Emmy-Award winner Kelsey Grammer portrays Dr. Frasier Crane, a high-brow, Ivy League-educated psychiatrist. Grammer introduced the neurotic and pompous but lovable Dr. Frasier Crane to the world in 1984. Dr. Frasier Crane has captured the attention and the hearts of the American public as one of television’s most endearing characters and has earned Grammer abounding recognition and distinguished awards. He has won three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes for his portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane and has been nominated for 12 Emmys for his portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane in three different series (“Cheers,” “Wings” and "Frasier"). Further, Grammer has reached an incredible milestone. He has portrayed the same character for 20 years, tied only with actor James Arness of “Gunsmoke.”
Grammer was born on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was raised by his mother and grandfather, first in New Jersey, then in Florida. After the death of his grandfather, the 12-year-old Grammer was drawn to the works of William Shakespeare, which fostered his love of the English language. His first acting performance was in a high-school production of “The Little Foxes,” and with the encouragement of his English and drama teachers, he decided to pursue acting as a career. After two years at the Juilliard School, he was accepted by the Old Globe Theater in San Diego, where he spent three years performing in classic works by Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw.
He later performed in regional theaters across the United States --including the Guthrie in Minneapolis -- before appearing in the off-Broadway productions of “Plenty,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “A Month in the Country” and the Obie Award-winning “Quartermaine’s Terms.” His Broadway credits include “Macbeth” and “Othello,” and he performed the title role of “Richard II” at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
Grammer’s film credits include “Benedict Arnold” (A&E), “Mr. St. Nick” (Hallmark Entertainment), “Fifteen Minutes” (New Line) and “Sportspages” (Showtime). Grammer’s Paramount-based production company, Grammnet Productions, produced the animated series “Gary the Rat” for TNN. Grammer served as executive producer as well as providing the voice of the rat. Additionally, he served as executive producer on “Girlfriends” for UPN.
In "Frasier’s" first season, Grammer won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male in a New Television Series. During the second season, Grammer picked up a second Emmy Award, an American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Performer in a TV series, won a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and People’s Choice Award. In the sixth season Grammer won his third Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and was awarded the Viewer’s For Quality Television Award for the sixth consecutive year. Grammer also won another Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy for the ninth year in a row.
Grammer, joined “Cheers” in 1984, and prior to “Cheers” Grammer’s television credits included roles on the daytime dramas “Another World” (NBC), “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light.” He also made a guest appearance in the premiere episode of “Kate and Allie” and had parts in the miniseries “Kennedy” and the NBC movies “London Suite,” “Dance ‘til Dawn,” “Beyond Suspicion” and “The Innocent.” In 1996 he hosted an hour-long salute to Jack Benny for NBC for which he served as executive-producer.