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Kelsey Grammer

Grammer, Kelsey
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Kelsey Grammer is best known for his portrayal of "Dr. Frasier Crane" on the hit NBC-TV sitcom, Frasier. He is the only actor to have been nominated for an Emmy award for playing the same character in three different TV shows. "Dr. Frasier Crane" made his debut on the series, Cheers, in 1984, becoming a regular on the series until 1993, when the character left Boston for Seattle, to host his own talk-radio show, spawning the new series, Frasier. The spin-off ran another 11 years, until 2004. Grammer also made a guest appearance as "Frasier Crane" on Wings in 1992. He was nominated for the Emmy award twice for his work on Cheers, once for Wings, and eight times for Frasier. He won the award three times, in addition to two Golden Globe awards, two American Comedy awards, and a People's Choice award.

Grammer was born February 21, 1955, in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. His parents divorced when Grammer was very young, and he was raised by his mother and grandfather in New Jersey and then Florida. Tragedy followed Grammer's family: his father was murdered when Grammer was just thirteen years old; seven years later, his sister was raped and murdered after leaving a restaurant in Colorado, and his two half-brothers were killed in a freak scuba-diving accident five years after that. Grammer developed a substance abuse problem, and eventually ended up in the Betty Ford Center, for both alcohol and drug abuse.

Having developed an interest in Shakespeare, and spent some time studying at Julliard, Grammer began his professional acting career at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, where he spent three years performing in classic works by Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. He continued in regional productions, finally making his way to New York and 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. He went on to perform on Broadway in Macbeth and Othello.

Grammer has lent his very distinctive voice to a number of different characters, most notably The Simpsons' "Sideshow Bob," Anastasia's "Vladimir," and Toy Story 2's "Stinky Pete the Prospector."

Among the movies he has made are Galaxies are Colliding, Down Periscope, 15 Minutes, and The Good Humor Man. He has made guest appearances on numerous television shows, and has produced several TV shows. A musician, he wrote and performed the theme song on Frasier.

Grammer married his third wife, Camille Donatacci, in 1997, and the couple have a daughter, born to a surrogate mother. He has two other daughters from previous relationships.

Last updated: August 29, 2004.

 
 
Who2 Biography: Kelsey Grammer, Actor

  • Born: 21 February 1955
  • Birthplace: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Best Known As: Dr. Frasier Crane on TV's Cheers and Frasier

Kelsey Grammer is a comic actor best known for playing Dr. Frasier Crane on two hit television shows, Cheers and Frasier. Grammer studied drama at New York's Juilliard School before embarking on a career on stage. He joined the cast of Cheers in 1984 as psychologist Frasier Crane, the fianceé of Diane (played by Shelley Long). He became a regular cast member and earned two Emmy nominations, and Frasier was created, moving his character from Boston to Seattle and making him the host of a radio show. Both Cheers and Frasier were perennial Emmy favorites, and Grammer won three best actor awards for his portrayal of the cynical and pompous Dr. Crane. During his twenty year run as Dr. Frasier Crane, Grammer was also a big hit as the voice of Sideshow Bob, a semi-regular character on The Simpsons. He also contributed voices to the animated features Anastasia (1997, with John Cusack) and Toy Story 2 (1999, with Tom Hanks). In 1995 he published an autobiography, So Far..., in which he openly discussed his personal problems, from family tragedies to substance abuse.

Grammer has the Emmy distinction of being the only actor nominated for the same role in three different series: Cheers, Frasier and Wings (guest appearance)... Most sources have his birthday as 21 February, but some say 20 February.

