Entertainment

Kelsey Grammer would welcome ‘third act’ for Frasier

He said new episodes of the TV sitcom would have to address the death of John Mahoney, who played his father.
He said new episodes of the TV sitcom would have to address the death of John Mahoney, who played his father. He said new episodes of the TV sitcom would have to address the death of John Mahoney, who played his father.

Kelsey Grammer has said he would like to see a “third act” for radio psychiatrist Frasier Crane if his hit sitcom makes a comeback.

The actor, still best known for his title role in the series, said new episodes of Frasier would have to address the death last year of John Mahoney, who played his father.

Speaking at the launch of his upcoming West End show Man Of La Mancha, he said: “Frasier might have a new life, we’ll see.

“We have been talking with several teams of writers, a couple of guys from the old show, a couple of new writers, and the take I’m looking for is just that he has a third act rather than trying to pick up where the second act left off.

“We have to button up a few things, tie up a few loose ends, having to do with the fact John (Mahoney) is gone, who played my father Martin, but there are a couple of really interesting areas and it’s a little premature to discuss them yet, but when somebody signs a cheque we might be talking a little more specifically.”

Grammer credited the series for giving him the opportunity to make his West End debut in a lavish production, which also stars Nicholas Lyndhurst and Danielle de Niese.

He said: “I have not done a ton of musicals but I have always kept it in my back pocket as something I wanted to at least explore when I got famous enough on television to be able to say, ‘You know, I would like to do that musical’, and they say, ‘Can you sing?’, and I say, ‘Kinda’.

“I’m an actor who sings but I love this piece, I love Dream The Impossible Dream (the show’s most famous song), I grew up with it, it is just one of the most perfect songs about one of the most perfect stories of human experience.

“This story is really compelling and beautiful and uplifting, and reminds us what it is to be human, tortured and staggering on but rejoicing, that is kind of the way we are.”

He added that he is delighted his Frasier co-star David Hyde Pierce, who played his brother Niles, has found success as a Broadway star, but joked he has not seen him in a recent production of Hello Dolly because tickets were too expensive.

David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce (PA)

He said: “I saw him a few months ago, there was a Frasier retrospective at USC in LA and so he flew out for it.

“We always greet each other as though it’s been just a day since we last saw one another and he is my actual brother, in terms of life experience.

“I never had a brother, I have David. So we regard each other in that way.

“We don’t really talk about work so much, although when we have a chance we see each other’s work. I have not seen him in Hello Dolly, I feel dreadfully apologetic about it, however when someone said it’s 5,000 bucks a seat I said, ‘Well, I’m not going’.

“I said, ‘He must be living pretty well on the old Broadway salary!’

“He is a darling now of the Broadway scene and I worship him for it because it’s a great stance and he can do it and it’s lovely.

“I did a show years ago and said to another actor, ‘How do you keep your chops up?’, and he said, ‘I do a play every year’. And I thought, ‘Ooh, that’s a really great idea, but I’ve got this kid and this kid and this kid and this kid. OK, I will do a play every other year for about two months and then I can afford to actually do theatre’.”

Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’s masterpiece Don Quixote, Man Of La Mancha is set in a 16th century dungeon where Cervantes and his manservant await trial from the Spanish Inquisition.

Man Of La Mancha will be directed by Lonny Price and will run at the London Coliseum from April 26 to June 8, with press night on April 30.