Kelsey Grammer, the actor with the long and distinquished career and by far the most successful of all those who came from the highly popular and long running sitcom “Cheers,” is resting and recovering comfortably after suffering what doctors are calling a “mild heart attack” while vacationing in Hawaii.
Grammer, 53, begain experiencing chest pains this past Saturday morning while paddle-boarding with his wife, Camille, off the Kona coast of Hawaii’s Big Island.
His wife called 911 and Kelsey was immediately taken to the local hospital, where he was diagnosed and treated for the heart attack. He is expected to be released from the hospital sometime during the week, barring any complications.
Grammer’s career begain in 1982 with his first television performance as Ross in the televised play of Macbeth. From there he went on to guest star on several weekly television shows and soap operas until his big break came starring as psychiatrist and resident bar stool warmer Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers.” His role on the show started out as a minor character but quickly grew to be one of the major high points of the multi-Emmy winning show which aired from 1984 to 1993.
He was given his own show called “Frazier,” in which he continued with the psychiatrist character turning him into the host of an advice radio show. It too became a major hit series lasting nine seasons. Besides James Arness (Matt Dillon on “Gunsmoke”), Grammer is the only other actor to have starred as the same character on television for 20 years running.
His newest show, “Back to You” didn’t fair as well as his previous offerings and was canceled after one season on the air. The heart attack came just three weeks after Fox canceled the program.
SF fans will know Grammer for his performance as Captain Bateson in a memorable 1992 “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episode titled “Cause and Effect” in which his Federation starship is catapulted into the 24th Century and meets up with Captain Jean Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise. Most recently he starred as Dr. Henry ‘Hank’ McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, in “X-Men: The Last Stand.”
Once Grammer is fully recovered he may well be starring in a new comedy pilot for ABC titled “Roman’s Empire,” as the overbearing head of a wealthy family, according to his publicist.
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