Image Credit: Chuck Hodes/Starz; Everett Collection
Since Kelsey Grammer walked into our favorite Boston watering hole in 1984, as Diane Chambers’ pompous new paramour, there has seldom been a time that he hasn’t been a constant presence in our television lives. He originally signed on to play Dr. Frasier Crane for just six episodes, but he ended up sipping drinks — booze in Boston, coffee in Seattle — for the next 20 years (a television record matched only by James Arness, who famously played Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke). America adored Grammer’s portrayal of the egghead shrink; he even was nominated for an Emmy when his character made a single guest appearance on Wings. Throw in his work as the high-brow arch-criminal Sideshow Bob over two decades of The Simpsons (itself a derivation of Grammer’s Frasier character) and you can make the argument that Grammer is the greatest sitcom performer of the last quarter century — even with more recent misfires like Back to You and Hank on his ledger. I think this clip sums it all up:
Starting tonight, though, cable audiences will be introduced to another side of Kelsey Grammer. On Starz’s new drama, Boss, he plays the ruthless mayor of Chicago, Tom Kane, a nasty political kingpin grappling to maintain his place at the top of the food chain while fighting off the effects of a debilitating illness. It’s not the first time that Grammer has played a dramatic, devious character, but it feels like a departure for the actor who we feel we know so well (even if his personal life is full of self-inflicted drama). Perhaps that makes him the perfect man to play the role of a successful politician: we love him despite his flaws.
From an acting standpoint, Grammer’s shift from situation-comedy to dark drama is hardly unprecedented. Most recently, his old Cheers castmate Ted Danson won praise for burying all traces of Sam Malone with his portrayal of a devious billionaire on recent seasons of Damages, and now he’s at home as the new star of CSI. It was a daring maneuver for an actor so identified with a beloved comic character, and Danson proved it could work with the right material. Grammer is clearly counting on Boss being his Damages.
Have you watched the Boss premiere yet online? Are you ready for a show that basically stomps on Grammer’s Frasier persona we’ve grown so comfortable with? And what’s your favorite all-time Dr. Frasier Crane moment?
Read more:
Kelsey Grammer says Camille thought she married Frasier
Last Call: An Oral History of ‘Frasier’
Couldn’t stand him as Frasier and he appears to be a complete d-bag in her personal life – something tells me this new character is probably the closest to playing his true self so far.
Who knew that pompus a$$ Dr. Frasier Crane really is that pompus a$$ Kelsey Grammer.
I have been a fan of Kelsey Grammer’s for a long time.I still watch Frasier ree runs and I think he is a brilliant actor.I am glad people are more focused on his his performances than his personal life.He had such a traumatic childhood, with his sister getting raped and killed,his father’s abuse and other awful things no one should have to endure.His preserverance and success is remerkable.
That doesn’t excuse his total selfishness and childish behavior. I have lost all respect for him as a grown man.
It may not excuse it…but it makes it understandable…he’s overcome alot in his life!
I do not understand the hundreds of hateful comments people make about Kelsey Grammer on these boards.You know absolutely nothing about him other than what you’ve read. Nobody’s ex has great things to say about them,whether their famous or not. You should all really look into your own lives before you judge people you’ve never even met.I bet their’s worse things than Kelsey and Camille have done in your past.
Kelsey Grammer has been married 4 times. He cheated on his wives, and got one wife’s friend pregnant (they had a girl named Greer). He cheated on Camille too, and got that other woman pregnant (but she miscarried). He is an alcoholic and drug addict, and is currently in recovery (which I hope lasts.)
Grammer is also a conservative Christian, who makes comments about how other people should live. It’s his hypocrisy that makes people dislike him.
No one asked him to put his personal life out there. That was his choice, and he chose to parade his mistress, now wife before the cameras with a smile on his face and a devil-may-care attitude. No matter how one feels about Camile, he was still married. They have small children. Had he had a bit of class and gave no indication of another woman in his life until the ink was dry on his divorce papers, then maybe the fans wouldn’t have turned on him. But, again, he chose his fate and he will have to live with it.
“TV’s most beloved clown-prince”
Don’t think so. I loved watching “Fraiser” but it was for Martin, Niles, Daphne, Roz and Bulldog, and for the brilliant writing. Fraiser was usually the most annoying character. David Hyde Pierce is a far better actor than Kelsey Grammer.
I made a mistake on my comment. I want to correct myself before someone else does. His father WAS NOT abusive, he was murdered and his two brothers were drowned while scuba diving. That’s all.
Too late. You are so dumb.
Didn’t Kelsey already embrace his dark side in “An American Carol”?
His ex-wives have all definitely seen his dark side.
What channel does his new show come on?
He is a fantastic actor. I think this new show and character will be awesome. Go Kelsey!
not that it should matter, but i’m surprised his career is still kicking. if an actress had had as many personal screw ups behind the scenes (4 divorces, infidelity, addiction and overall douchebaggery) she would not be working in tv or film. good on him, but it just points to the general inequality in the industry. charlie sheen’s another example. cybill shepard, an equally talented 80s/90s television actress, gets a reputation as a “bitch” and barely works outside of the occasional lifetime film or guest “mom” role. grammer should be grateful.
Elizabeth Taylor had numerous scandalous marriages and personal problems and she was one of the most beloved actresses of her generation. Angelina Jolie has acted like a certifiable wackjob for years and was also married multiple times. Now we are supposed to just forget about her making out with her brother and every other nutty thing she’s done because she adopted a bunch of kids she probably never sees unless there’s a photographer around. I will give Kelsey the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Sorry, but your comparisons to Elizabeth Taylor and Angelina Jolie are not appropriate. Neither of them lectures people on how they are conservative Christians, and therefore qualified to tell others how to live. Kelsey Grammer lectures all the time on his Christian morals and conservative political views. He’s too full of his own superiority.
(For the most part, I can appreciate an actor’s work without condoning–or even knowing about–his real-life issues, so I’ll try to stay off the direction this thread seems to be taking…)
Grammer was “stomping” on his Frasier Crane image even before Sideshow Bob, with a turn as a murderous pianist on an episode of “J.J. Starbuck,” a short-lived series in the “Murder She Wrote/Columbo” vein. I’ve seen the first episode of “Boss” On Demand, and it seems promising. I’m willing to give it a few more episodes to get its storylines and characters up and running.
What new character? He’s been LIVING the dark side.
Watch his new show? Just watch his real life. I agree with Osbord…total jerk.
Ah, c’mon, give him a break. It’s not for us to judge him. If you want to watch him on tv, fine. Leave his personal b-s at the door.
I love Frasier..I watch the reruns all the time….Good luck Kelsey on your new show
Favourite moment: When Frasier tries to sing ‘Buttons and Bows’ for the PBS pledge drive and can’t remember the words.
Right? The Buttons and Bows has got to be up here at the top of the list, flop sweat and all….
The Frasier Crane character on Cheers was fine in small doses. But I couldn’t stand Grammer’s acting on Frasier and I’ll probably have to pass on Boss. If only they’d hired a different actor …
Won’t watch anything with this idiot in it.