About "Frasier"

[CliffClavin]

FRASIER, recognized as one of television's most critically acclaimed and honored comedy series, is returning for its 11th season. Set in Seattle, WA, the comedy chronicles the lives of an eloquently pompous radio show host Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), his close friend and radio producer Roz (Peri Gilpin), his competitive high-brow brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), his long-time love and now wife, Daphne (Jane Leeves) and their crotchety father Martin (John Mahoney).

Blending brilliant characters, sophisticated and witty word-play as well as hilarious physical comedy, FRASIER, one of television's smartest sitcoms, will begin its 11th season as one of the most critically-acclaimed comedy series of all time. Further, by winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy for an unprecedented five consecutive years, the series has set the standard for a new Golden Age of television. In addition to becoming an Emmy record-winner, the show has received several coveted awards including Writer's Guild Awards and the Humanitas Prize for exemplary writing. The series, which has surpassed 200 episodes, a milestone rarely reached by television sitcoms, premiered on Tuesday, September 23 at 9:00 PM (ET/PT) on NBC.

Additionally, acclaimed FRASIER veterans Chris Lloyd and Joe Keenan return for the eleventh season as executive producers/show runners. The two helped catapult FRASIER to ratings and award success during the first seven seasons of the show.

Recently, FRASIER surpassed the classic hit series "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" holding the record with 30 Emmy wins, making FRASIER the most Emmy-winning series of all time. David Hyde Pierce was just nominated for his tenth Emmy Award and John Mahoney for his second. Also, series star Kelsey Grammer has won three Emmy Awards and in the 2001-2002 season, received his twelfth nomination for his portrayal of the same character on three different shows ("Cheers," "Wings" and "Frasier").

Not only has the series, its writers, directors and its all-star cast received numerous Emmy Awards, they have also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy, he 1994 Peabody Award, a People's Choice Award for Favorite New Comedy Series nd an unprecedented three consecutive Television Critics Association Awards for Best omedy Series. FRASIER was named #1 Comedy Series in Electronic Media's Critics Poll several years running and won the BANFF International Television Festival four years in a row for Best Series. Additionally, the series has won multiple Viewers for Quality Television Awards and the coveted Humanitas Prize. In June 2002, Paramount partnered with the Humanitas foundation to begin the David and Lynn Angell Humanitas Comedy Fellowship. This continuous grant was established to honor David and Lynn Angell and to help a deserving and talented student.

Further, the series won the Screen Actors Guild Award in the 1998-1999 season, for Best Comedy Series for the first time. Additionally, David Hyde Pierce holds the record for the most SAG award nominations at 18 (one for "Nixon"), followed closely by castmate Kelsey Grammer, who has garnered 17 SAG nominations for his work on FRASIER.

David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee are the creators/executive producers of FRASIER who, between them, have now amassed 93 nominations and received 30 Emmy Awards for FRASIER including a record-breaking five consecutive awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. Further, the team received two Emmy Awards for "Cheers" including Outstanding Writing, which Angell received in 1984 and Outstanding Comedy Series in 1989, which they share with the series' other producers.

[CliffClavin]

The tenth season of FRASIER kicked off with the long anticipated marriage between Niles and Daphne. Although they were in wedded bliss, a serious health scare put Niles into the hospital for bypass surgery and questioned their future together. As always, Frasier searched for love in all the wrong places and this time it was at the radio station, with recurring guest star Felicity Huffman who played Julia. The season ended in a cliff hanger as Roz decides to give Frasier an ultimatum – her or Julia. Martin and Eddie continue to be happy and healthy and Martin is enjoying his independence as a security guard.
Throughout the past decade, FRASIER has landed an impressive list of celebrity guest stars, many of whom not only have incredible feature film and theatre careers, but a few come from the business and culinary worlds. Last season, Dr. Phil, a diplomate in behavioral medicine with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, made his acting debut playing himself. In the episode, Dr. Phil visits Seattle for a symposium on life planning and runs into his old friend Dr. Frasier Crane. However, much to Frasier's dismay, Dr. Phil has retained Bebe, Frasier's former agent. Also, legendary musician Elvis Costello guest starred as a hired musical act for Cafe Nervosa and Jeanne Tripplehorn portrayed another potential love-interest for Dr. Crane.

Unique to FRASIER, the series will continue to utilize an eclectic mix of talent from the motion picture, television, literary, sports, music and fashion worlds as the troubled and tormented callers who solicit Dr. Frasier Crane's advice. An impressive list of luminaries have already lent their voices, including Andy Garcia, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Anthony Edwards, Naomi Judd, Daryl Hannah, Leelee Sobieski, Bradley Whitford, John Turturro, Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Isaac Mizrahi, Cindy Crawford, Gloria Estefan, Art Garfunkel, Rob Reiner, Ron Howard, John Cusack, Halle Berry, Mel Brooks, Ed Harris and Kevin Bacon.

FRASIER's production team includes creators/executive producers Peter Casey and David Lee, and executive producers Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, Joe Keenan, Jeffrey Richman, Sam Johnson, Chris Marcil, Lori Kirkland Baker and Jon Sherman.