Frasier: 10 Hidden Details About The Main Characters Everyone Missed

Summary "Frasier" surpassed its parent show "Cheers" in popularity, lasting 11 seasons and 264 episodes.

Kelsey Grammer's rich voice was utilized meaningfully to give Frasier his talk show host persona.

Juggling changing cast members, Frasier's successful reboot in 2023 proved the enduring appeal of the show.

Frasier was the cultured offshoot of Cheers, following the exploits of psychologist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) in Seattle along with his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), his father Martin (John Mahoney), and attendant nurse Daphne (Jane Leeves). Few people believed the show would ever be able to move out of the shadow of the massively popular Cheers. But over time, Frasier managed to carve out its own space thanks to excellent performances and writing for the show.

The original series was even more popular long-term than even the show that it spun off from. While Cheers is an all-time sitcom classic, Frasier played out for 11 seasons and 264 episodes and was popular enough that it was rebooted 19 years later with a new sitcom of the same name in 2023. While Fraser was one of the only main cast members to return, it proves that the themes and ideas were still strong enough to carry the character into his fourth decade on television, but not everything was always great behind the scenes.

Related Frasier: 10 Best Niles Crane Quotes Frasier might have originally been about Frasier Crane, but his brother Niles definitely steals the show. We look back at his 10 best lines.

10 That's Frasier Singing The Theme Song

"Tossed Salads And Scrambled Eggs"

One thing viewers notice about Kelsey Grammer, who plays Frasier, is that the man has an exceptionally resonant voice. Naturally, the creators of the show wanted to make use of the voice as often as possible, which is why they made Frasier a talk show host psychiatrist instead of someone in private practice.

Another use of his voice is in the theme song, "Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs," which Grammer sings over the closing credits. The showrunners reached out to Ken Levine, who had composed the theme song for Wings, and asked him to come up with a song for the show.

He said they wanted something jazzy, but didn't want direct references to the ideas of psychiatry, radio shows, the name "Frasier." He used "tossed salads and scrambled eggs" to describe the people calling Frasier's radio show (via Ken Levine). As for Grammer, he was a perfect choice to sing it as he got his start as a Broadway performer.

9 Martin's Recliner Was Extremely Expensive

It Was One Of The Show's Most Expensive Props

In an apartment filled with luxurious and exotic items, Martin's old and tacky recliner stood out as a sore spot, covered in tape and garish fabric. In reality, the recliner was actually brand new and very expensive.

It was covered in tape and fitted out with special cloth that was bought at a store that specialized in 1970s-era textiles that would be considered in bad taste. The chair is actually a BarcaLounger, which runs for $1,200 and goes up from there, making it one of the apartment's most expensive props.

The chair was also one that has become a part of history. The chair is now located in the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle, Washington. It goes to show that a chair that Frasier hated and always wanted to replace was not only Martin's favorite, but one that captured the hearts of millions of fans as well.

8 Daphne Faked Her Accent

Jane Leeves Had To Come Up With A New England Accent

Jane Leeves, who played the character of Daphne, is actually from England, so one might think it would be easy for her to play a British nurse. However, the makers decided she was from the wrong part of England, and her natural accent would not be understood by an American audience.

Thus, Leeves ended up being coached to speak in an accent used in Manchester, New England. Something that British fans of the show were quick to pick up on and criticize for sounding fake.

One of the more insulting side effects of Jane Leeves using the fake English accent was that she worked with John Mahoney (Martin Crane), who was born in the UK and grew up in Manchester. He surely knew how terrible it sounded, but said nothing. Despite the criticism for her fake accent, Jane Leeves enjoyed great success on Frasier, earning nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actress.

7 Eddie The Dog Had Two Actors

Moose & Enzo

The actor from the show who received the most fan mail was, surprisingly, Eddie the Dog. Audiences loved the energetic terrier, who had learned to follow a series of commands from the show's creative team and was a dream to work with, always following stage directions and rarely acting out. When Moose, the dog that played Eddie, passed away after Season 7, his son Enzo was brought in to replace him.

Enzo had been bred specially to replace Eddie in case anything happened to the original dog, and few people in the audience noticed the dog switching in later seasons. Enzo also appeared in the movie My Dog Skip and See Spot Run. His father Moose was also in My Dog Skip and appeared in several TV commercials. Moose also had a son named Moosie, who lived with Peri Gilpin (Roz Doyle) (via Pet Bucket).

Related Frasier's Surprising BTS Stories Make Eddie The Dog's Role Even Better Eddie played an important role in Frasier, however, behind-the-scenes stories from the cast and crew reveal the show dog wasn't the easiest co-star.

6 Frasier's Mysterious Absence For An Episode

Kelsey Grammer Was In An Auto Accident

In one episode called Head Games, Niles hosts his brother's radio show because Frasier is away at a convention. This was necessitated by the fact that Kelsey Grammer had recently had a road accident while driving under the influence, flipping his red Dodge Viper sportscar near his Agoura Hills, California, home. This prompted Grammer to check himself into the Betty Ford Center for treatment (via Washington Post). While he was away, the show had to find a way to explain his absence.

