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Kelsey Grammer paid tribute to his late Frasier co-star, John Mahoney earlier this week, as he made plans to honor the actor in an upcoming sequel series.
Grammer, 67, called the late Mahoney – who died in 2018 at the age of 77 – a “man of merit” and said the show would give him the “proper attention” when speaking with Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
A sequel to their Frasier series has been in discussion for years, but it wasn’t until October that the new show was officially green-lighted on Paramount+.
Tribute: Kelsey Grammer, 67, praised his late co-star John Mahoney as a “man of merit” as he vowed to pay him tribute in his Frasier sequel series as he spoke to Fox News Digital on Tuesday; (L–R) Dan Butler, Peri Gilpin, Mahoney, Grammer, David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves
Grammer clarified that the show would “definitely” deal with Mahoney’s death.
The British-born American actor appeared on the series as Frasier and his brother Niles’ father Martin Crane.
“His loss is and was devastating and should be given proper attention in honor of the extraordinary man he was and the contribution he made to the show and the acting profession,” Grammer said. “We will certainly honor him to his credit. He remains a man of merit to this day.’
The Cheers star added: “John was a nice man, and the world can’t afford to ever lose a nice man.”
“We will certainly honor him to his credit. A man of merit he remains to this day,’ said Grammer. The Cheers star added: ‘John was a kind man, and the world can’t afford to lose a kind man anytime’
Though now best known for his tenure with Frasier, Mahoney had a long career in theater as well as film and television.
He had memorable roles in the classic comedy Moonstruck (1987) and the Coen-dramedy Barton Fink (1991) as William Faulkner stand-in, along with roles in several other high-profile films.
One of his later recurring roles was in the Betty White comedy Hot In Cleveland.
In Frasier, he played a retired police detective and veteran who was usually found in the recliner of Frasier’s apartment.
Like Grammer’s character, Mahoney was first introduced on Cheers, before the Frasier spin-off was announced.
Mahoney was nominated twice for an Emmy for playing Martin, and he won a Screen Actors’ Guild Award in 2000, along with the rest of the cast.
Diverse Career: While Mahoney is now best known for his tenure with Frasier, he had a long career in the theater as well as film and television; still from Frasier
Family: He played the father of Frasier and Niles, a retired police detective and veteran usually found in the recliner in Frasier’s apartment; still from Frasier
Elsewhere in the chat, Grammer emphasized that the new show is a continuation of the title character’s story, rather than a reboot for him.
“Frasier, in his third or fourth act, is not a reboot, but a new show around the character in a new set of circumstances and a new city,” he explained. “It’s not a reboot.”
The actor also gushed about the experience of playing the title character.
“Playing Frasier for 20 years was a supposed pleasure,” Grammer said. “All I can say is that I expect just as much joy in charting his next chapter.”
Few details about the new show have been released, though it’s unlikely the other original Frasier colleagues would be regulars of the series. However, they can make guest appearances.
Anticipation: “Playing Frasier for 20 years was a supposed pleasure,” Grammer said. His costars are not expected to be regular cast members, although they can make guest appearances; seen in 2020