http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2010/04/john_lithgow_to_appear_at_mcca.html

John Lithgow does admit, however, that he only has himself to blame for not appearing as Frasier Crane on “Cheers.”

“I turned that one down,” he says sadly. “I’ve also turned down roles that went on to win Oscars and Tonys, but I’m not going to say any more, because I don’t want the actors who took the parts to know that they were second choice. No question that being a freelance actor does have its perils.”

It's hard to imagine anyone else than Kelsey Grammer as Frasier. Of course Kelsey isn't the only "second choice" in the Cheers cast. Fred Dryer was the first choice to play Sam Malone. The producers only cast Ted Danson after they changed the character from an ex football player to an ex baseball player.

Julia Duffy was also supposedly in the running for the role of Diane Chambers (and ended up joining the cast of Newhart a year after Cheers debuted). Can you imagine how different things would've been had the original choices gone ahead and done the show? Boggles the mind.

Julia Duffy was also supposedly in the running for the role of Diane Chambers (and ended up joining the cast of Newhart a year after Cheers debuted). Can you imagine how different things would've been had the original choices gone ahead and done the show? Boggles the mind.
I suspect it would have been a much different show! :crazy:

And it probably would not have lasted that long either. I also read where Shelley chose Ted to read the script with her and she wanted him to play the role of Sam.

Wow, I had no idea that John Lithgow was offered the role of Frasier. Like everyone else here, I can't imagine anyone else playing Frasier than Kelsey Grammar.

John Lithgow's loss was Kelsey Grammer's gain.

William Devane was also up for the role of Sam

Fred Dryer("Hunter") was also up for the Malone role.Of course,he would make an appearance as a rather lascivious sportscaster.

It's odd that Fred Dryer and Julia Duffy lost out on the main roles then both made guest appearances on the show within the first 6 episodes of the 1st season.

If Lithgow ended up as Frasier, we probably would have never seen the Frasier spinoff get off the ground. Can you imagine John Lithgow wanting to play the same role for 20 years?

Everything happens for a reason and I am glad we got the cast we had. The only thing I probably would have changed was Frasier to someone else - Not sure who though, but he did o.k. I just did not like him matched up with Diane as her lover when she and Sam broke up.

It's hard to imagine anyone else than Kelsey Grammer as Frasier. Of course Kelsey isn't the only "second choice" in the Cheers cast. Fred Dryer was the first choice to play Sam Malone. The producers only cast Ted Danson after they changed the character from an ex football player to an ex baseball player.
Just because one actor makes the roll a great roll doesn't mean evey actor would. John has done some great stuff in his time.

Just because one actor makes the roll a great roll doesn't mean evey actor would. John has done some great stuff in his time.
And as we all know, we can't argue the results on how it turned out.

Kinda ironic Lithgow rejected a role later taken up by Kelsey Grammar.In the '90's,both went back and forth for a while winning the Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy.Lithgow could indeed have pulled off the role of the ultra-famed television psychiatrist with flying colors.Been watching him lately on "3rd Rock From the Sun" DVD's.Wonderful actor who well deserved his TV academy trophies............

Fred Dryer was the first choice to play Sam Malone. The producers only cast Ted Danson after they changed the character from an ex football player to an ex baseball player.

That's not true according to the documentaries I've seen. The producers settled on Ted and Shelley because they had the best chemistry, and they changed Sam from an ex-football jock to an ex-baseball jock after Ted was hired because that suited his frame and build more.

I didn't know that but I'm glad he did. I personally think John Lithgow is very boring and uninteresting to watch. And I don't like the sound of his voice.

Ed.

Fun to think what might have been, but also hard to imagine what the series would have been like without the actors who played the characters....it worked for 11 seasons!!

Wendie Malick also auditioned for the Role of Diane. In addition, Joel Hodgson originally auditioned for the role of Woody. This also applies to the recurring cast as well. Danny DeVito was originally intended to play Nick Tortelli, Carla's ex-husband, on the grounds that he and Rhea Perlman were both married in real life and had worked together on Taxi. However, DeVito's movie career picked up and Dan Hedaya was cast in the role, instead.