Kelsey Grammer was born Allen Kelsey Grammer on February 21, 1955 in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Grammer had an early appreciation for Shakespeare which led to his decision to get into theatre. Encouraged by his teachers, he took up acting and trained at the Juilliard School for two years. From there, he joined the Old Globe Theater in San Diego where he stayed for three years, performing classics by William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. Since then, he has been in off-Broadway productions of Sunday in the Park with George, A Month in the Country and Quartermaine’s Terms for which he won an Obie Award. On Broadway, he has performed Macbeth and Othello and recently played the title character of Richard II in Los Angeles. Grammer gained popularity when he landed the role of Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcom, Cheers, before getting his own series, Frasier, which ran for 11 seasons from 1993-2004. Grammer has won two Golden Globes and five Emmys, four for his role as Frasier. He is also the first actor in television history to be nominated numerous times for essaying the same role in three series. He received two nominations for his original portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers, two more for appearing in the same role on Wings and nine for his work on Frasier.
Dr. Frasier Crane, played by Kelsey Grammer on Frasier, is a snotty, snobbish, elitist, psychiatrist who lives with his father and hosts a radio talk show in Seattle. His best friend is his younger brother, Niles, who is also a psychiatrist like him. Frasier has been married and divorced a couple of times and has had numerous girlfriends but has been unable to find a lasting relationship. Despite his high standards and often haughty and condescending attitude, Frasier actually has a good and well-meaning heart.
(Photo courtesy of NBC)