Frasier was the cultured offshoot of Cheers, following the exploits of psychologist Frasier Crane in Seattle along with his brother Niles, his father Martin and attendant nurse Daphne. 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. Here are some details about the central characters you may not be aware of:
That's Frasier Singing The Theme Song
One thing you notice right away 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, which Grammer sings over the closing credits. While the makers initially wanted a professional singer, they realized Grammer's arresting baritone was the best choice for the song.
Martin's Recliner Was Extremely Expensive
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.
Daphne Faked Her Accent
Jane Leeves, who played the character of Daphne, is actually from England, so you may 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 was 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.
Eddie The Dog Had Two Actors
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.
Frasier's Mysterious Absence
In one episode called Head Games, we see Niles hosting 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. This promoted Grammer to check himself into rehab.
While he was away, the show had to find a way to explain his absence. Grammer filmed his brief scene in that episode at a later date and his part was tacked on afterward.
Daphne Sported An Actual Baby Bump
At the end of Season 7, Daphne and Niles finally start dating, and the stress of the relationship turned Daphne into a compulsive overeater. So much so that she put on weight and even sported a bulging tummy for the majority of Season 8.
In real life, Jane Leeves was pregnant at the time, and Daphne getting fat 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.
Frasier Has Been On TV For A long Time
Kelsey Grammer has been playing Frasier on TV for a long time. Twenty years, in fact. He started out on Cheers as a side character, then got his own spinoff. Additionally, Grammer also played Frasier on an episode of Wings. For all three appearances, Grammer was nominated for Emmys, a record that has yet to be matched in TV land by any other actor.
Frasier Is Very Ethically Rigid
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.
Niles Is Actually Quite Athletic
Frasier's younger brother Niles has often been the butt of jokes for his lack of athletic ability. The others treat his occasional desires 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. 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.
Frasier & Niles Have A Dad Complex
Both the Crane brothers are dapper dandies who have often been 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 everyman. 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 cut him off immediately and tells him that both Fraiser and Niles are a source of pride for him.