Tuesday, February 06, 2018
Remembering John Mahoney of Frasier; The Rock Gets NBC Series
English-American actor John Mahoney, who was best known for his role as Martin Crane in Frasier, has died. He died on February 4 in Chicago of complications from throat cancer. Mr. Mahoney was 77.
Mahoney's television career began with his role as Lt. Roselli in the 1982 NBC drama Chicago Story. The series followed the work and personal lives of several Chicago doctors, lawyers and police officers. It starred Maud Adams, Vincent Baggetta, Molly Cheek, Dennis Franz, Connie Foster, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Richard Lawson, Craig T. Nelson, Kristoffer Tabori and Jill Shellabrger.
He played Chief Patrick Meacham in the short-lived 1990 ABC adventure series H.E.L.P.. Battalion Chief Meacham led the Harlem Eastside Life-saving Program (H.E.L.P.) in New York City that co-located the resources of the Fire Department, Police Department and Emergency Medical Services. The series starred Wesley Snipes, Joe Urla, Lance Edwards, Kim Flowers, Tom Bresnahan, Marjorie Monaghan, Fionnula Flanagan and David Caruso.
Mahoney appeared as Dr. Alec McMurtry in the short-lived 1992 CBS medical drama The Human Factor. The series was about a physician at U.C.I., an inner-city teaching hospital. It starred Jan Lucas, Kurt Deutsch, Eriq La Salle, Melinda McGraw, Matthew Ryan, Robert McNeill and Allan Miller.
He starred as the blue-collar patriarch Martin Crane in the NBC sitcom Frasier, which aired for 11 seasons from 1993 through 2004. Martin Crane was an Army veteran and a retired Seattle Police Department detective. He was the father of Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Dr. Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce). It also starred Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin and Dan Butler. The series won a total of 37 Primetime Emmy Awards during its 11-year run. Mahoney received two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the role in 1999 and 2003 and two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 1993 and 2000.
Mahoney had a recurring role as Roy, a waiter and a love interest for Elka (Betty White), in six episodes of Hot in Cleveland in 2011 and 2014. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Cheers, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Becker and $#*! My Dad Says. His drama guest appearances included ER, In Treatment and Burn Notice.
He was also known for his voice work. His television voice credits included Teacher's Pet, Gary the Rat and The Simpsons. Some of his film voice credits included Antz, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Atlantis: Milo's Return, The Iron Giant and Kronk's New Groove.
Some of his film credits included Tin Men, Moonstruck, Eight Men Out, Say Anything..., Barton Fink, In the Line of Fire, Reality Bites, The Hudsucker Proxy and The American President.
Mahoney was passionate about his stage work on Broadway and in Chicago theatre. He won Broadway's Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1986 for his performance in John Guare's The House of Blue Leaves.
Mr. Mahoney was wonderful as Martin Crane. His character was grumpy and cranky, but he made him likable. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our Frasier message board. View photos in our galleries.
NBC has partnered with Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia to produce a new large-scale physical competition series The Titan Games, which will feature Johnson. The 10-episode series from Universal Television Alternative Studio (World of Dance), A. Smith & Co. Productions (American Ninja Warrior) and Seven Bucks Productions (Rock the Troops) will offer everyday people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in epic head-to-head challenges designed to test mind, body and heart.
Inspired by Johnson's desire to motivate global audiences to reach their potential for greatness, the competition welcomes men and women who are strong enough to believe in themselves and simultaneously confident enough to test their own abilities by taking on physical challenges of epic proportions. The Titan Games will not only test the competitors' physical strength, but also their mental and emotional endurance. Taking place in a thrilling arena, determination will be rewarded as a new breed of heroes will emerge.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, October 30
Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)
Wednesday, October 30
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
- Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
- Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
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