath) pops up at the bar, looking for the long-departed Diane Chambers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Not to be confused with the 1960 film of the same name, this fast-paced karate action flick stars Chuck Norris, still riding high on his karate film successes of the early '80s, and several years away from starting his popular Walker: Texas Ranger TV series. In this story he plays Eddie Cusak, a painfully honest police sergeant who just misses pulling off a drug bust -- it seems another gang got there before him, wiped out the competition, and made off with a fortune in white powder. A bad move -- this means nothing less than all-out war between the two rival gangs, with the police caught in the middle. Cusak has other problems as well, one of his team killed an innocent bystander during the raid and he is duty-bound to squelch any cover-up. With enemies on both sides of the law, he then has to take on the drug cartel with nothing more than cannons, machine guns, shotguns, pistols, a robot car, and other sundry artillery to help him out. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chuck Norris, Henry Silva, (more)
A widower and father of three who also writes a parenting advice column for his local newspaper falls for the girlfriend of his younger brother during a family vacation in director Peter Hedges' offbeat love-triangle laugher. Steve Carell stars as the writer who finds his widely known convictions put to the ultimate test, with Dane Cook and Juliette Binoche respectively assuming the roles of the younger sibling and his radiant girlfriend. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, (more)
- 1989
Dinner at Eight is a TV remake of the 1933 MGM film of the same name; both films were adapted from the play by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber. While the basic plot point of a social-climbing woman (Marsha Mason) throwing a "best people" dinner party has not dated all that much, other elements prevalent in the 1933 version were due for an overhaul 56 years later. The aging, near-impoverished stage actress played con brio by Marie Dressler in the original becomes a jet-setting "literary raconteur" (read: "trash novelist") in the form of Lauren Bacall. And the alcoholic matinee idol portrayed by John Barrymore in 1933 is transformed into a Pacino type (Harry Hamlin) with a drug and attitude problem for the 1989 version. While not exactly improvements, these alterations do not stand out like sore thumbs, as do many past attempts at updating old material. Only Ellen Greene, in Jean Harlow's role as the floozielike wife of a corrupt businessman, falls short of the original. Produced by actress Shelley Duvall, the 1989 Dinner at Eight was first shown on December 11, 1989 over the TNT Cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Writer/director John Sayles' dramatization of the most infamous episode in professional sports -- the fix of the 1919 World Series -- is considered by many to be among his best films and arguably the best baseball movie ever made. This adaptation of Eliot Asinof's definitive study of the scandal shows how athletes of another era were a different breed from the well-paid stars of later years. The Chicago White Sox owner, Charlie Comiskey (Clifton James), is portrayed as a skinflint with little inclination to reward his team for their spectacular season. When a gambling syndicate led by Arnold Rothstein (Michael Lerner) gets wind of the players' discontent, it offers a select group of stars -- including pitcher Eddie Cicotte (Sayles regular David Strathairn), infielder Buck Weaver (John Cusack), and outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (D. B. Sweeney) -- more money to play badly than they would have earned to try to win the Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Sayles cast the story with actors who look and perform like real jocks, and added a colorful supporting cast that includes Studs Terkel as reporter Hugh Fullerton and Sayles himself as Ring Lardner. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Clifton James, (more)
Three families residing on the same suburban street struggle to strengthen their father/son bonds in this tale from filmmakers Rodrigo García, Jared Rappaport, and Robert Spera. As old wounds remain sensitive and alienation keeps generations of fathers and sons from truly bonding, the struggle to make a meaningful connection offers hopes of understanding and a new beginning. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathy Baker, Ron Eldard, (more)
- 1985
First Steps was inspired by a widely-seen, enthusiastically received 1982 piece on 60 Minutes. Amy Steel plays Nan Davis, a young woman totally paralyzed in an auto accident. Judd Hirsch costars as Dr. Jerold Petrovsky, a bioengineer who attaches computerized electrodes to Nan to enable her to reclaim her muscle power. After many torturous months, this state-of-art physical therapy works magnificently, and Nan is able to take ten steps on her own at her college graduation. While the technique was still rather controversial at the time First Steps was telecast, there was no denying that it had worked in the case of Nan Davis, who eventually became the subject of two 60 Minutes follow-ups and reams of upbeat magazine articles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judd Hirsch, Amy Steel, (more)
Following the disastrous Pirates (1986), director Roman Polanski got back on creative track with this finely-wrought thriller that, while failing to impress at the box office, was nevertheless his most critically well-received film of the decade. Harrison Ford stars as Richard Walker, an American doctor who has come to Paris, where he's scheduled to deliver a paper to a medical conference. Richard has brought along his wife Sondra (Betty Buckley), because Paris was the site of their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Sondra picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, which leads to her kidnapping and an ever-more complicated quest that takes Richard into the seedy and dangerous underworld of European drug smuggling and terrorist arms sales. Along the way, he is rebuffed by skeptical officials at the American Embassy and meets Michelle (Emmanuelle Seigner), a sexy courier who agrees to help him in exchange for the money she's owed for trafficking in narcotics. Playing cleverly on American fears about Europe's Byzantine politics and "decadent" society, Frantic received, from many observers, perhaps the greatest compliment possible for a thriller, comparison to the work of Alfred Hitchcock. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle Seigner, (more)
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
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
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
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
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
Firmly and comfortably ensconced in its Tuesday-night timeslot, Frasier launched its third season on NBC. The basic character lineup was carried over from the first two seasons: Seattle radio psychologist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), his brother and fellow "shrink" Niles (David Hyde Pierce), their retired policeman father Martin (John Mahoney), Martin's down-to-earth cockney caregiver Daphne Moon (Jane Reeves) -- for whom the very married Niles silently carried a torch -- and Frasier's sharp-tongued radio producer and call-screener Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin). Though Dan Butler was still receiving "special guest appearance" billing for the role of gonzo sports-show emcee Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe, the actor was methodically moving out of the recurring-character class and ever closer to "regular" status. Then, of course, there was Niles' imperious, fabulously wealthy wife Maris -- still much talked about but still never seen. Additions to the recurring cast during season three included Oscar-winning actress Mercedes Ruehl, who made a cluster of unforgettable appearances as Kate Costas, the headstrong, ratings-obsessed new manager of Frasier's home radio station KACL. The combative relationship between Frasier and Kate rather unexpectedly morphed into a torrid romance, culminating with a poignant airport farewell. Also making her earliest series appearances was Irene Olga Lopez as Marta, Maris' maid and go-between. Finally, Luke Tarsitano became the first of several young actors to essay the role of Frasier's son, Frederick. In the tradition of Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-stars Bebe Neuwirth and Ted Danson, Shelley Long made a return appearance as Frasier's former fiancée Diane Chambers in the episode titled "The Show Where Diane Comes Back." The hints dropped in this episode that Frasier and Diane might rekindle their romance were eclipsed by the turbulent events in the life of Frasier's brother Niles. It was during season three that Niles' marriage to Maris began to disintegrate, and also during this season Niles finally "declared" himself to Daphne in the form of a kiss (though they would not be genuine lovers for several seasons to come; Daphne was not yet about to be tied down to anyone, and Niles was still skittish about jumping into another relationship).
In what was now becoming an annual ritual, Frasier garnered several Emmy Awards during its third season. This time, the statuettes were doled out for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing (multi-camera production). The final Frasier episode of the season, "You Can't Go Home Again," offered a "prequel" to the events leading up to the first episode of season one. As a bonus, the episode ended with a roll call of all the A-list celebrities who had been heard as "guest voices" during the past three seasons, playing the various neurotics who placed calls to Frasier's radio show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In what was now becoming an annual ritual, Frasier garnered several Emmy Awards during its third season. This time, the statuettes were doled out for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing (multi-camera production). The final Frasier episode of the season, "You Can't Go Home Again," offered a "prequel" to the events leading up to the first episode of season one. As a bonus, the episode ended with a roll call of all the A-list celebrities who had been heard as "guest voices" during the past three seasons, playing the various neurotics who placed calls to Frasier's radio show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
This season of Frasier finds the Crane household in a variety of turning points. Niles' (David Hyde Pierce) long-separated wife, Maris, finally serves him with divorce papers, while Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) finds himself trying to build a better relationship with Frederick (Trevor Einhorn), his son. Martin (John Mahoney) starts his first serious relationship in years, though his sons hardly approve of his choice in women, and Roz (Peri Gilpin) tries to broaden her horizons as well. Though Daphne (Jane Leeves) is still oblivious to Niles' crush on her, she still manages to build a closer relationship with him than they had in the past. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
This season finds the Crane brothers (Kelsey Grammer as Frasier, David Hyde Pierce as Niles) in their usual competitive state, with misadventures at fancy dinners, parties, and galas occurring at an alarming rate. Perhaps the most notable development this season is Roz's (Peri Gilpin) surprise pregnancy. Her decision to keep the baby and her dilemma over whether or not to tell the father about it are prevalent throughout the entire season, which culminates in Roz giving birth at one of Frasier and Niles' parties. Martin's (John Mahoney) personal relationships are given more screen time than they've had in the past, and his sons worry about his potential marriage to Sherry (Marsha Mason), while Niles himself is still in a constant state of anxiety concerning his feelings for Daphne (Jane Leeves). ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
No longer a fish out of water in Seattle, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) begins this season believing that his life is going smoothly, for once. The rug is pulled out from beneath him, however, when the most recent in a string of KACL-related events -- this time, the radio station is changed to a salsa format -- leaves him without a job. Much of the season's first half follows a thoroughly disconcerted Frasier as he goes back and forth between pining after his former job and searching for a new one. Though he is eventually hired back, the rest of the season is hardly an easy path. There's Niles (David Hyde Pierce), whose long-standing attraction to Daphne (Jane Leeves) leaves him lonelier and more confused after she becomes romantically involved with his divorce lawyer (Saul Rubinek); Martin (John Mahoney), who has his own romantic ups and downs; and, of course, Frasier, who has switched his focus from his woes with KACL to deciding which of the two women he is currently dating makes a better candidate for a long-term relationship. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
Season Seven of Frasier opens as Daphne Moon (Janes Leeves), cockney caregiver for the Crane brothers' ex-cop dad Martin (John Mahoney), prepares to marry Niles' nutty lawyer Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek)--if Martin and Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) will cease their meddling that is. Soon thereafter, Frasier's prickly producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) finds out how macho radio sports-talker Bulldog (Dan Butler) truly feels about her (truly, he'd love to feel about her--all over!); Frasier's ex Lillith (Bebe Neuwirth) and their son Frederick (Trevor Einhorn) descend upon Seattle for Thanksgiving; and, of utmost importance, Daphne's wedding plans hit a snag during the series Christmastime two-parter when it finally dawns upon her that Niles (David Hyde Pierce) is madly in love with her (funny, she's just about the only person in the solar system who hasn't already figured this out!) Also: Jean Smart makes her first appearance as Frasier's short-fused high school sweetheart Lorna Lynley (Smart would return, but her character would be rechristened Lana Gardner for legal reasons); Martin finds himself in the uncomfortable position of posing as the gay lover of his own son just to avoid meeting someone he'd rather not see; Kim Coles guest stars as Roz' temporary assistant, a woman who drives Frasier crazy by calling herself "Dr. Mary" and dispensing advice to his listeners--but whom Frasier is afraid to complain about because she is black. As the season closes, the day of the Daphne-Donny wedding arrives, and with it Daphne's overbearing mom Gertrude (Millicent Martin) and her mooching brother Simon (Anthony LaPaglia). And of course the last episode is a "cliffhanger"--and WHAT a cliffhanger, as Daphne runs away from her own wedding in the company of...aw, come on, you know who! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
Season seven of Frasier came to a rousing finale with the now-legendary "Winnebago" elopement of Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), just as Daphne was poised to wed Niles' lawyer Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek). This of course does not rest well with Donny, who immediately initiates a lawsuit against Daphne, nor with Niles' vis-à-vis Melinda Karnofsky (Jane Adams), who has trapped the younger Crane in a humiliating sham marriage. But at least now Niles and Daphne are unafraid to tell the world that they were meant for each other all along. Meanwhile, Niles' older brother, radio shrink Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), reluctantly becomes "mentor" to station KACL's young and bumptuous new owner, Silicon Valley billionaire Kenny Daly (Tom McGowan). Later on, Frasier dates the sharkish lawyer Abby (Teri Polo), who is defending Daphne against Donny; the troublesome "Dr. Mary" (Kim Coles) returns to aggravate Frasier when he hosts Seattle's annual Christmas parade; and Frasier's son Freddy (Trevor Einhorn) endures a chaotic camping trip with his dad and his grandfather Martin (John Mahoney). In other Season Eight highlights: "Sliding Frasiers" is a takeoff of the theatrical feature Sliding Doors, offering two alternate version of Frasier and Niles' Valentine's Day adventures; Roz (Peri Gilpin) incurs Frasier's jealousy when she replaces him as narrator for her TV space documentary, hiring astronaut-politician John Glenn instead; and Jean Smart returns as Frasier's contentious high school sweetheart Lana Gardner (formerly named Lorna Lynley, at least until the NBC legal department got involved), in a two-parter in which Frasier discovers the latest love of his life, a woman named Claire (Patricia Clarkson). In the season finale, Frasier plans a romantic vacation with Claire in Belize--only to learn to his horror that Martin, Niles and Daphne plan to go along for the ride. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
