December 11th 2024.
The world-famous show Cheers could have had a completely different cast if things had gone a different way. As it turns out, a Hollywood legend was offered the role of Frasier Crane but decided to pass on it. John Lithgow, known for his roles in Terms of Endearment, the Pelican Brief, and many more, was initially offered the role of the stuffy psychiatrist. However, he wasn't interested in taking on the role, and it eventually went to Kelsey Grammer.
Fortunately for Kelsey, he was a natural fit for the part and went on to star in his own spin-off show, aptly titled Frasier. The hit show ran for 11 seasons and even had a revival last year. In a recent interview, John Lithgow, now 79 years old, reflected on the offer he received three decades ago. When asked if he ever wonders about what could have been, he replied, "Sometimes." He explained that at the time of the offer, he had just received two Oscar nominations in two years and didn't want to focus on episodic TV. However, he has no regrets and even got to star in another beloved sitcom, 3rd Rock from the Sun, for six years.
John Lithgow first appeared as the quirky alien, Dick Solomon, in 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1996. He remained with the show for six seasons and 139 episodes. The show, which also starred Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Kristen Johnston, French Stewart, and Jane Curtin, revolved around extraterrestrials posing as a human family while on a mission on Earth.
Meanwhile, Kelsey Grammer made a name for himself as the lovable bartender, Frasier Crane, in Cheers. His character made his debut in 1984 before getting his own spin-off show set in Seattle in 1993. The show's casting director, Jeff Greenberg, revealed that they initially wanted John Lithgow for the role of Frasier but offered it to Kelsey when John turned it down. Jeff also shared that Kelsey was the "actor destined to play" the role. And as we all know, Kelsey's portrayal of Frasier became a huge hit and even surpassed Cheers in popularity.
In a previous interview, Kelsey admitted that he was not immediately sold on the idea of appearing in Cheers. He recalled a failed audition for a show called Brothers, which led to casting director Gretchen Rennell offering him a secretive role on Cheers. Kelsey even joked that he thought Cheers was a terrible show and that he would never want to be a part of it. However, he eventually accepted the role and even received a bottle of Dom Perignon with a note that said "Welcome to Cheers" after his successful audition.
Kelsey's time on Cheers was just the beginning of his successful career as Frasier. He went on to star in the iconic sitcom for 11 seasons, from 1993 to 2004, and even launched a revival in 2023. He shared that he initially didn't think the show was any good and that he would have to "fix" it. But as we all know, Frasier became even more beloved than Cheers.
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