Frasier cast REUNITE on Skype amid COVID-19 lockdown

The cast of iconic sitcom Frasier reunited on Skype on Wednesday evening while on lockdown in their homes, to raise money for out-of-work actors amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin and David Hyde Pierce joined hosts of Stars In The House Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley for the new online series which is supporting The Actors Fund during the pandemic.

And it was an emotional reunion for the stars of the show – which ran for 11 seasons from 1993-2004 – as they reminisced about their time on the series, with Kelsey, 65, declaring that he ‘fell in love with each and every one’ of his co-stars during his time on the sitcom.

He also spoke about Lisa Kudrow’s short-lived time on the series, when she was originally cast in the role of Frasier Crane’s producer Roz Doyle, before she left to star in Friends.

Asked about his fondest memories, Kelsey said: ‘There was a moment when I fell in love with each of you, really fell in love.

‘What’s so remarkable is tjhat it just happened again and again and again in a quiet moment where I would sit and think: “Dear God they’re wonderful!”

‘I was just completely wrapped in this love with them which I still have to this day.’

Jane, 58, who played Daphne Crane, described the cast as ‘just a big family’, while David, 60, who played Daphne’s husband Niles, heaped praise onto star of the show Kelsey.

‘You were the star… yet you took so much pleasure in the rest of us and the guest stars. You never said, “the light is on me, find what light you can”, like other stars might,’ he said.

Kelsey spoke about how his character was originally a secondary part on Cheers, before he was granted his own spin-off.

‘I thought that Frasier should die with Cheers!’ he admitted, of his initial reservations about Frasier getting his own sitcom. ‘But I listened to a very wise man named [the then-president of Paramount TV] John Pike.’

Kelsey had written a script for a totally different concept, in which he played a wealthy bedridden business mogul, which had no links to Cheers or the character of Frasier. 

‘John said, “I read the script. I think a sitcom should be funny!”‘ Kelsey recalled of the unimpressed TV exec. ‘He then just said, “I want you to play Frasier!”‘

Of Peri, 58, who played Frasier’s radio producer Roz, he said: ‘Peri was an 11th hour replacement.’

‘The girl that was playing it was having real trouble. We thought it was kind of quirky and fun and it’s going to work out and it never did,’ he explained, referencing Friends actress Lisa.

‘But things went fine for her on Friends so it’s okay,’ he added, jovially.

Indeed, Lisa was cast as Phoebe Buffay on Friends which began the following year and concluded in the same year that Frasier did.

Niles actor David explained that he originally thought the Frasier script was ‘terrible’.

‘I thought [the writers] have written two of the same characters, Frasier and Niles. I thought – what a stupid thing to do!’ he said, before adding sarcastically. ‘Well that was one of the first of my many great insights about the show!’

The cast also discussed how they’re keeping fit during the current health crisis, being holed up at home.

‘I work out two hours a day, play with the kids then have a martini!’ Kelsey said, as David and Jane both held up a glass of red wine and a gin and tonic respectively.

‘I live on the top floor of a 16 floor building,’ David added. ‘And I do yoga at home with [husband] Brian.’

He also said that when he goes to the grocery store at the moment he has to channel his clean-freak Frasier character Niles thanks to the current pandemic.

‘Yes it’s very Niles at the moment isn’t it? Wiping things off!’

To which Kelsey added: ‘I married someone with OCD so we’ve been wiping things for a while now.’

The episode was rounded off with hosts James and Seth brazenly declaring: ‘I am so excited a reboot is going to happen!’

Although this is not confirmed, there has been talk for a year now that the cast are hoping to reboot the show, with the quartet of actors laughing in response, but not giving anything away.

One missing cast member in the Skype chat was John Mahoney, who played Martin Crane, who passed away in 2018.

However, other guests that appeared in the chat included other Frasier guest-stars Bebe Neuwirth, Dan Butler, Tom McGowan and Harriet Sansom Harris.

Stars In The House is a daily live-streamed concert series which launched on March 16 and has already played host to a slew of major stars, from the likes of Annette Bening and Tina Fey to Danny DeVito and Cynthia Nixon.