 
Artist: Kelsey Grammer
  • Genre: Jazz
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Instrument: Vocals, Piano, Performer

Biography

Actor Kelsey Grammer is, of course, synonymous with the character of psychologist Dr. Frasier Crane, the pompous, effete snob he portrayed on the TV sitcom Cheers and later on its wildly successful spin-off Frasier. Grammer embodied Crane so well that the actor's frequently tumultuous personal life seemed almost incomprehensible to the public at large, and resulted in endless tabloid fascination. Although he eventually settled into a quieter life, the sad truth was that Grammer's life had been beset by difficulty -- and outright tragedy -- for quite some time. Born February 21, 1955, on the island of St. Thomas (in the Virgin Islands), Allen Kelsey Grammer grew up first in New Jersey with his mother and grandparents, who later moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL. In 1968, Grammer's father -- who had divorced his mother when he was two years old -- was killed by a deranged gunman who was found not guilty by reason of insanity; not long after, Grammer's grandfather, with whom he had a strong relationship, passed away. It was during these early teen years that Grammer discovered Shakespeare, and an accompanying ambition to become a stage actor; encouraged by his teachers, he spent two years after high school studying his craft at Juilliard. He then dropped out and moved on to San Diego, where he joined the Old Globe Theatre and performed in canonical dramas for three years. However, tragedy struck viciously again in 1975, when Grammer's younger sister Karen was abducted, raped, and murdered. Five years later, his two half-brothers both perished in a scuba-diving accident near St. Thomas. Grammer persevered, performing in theater productions across the country and scoring occasional roles on TV soap operas. In 1984, he landed the part of Frasier Crane on NBC's hit sitcom Cheers; Frasier was main character Sam Malone's insufferably pretentious rival for the affections of equally pretentious waitress Diane Chambers. Though Frasier was initially intended as a temporary role, Grammer's portrayal was so indelible -- and, somehow, likable -- that the series elected to keep him on as a regular cast member even after his original story line was wrapped up; the writers even created a new love interest for him. Despite his newfound fame, Grammer's personal life was far from orderly; he was arrested in 1988 for drunk driving and possession of cocaine, and two years later divorced his first wife and spent a month in jail for failing to show up at arraignments and community service requirements. (Somewhat ironically, he won Emmys as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in both of those years.) Cheers ended in 1993, and although Grammer's character was tabbed as the center of a spin-off, his private turmoil continued; he made allegations of assault against his second wife, whose failed suicide attempt in the wake of divorce threats resulted in the death of their unborn child. Happily, on the other side, Frasier was a hit, and in 1994 Grammer won an Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, a feat he repeated the following year. He also attracted notice for his vocal rendition of the series' cool, jazzy theme song, "Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs." Tabloid fascination with Grammer's private life reached a crescendo during the mid-'90s; a taste for motorcycles that contrasted sharply with his stuffy character, an aborted marriage engagement, a scandal involving an underage babysitter (for which police could not find adequate supporting evidence), and a possibly alcohol-related one-car accident provided plenty of fodder. Following the latter incident, in 1996 Grammer checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic. Flipping his sports car seemed to be the catalyst Grammer needed to get his life in order; in 1997, he found a stable relationship in his marriage to model Camille Donatacci, and in 1998, he won his third Best Actor Emmy. While his attempt to make the jump to the big screen hasn't yet paid dividends (his roles include the lead in the 1996 comedy Down Periscope and an unscrupulous newscaster in 2001's 15 Minutes), Grammer has signed with NBC to continue Frasier through 2004; if the deal holds up, Grammer would tie James "Marshal Dillon" Arness of Gunsmoke for the record of portraying the same television character 20 years in a row. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Similar Artists:

Rene Aberjonois, Robby Benson, Leon Redbone
 
Actor:

Kelsey Grammer

  • Born: Feb 21, 1955
  • Occupation: Actor, Director
  • Active: '90s-2000s
  • Major Genres: Comedy
  • Career Highlights: Toy Story 2, Teacher's Pet, Christmas Carol: The Musical
  • First Major Screen Credit: Cheers: Season 03 (1984)

Biography

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

 
Quotes By: Kelsey Grammer

Quotes:

"Life is supposed to get tough."