The ninth season of Frasier serves up the "payoff" for the setup established at the end of Season Eight. Once again, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) is stuck at a romantic crossroads, torn between his devoted lover Claire (Patricia Clarkson) and his loose-cannon high school sweetheart Lana (Jean Smart). As he thrashes out this dilemma, the viewer is treated to a fantasy sequence featuring Frasier's ex-wife Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) and his former Cheers vis-à-vis Diane Chambers (welcome back, Shelley Long!) This season features the series' 200th episode, in which Frasier celebrates his 2000th broadcast as radio station KACL's resident phone-in therapist. Later, Kristin Chenoweth guest-stars as Frasier's new agent Portia Sanders, who is even more obnoxious than his former agent Bebe Glazer (Harriet Sansom Harris),if such a thing is possible. Our hero also has a run-in with Lilith's con-artist brother Blane (Michael Keaton), who claims to have turned over a new leaf and "found God". Meanwhile, Frasier's retired-cop dad Martin (John Mahoney) gets a job as night watchman, and soon has cause to regret it. Martin also tries to patch up a feud between Frasier and his neighbor Cam (Brian Stokes Mitchell) by pretending to be in love with Cam's mother Cora (Emily Yancy)--or is he just pretending? In other romantic news, the relationship between Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne (Jane Leeves) reaches a new plateau when they decide to move in together--only to un-decide when Daphne's overbearing relatives show up en masse. Similarly, Niles' elaborate preparations to propose to Daphne are squelched by the omnipresence of her whining mother (Millicent Martin). Season Nine is distinguished by several of Frasier's most memorable episodes. "Three Blind Dates" features West Wing's Allison Janney as an artist who goes out with Frasier and ends up despising him. In "Deathtrap", Frasier and Niles try to solve what they think is a murder while visiting their childhood home. And best of all, "Cheerful Goodbyes" reunites Frasier with his former Cheers compadres Cliff (John Ratzenberger), Carla (Rhea Perlman) and Norm (George Wendt). The season finale finds Niles trying to reunite Daphne's estranged parents, which causes a rift between himself and Daphne--but not so big a rift that the aren't able to run off and elope rather than go through with the lavish wedding that their families have planned: an elsewhere, longtime verbal scrappers Frasier and Roz (Peri Gilpin) end up sleeping together--much to the surprise of both! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
As Season Ten of Frasier begins, Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne (Jane Leeves) have bypassed their meticulously planned wedding by eloping to Reno, leaving a multitude of hurt feelings amongst their various family members in their wake. And Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Roz (Peri Gilpin) are still trying to make sense of their impulsive romantic night together. In later episodes, newly divorced KACL radio station owner Kenny (Tom McGowan), who has chosen a reluctant Frasier as his "mentor", briefly finds a kindred spirit in Roz's younger cousin Jen (Zooey Deschanel), a woman no one else can stand. And when his son Frederick (Trevor Einhorn) asks Frasier to deliver a speech in Hebrew at the boy's Bar Mitzvah, Frasier enters into a bizarre bargain with KACL's resident Star Trek freak Noel Shempsky (Patrick Kerr). The season is highlighted by a seriocomic three-part episode in which Niles (David Hyde Pierce) comes face to face with his own mortality when he undergoes heart bypass surgery, an event that has a curious effort on Niles' marriage to Daphne (Jane Leeves)--to say nothing of his brother Frasier's radio show. Later, Daphne will become an "official" Crane by dint of her hosting one of the worst dinner parties in recorded history. And, oh yes, there'll soon be a baby on the way--just as soon as Niles and Daphne get around to conceiving, that is. Also: the episode "The Harrassed" introduces future "Desperate Housewife" Felicity Huffman as KACL's new financial analyst Julia Wilcox, who by season's end will become the latest in a long line of women whom Frasier cannot live without. Frasier's ex-wife Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) shows up to ask a teeny-iny favor involving artificial insemination. And Dr. Phil McGraw becomes the object of Frasier's wrath merely by hiring Frasier's former agent, the redoubtable Bebe (Harriet Sansom Harris). As for the Crane brothers' dad Martin (John Mahoney), As for Martin, he tentatively reactives his relationship with Cora (Emily Yancy), the mother of Frasier's contentious neighbor Cam Winston. In in the season finale, Roz prepares to quit her job as Frasier's producer and leave Seattle forever--a decision largely motivated by her outrage over the burgeoning romance between Frasier and Julia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