There were only three new Frasier episodes completed at the time of his accident and arrest. NBC had to cancel a taping for this episode due to the arrest and eventually taped it with Niles and this explanation. Grammer filmed his brief scene in that episode at a later date and his part was tacked on afterward.

5 Daphne Sported An Actual Baby Bump

Frasier Explained Jane Leeves' Real-Life Pregnancy As A Storyline

At the end of Season 7, Daphne and Niles finally start dating, and the stress of the relationship turns Daphne into a compulsive over-eater. It was so much so, that she put on weight and even sported a bulging tummy for most of Season 8.

In real life, Jane Leeves was pregnant, and Daphne gaining weight was written into the show to explain her baby bump. They discontinued the 'fat Daphne' story arc after Leeves delivered her baby and got back in shape.

While many TV shows can hide pregnancies by having actresses stand behind counters and other obstructions when onscreen, what Frasier did seems a little disrespectful. Making her weight gain for the pregnancy a joke about a woman gaining weight due to overeating wouldn't work today. However, Leeves took it in stride when she said, "During my first pregnancy, they put me in a fat suit and gave Daphne a weight problem, which was great ... I worked through both pregnancies" (via Working Mother).

4 Frasier Has Been On TV For A Long Time

Frasier Made His First Appearance In 1984

Kelsey Grammer has been playing Frasier on TV for a long time. He has played the character for 40 years. Frasier first appeared on Cheers as a side character in 1984, appearing for the first time in the third season premiere, "Rebound."

His role was a psychiatrist helping Sam Malone recover from alcoholism while also dealing with his breakup with Diane. He became a regular cast member and was on the show until its end in 1993. This led to his spinoff, as he started Frasier in 1993, nine years after debuting on Cheers. Between the eight seasons of Cheers and the 11 seasons of Frasier, he played the character for 19 straight years.

He also appeared as Frasier on the season 3 episode of Wings titled "Planes, Trains and Visiting Cranes" in 1992. 20 years after Frasier ended, Grammar returned to the role in 2023. He is the first American actor nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for playing the same character in three different shows.

3 Frasier Is Very Ethically Rigid

Fraser & Niles Have Telling Signs When They Lie

A lot of times, Frasier can be seen as petty, childish, and irritable. He has often displayed qualities that have made him a trial to be around. But despite his personal foibles, he is at heart a fiercely honorable man who always tries to do the right thing.

On the few occasions when Frasier has had to lie, or generally act in a manner that violates his personal code of ethics, he has been attacked by a physical bout of nausea because of how guilty he felt for doing so. Similarly, Niles gets a nosebleed from behaving unethically.

This is a nice way for the show to reveal when the two normally uptight characters are not being honest. While it doesn't always happen, it might be a continuity error, or they don't feel guilty about it at the time. While both brothers have their own downfalls and problems in their lives, they were raised to be good, honest men, and they can't hide it when they break that code of honor.

Related Frasier Reboot Season 2: Confirmation, Cast & Everything We Know The first season of the Frasier reboot premiered on Paramount+ in October 2023, and here's what we know about the second season.

2 Niles Is Actually Somewhat Athletic

Niles Showed His Prowess On A Basketball Court

Frasier's younger brother, Niles, has often been the butt of jokes for his lack of athletic ability. His family treats his occasional desire to lift weights or take karate lessons as too ludicrous to be taken seriously. Nevertheless, Niles has shown to be fairly athletic from time to time.

He once made an impossible basketball shot by scoring from half-court (although after making the shot, he seemed to be amazed that he actually did it). This earned him the nickname "Half-Court Crane." He is a very good marksman and has proven to be a better-than-average fencer, aside from having taken kickboxing lessons in the past.

Yes, Niles was physically weak and somewhat uncoordinated, and he couldn't catch objects people threw his way. However, he is nimble and he is also able to do things that surprise people. He even played squash often with Frasier, although those games often confused their dad.

1 Frasier & Niles Have A Dad Complex

It's One Of The Traits They Share

Both Crane brothers are often ridiculed by outsiders for their excessively foppish behavior. On the other hand, their father, Martin, is a former blue-collar worker who is more like the every-man. It is often hard to see how Frasier and Niles became who they became when looking at their dad.

Because of their stark differences, and their constant bickering, the brothers have formed an opinion that their father is disappointed in their life and career choices. In one episode, Niles dresses like Martin for Halloween and starts imitating him, stating how disappointed he feels in his sons.

However, Martin cuts him off immediately and tells him that both Fraiser and Niles are a source of pride for him. It was one of the show's most touching moments and proves that Martin might give his sons a hard time, but he does it out of love, and he has nothing but respect for both boys and the careers they made. That is what made Martin one of Frasier's most beloved characters.