 
Wikipedia: Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey_Grammer_fleet_week.jpg
Grammer during Fleet Week, New York 2006
Birth name Allen Kelsey Grammer
Born February 21 1955 (1955--) (age 52)
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Parents Frank Allen Grammer, Jr.
Sally Cranmer
Official site KelseyLive.com

Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is a six-time Emmy and a two-time Golden Globe-winning American actor best known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the NBC sitcoms Cheers (in whom he played for nine years) and Frasier (then for another 11 years). He was nominated for Emmys for playing Frasier Crane on three different sitcoms (the third being a guest appearance on Wings). He has also worked as a producer, director, and writer. He is currently starring in Back to You.

Early life

Grammer was born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands to Sally Cranmer, a housewife and vocalist,[1] and Frank Allen Grammer, Jr., a bar owner and musician.[2] His parents' marriage ended when he was very young; his mother took him to live with her, and he was partly raised in New Jersey by his grandparents, Evangeline Dimmock and Gordon Cranmer. Grammer's family life has been marked by repeated tragedies. In 1968, when Grammer was thirteen, his father, whom he had only seen twice since his parents' divorce, was murdered on the front lawn of home in the U.S. Virgin Islands;[2] in 1975, his sister was raped and murdered after being abducted outside a Red Lobster restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado where her boyfriend worked.[3] Grammer has sworn to prevent the murderer from being paroled. [4] Grammer, who was 20 at the time and enrolled in the Juilliard School acting program, stopped attending classes and was asked to leave, citing a lack of focus.[5][not in citation given] In 1980, his twin half-brothers were killed in a SCUBA diving accident.[6]

Career

Early career

After leaving Juilliard, he had a three-year internship with the Old Globe Theater in San Diego in the late 1970s before a stint in 1980 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He made his Broadway debut in 1981 as Lennox in Macbeth, taking the lead role when Philip Anglim withdrew after receiving negative reviews. In 1982 he appeared with Christine Baranski in the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine production Sunday in the Park with George with Mandy Patinkin, and then a featured role of Cassio in a Broadway revival of Othello with James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer.

Rise to fame

Grammer's television career began in 1983 when he portrayed Stephen Smith in the NBC mini-series Kennedy. Grammer came to broader public attention as Dr. Frasier Crane in the TV sitcom Cheers. Grammer's former Juilliard classmate and Broadway co-star Patinkin suggested Grammer to the New York casting director, and he got the job.[7] The character became the center of the successful spin off Frasier.

Grammer won a number of Emmys and Golden Globes for his work on Frasier. He was the first American actor ever to be nominated for multiple Emmy awards for portraying the same character on three different television shows (Cheers, Frasier, and Wings). His US$1.6 million per episode salary for Frasier was the highest in the history of American television at the time, and his 20-year run playing Dr. Frasier Crane ties a length set by James Arness in playing Marshall Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke from 1955 to 1975.[8]

Voice work

Grammer's smooth, deep voice makes him popular for voiceover work. He has provided the voice of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons, winning an Emmy for his work in the episode "The Italian Bob",[9] He has appeared in nine episodes in all since the show's inception in 1989. He also supplied the voices for "Stinky Pete the Prospector" in Toy Story 2, Vladimir in the Fox animated movie Anastasia, Zozi the Bear in the subsequently-produced prequel Bartok the Magnificent, and the title character in the short-lived animated series Gary the Rat. He also provided the opening speech and piano in The Vandals song "Phone Machine" from the album Fear of a Punk Planet. Down Periscope is a 1996 comedy movie starring Kelsey Grammer as the captain of a rust-bucket submarine (called the USS Stingray) who is fighting for his career.

Return to television

He returned to series television on Fox's The Sketch Show. He also produces the CW sitcoms Girlfriends and The Game. Prior to that he guest starred as The Angel of Death on Medium, which he also produces. In film, his recent work includes the role of Dr. Hank McCoy (a.k.a. Beast) in X-Men: The Last Stand. Grammer provided the voice for television commercials advertising the Hyundai Sonata and the Hyundai Azera.

Premiering 19 September, 2007, Grammer currently co-stars in the FOX sit-com Back to You with Patricia Heaton. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2001.

Personal life

Relationships

Grammer has been married three times. His first marriage, to dance instructor Doreen Alderman, lasted from 1982 to 1990 and produced one daughter, Spencer, an actress on the American soap opera As the World Turns and the ABC Family show Greek. His second marriage, to stripper Leigh-Anne Csuhany in 1992, lasted one year. Grammer claims she was abusive and that, after talk of divorce, she attempted suicide, which resulted in the miscarriage of their child.[10] He referred to her in his autobiography, saying:[11]


“ To be sure I'd never leave her, [my wife] Leigh-Anne... had to convince me that I was nothing—unattractive, untalented, undeserving of love, and incapable of being loved by anyone but her. The way she achieved this was to break me down with verbal abuse.

"You fucking pig." "What a wimp." "Dickless." "Fag." "Prick." "Bastard." "You're so fucking stupid." "You're so fucking ugly."

These were the verbal tools, but she had more. She'd spit in my face. Slap me. Punch me. Kick me. Break glasses over my head. Break windows. Tear up pictures of my loved ones. Threaten to kill me, kill herself. Cut my balls off. Chop me up. Put a bullet in my head.

 ”

Also in 1992, Grammer had a daughter, Greer, with hair and makeup stylist Barrie Buckner.[6] His engagement to Tammi Alexander broke up due to rape allegations and her leaks to the tabloid press. Since August 1997 Grammer has been married to Camille Donatacci, a former Playboy model. They have a son, Jude Gordon, and a daughter, Mason Olivia, together via a surrogate mother.[6] Grammer and Donatacci have homes in Malibu, Colorado, and New York, and a holiday home in Maui.

Substance abuse

In 1988, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail for drunk driving and cocaine possession, and an additional 10 days of community service with the California Department of Transportation.[12][not in citation given] He was again arrested for cocaine possession in August 1990 and sentenced to three years' probation, fined $500 and given 300 hours' community service.[12][not in citation given] In January 1991 he was given an additional two years' probation for violating his original probation through additional cocaine use.[12][not in citation given] In September 1996, he overturned his Dodge Viper while under the influence of drugs or alcohol and subsequently checked in to the Betty Ford Clinic for 30 days. Grammer said of the incident:

"I was at a point in my life where I just wasn't focused. Sometimes I was doing drugs, sometimes it was booze. There was no question that I shouldn't have been driving that car at that moment." [6]

Other notable incidents

After publishing his autobiography, So Far... in 1995, he was sued by a former girlfriend Cerlette Lamme for defamation of character and invasion of privacy.[7] In 1998, Grammer filed a lawsuit against Internet Entertainment Group, which Grammer claimed had stolen from his home a videotape of him having sex with former girlfriend Cerlette Lamme. IEG counter-sued Grammer, denying they were in possession of such a tape, and Grammer's suit was eventually dropped. He eventually paid Lamme $1 million for the tape.[13]

Reflections on his life

In 1999, Kelsey Grammer made the following observation on his own life:[11]


“ You see, it's the nature of people like me - alcoholics, obsessive-compulsive, whatever - to dismiss their own achievements and to belittle themselves. It's something I have been tortured by all my life. It has taken forty-three years to become comfortable with myself and with having a sense of accomplishment. Being able to accept the remarkable nature of my life is new to me. ”

Political activism

On September 21, 2003, during an appearance on Hannity & Colmes on Fox News, Grammer expressed an interest in running for United States Congress as a Republican.[14] He indicated that it was something he would consider when his children were older. During an interview on the The Today Show, he told Matt Lauer that he wouldn't enter politics until he felt he was more knowledgeable on the subject.[citation needed]

He was a celebrity guest at President George W. Bush's first inauguration. He also has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president in 2008.


