Kelsey Grammer Holds Back Tears While Discussing How the ‘Frasier’ Reboot Honors John Mahoney

When the Frasier reboot was originally announced, one of the things most fans wondered about centered around Martin Crane. John Mahoney portrayed Martin, Dr. Frasier Crane’s father, for the entirety of the original series.

While fans would have loved to see Mahoney back in the iconic role, the star died in 2018 from cancer. The reboot has done a great job of honoring his memory. But the loss is still felt, especially by Kelsey Grammer. Grammer, who plays the role of Frasier, choked back tears while discussing John Mahoney on a recent talk show appearance. 

Kelsey Grammer became emotional while discussing how the ‘Frasier’ reboot honors the late John Mahoney 

Grammer and Mahoney’s characters were like water and oil on Frasier. The two characters’ tense connection did not mimic Grammer and Mahoney’s relationship off-screen. They were incredibly close. Mahoney became something of a stand-in father for Grammer, whose father was murdered when Grammer was just a teen. According to The Guardian, Mahoney took his role so seriously that he even drove Grammer to rehab. 

Grammer saw him as a father figure, too. When Mahoney died in 2018, Grammer released a statement stating that Mahoney was his father and that he loved him. Considering their close connection, it is no surprise that Grammer still has difficulty discussing the loss. 

In a January 2024 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Grammer became visibly choked up when discussing Mahoney and how the show chose to honor the late star. Grammer held back tears as he mentioned that the bar, Mahoney’s, paid homage to the late actor. He pointed out that the baby, John, was a tribute to Mahoney, too. 

Fans believe the dog that played Eddie was also memorialized

While Grammer spoke openly about Mahoney and how the Frasier reboot aimed to honor him, he didn’t talk much about another beloved cast member. Frasier fans quickly noticed that there might have been a bit of an easter egg meant to pay tribute to the dog who played Eddie, Martin Crane’s beloved companion. 

While casual viewers knew the dog as Eddie, he was portrayed by a dog named Moose. Moose took on the role from the pilot episode until 2000, when his son, Enzo, took over. Moose died in 2006 from natural causes. Ardent fans quickly noticed Freddy has a friend named Moose in the reboot. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence.