Frasier - Relationship To Cheers

Relationship To Cheers

Many regular cast members seen on Cheers made appearances on Frasier, with the exceptions of Nicholas Colasanto (Ernie "Coach" Pantuso, 1982–1985), who died in 1985 prior to the advent of Frasier, and Kirstie Alley (Rebecca Howe, 1987–1993). Bebe Neuwirth (Lilith Sternin, 1986–1993) was the lone character of Cheers, other than Grammer, to become a recurring character on Frasier.

Some cast members of Frasier had appeared previously in minor roles on Cheers. In the episode "Do Not Forsake Me, O' My Postman" (1992), John Mahoney played Sy Flembeck, an over-the-hill advertising executive hired by Rebecca to write a jingle for the bar. In it, Grammer and Mahoney exchanged a few lines. Peri Gilpin appeared in a Cheers episode titled "Woody Gets an Election" playing a reporter who interviews Woody when he runs for office.

In the eighth-season Cheers episode "Two Girls for Every Boyd", Frasier tells Sam Malone (played by Ted Danson) that his father, a research scientist, had died. In the Frasier Season 2 episode "The Show Where Sam Shows Up", when Sam meets Martin, Frasier explains that at the time, he was angry after an argument with his father on the phone. In "The Show Where Woody Shows Up", when meeting Martin, Woody says he remembers hearing about him, probably from Sam talking about his experiences in Seattle when he returned to Boston.

In the ninth-season episode, "Cheerful Goodbyes" in 2002, Frasier returns to Boston to give a speech, and Niles, Daphne and Martin come along to see the city. Frasier runs into Cliff Clavin (played by John Ratzenberger) at the airport and learns that Cliff is retiring and moving to Florida. Frasier and company attend Cliff's retirement party where Frasier reunites with the rest of the gang from Cheers (sans Sam, Woody and Rebecca), including bar regular Norm Peterson (played by George Wendt); waitress Carla Tortelli (played by Rhea Perlman); barflies Paul Krapence (played by Paul Willson) and Phil (played by Philip Perlman); and Cliff's old post office nemesis Walt Twitchell (played by Raye Birk).

In the eleventh-season episode of Frasier, "Caught in the Act", Frasier's married ex-wife, children's entertainer Nanny G, comes to town and invites him backstage for a rendezvous. Nanny G appeared on the Cheers episode "One Hugs, The Other Doesn't" (1992) and was portrayed by Emma Thompson. In this episode of Frasier she is portrayed by Laurie Metcalf. She also appeared in the second episode of Season 9 of Frasier, "Don Juan in Hell: Part 2" and was played by Dina Waters.

The set of Frasier itself was built over the set of Cheers on the same stage after it had finished filming. The producers for Frasier made certain there were no stools in the coffee shop in order to distance it visually from the Cheers bar.