Quote

  • "I think it's your duty to overcome what you inherit in life. It's the David Copperfield line: 'Am I going to be master of my fate, or its victim?' I'm not gonna be its victim, though I've felt victimized — a lot." [15]

Selected film and television work

Awards


Preceded by
Ted Danson
for Cheers		 Emmy Award - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
for Frasier
1994, 1995		 Succeeded by
John Lithgow
for 3rd Rock from the Sun
Preceded by
John Lithgow
for 3rd Rock from the Sun		 Emmy Award - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
for Frasier
1998		 Succeeded by
John Lithgow
for 3rd Rock from the Sun
Preceded by
Tony Shalhoub
for Monk		 Emmy Award - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
for Frasier
2004		 Succeeded by
Tony Shalhoub
for Monk


Preceded by
Tim Allen
for Home Improvement		 Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
for Frasier
1996		 Succeeded by
John Lithgow
for 3rd Rock from the Sun
Preceded by
Michael J. Fox
for Spin City		 Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
for Frasier
2001		 Succeeded by
Charlie Sheen
for Spin City

References

  1. ^ "Grammer's Lesson" from Smoke magazine
  2. ^ a b "A suitable case for treatment" from Ginny Dougary's blog
  3. ^ Murder to Kelsey Grammar's sister
  4. ^ "Kelsey Grammer Vows to Speak for Sister if Killer Pursues Parole" from FOXNews
  5. ^ http://www.tvland.com/shows/cheers/actors/act7.jhtml
  6. ^ a b c d Profile — Kelsey Grammar
  7. ^ a b Yahoo Movies: Kelsey Grammer
  8. ^ TV Guide: Kelsey Grammar
  9. ^ Grammer wins Emmy for Simpsons a July 2006 Reuters article via CNN
  10. ^ "A suitable case for treatment" from Ginny Dougary's blog
  11. ^ a b Kelsey Grammar profile from Cosmic Baseball Association
  12. ^ a b c http://www.dui.com/drunk_driving_research/grammer_dui.html
  13. ^ Kelsey Grammar from NNDB
  14. ^ Transcript: Twenty Years of 'Frasier' from Fox News
  15. ^ Kelsey Grammer Biography from tribute.ca

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:


The Simpsons cast members
Regular cast
Dan Castellaneta · Julie Kavner · Nancy Cartwright · Yeardley Smith · Hank Azaria · Harry Shearer
Recurring cast
Doris Grau · Pamela Hayden · Jo Ann Harris · Tress MacNeille · Marcia Mitzman Gaven · Maggie Roswell · Russi Taylor · Karl Wiedergott
Recurring guest stars
Albert Brooks · Kelsey Grammer · Phil Hartman · Jan Hooks · Jane Kaczmarek · Maurice LaMarche · Jon Lovitz · Joe Mantegna · Marcia Wallace · Frank Welker
Frasier

Cast: Kelsey Grammer • David Hyde Pierce • John Mahoney • Jane Leeves • Peri Gilpin • Moose
Characters (respective to cast): Frasier Crane • Niles Crane • Martin Crane • Daphne Moon • Roz Doyle • Eddie
Other characters: Bulldog • Maris Crane • Gil Chesterton • Lilith Sternin • Bebe Glazer • Simon Moon • Minor characters
Settings: KACL • Frasier's Apartment • Cafe Nervosa
Creators: David Angell • David Lee • Peter Casey
Seasons: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11
See also: Cheers • Director Lists • Writers Lists

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

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Answers Corporation AnswerNote. © 1999-2008 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
Who2 Biography. Copyright © 1998-2008 by Who2, LLC. All rights reserved. See the Kelsey Grammer biography from Who2.  Read more
Artist. Copyright © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ® , a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Actor. Copyright © 2006 All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Quotes By. Copyright © 2008 QuotationsBook.com. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Kelsey Grammer".  Read more

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