The Ultimate Crossover! Unveiling 4 Hidden Frasier & Cheers Characters You Never Knew Existed

Summary

Key Takeaways:

Originally a guest star on Cheers, Frasier was never intended to be a regular character; however, his exceptional chemistry with the ensemble ultimately transformed him into a cherished and integral part of the cast. The highly anticipated spin-off, Frasier, surpassed all expectations and enjoyed a remarkable 11-season run, even incorporating minor characters from both shows.

Paul Krapence, Walt Twitchell, Phil, and Hester Crane, who are minor characters from Cheers, made appearances in Frasier, thereby ensuring continuity in the shared universe.

Besides having a major character in common, Frasier and Cheers also had several minor players in common. Before Kelsey Grammer embarked on his own show set in Seattle, he was initially introduced in the Boston-based Cheers. Initially, Frasier was only meant to be a guest star, serving as Diane Chambers' rebound boyfriend after her breakup with Sam Malone, the former baseball star turned bar owner. However, due to his chemistry with the rest of the Cheers cast, he eventually became a regular on the show. He even remained on the show after Diane's departure from the pub where she worked as a waitress, continuing until the sitcom ended in 1993. Frasier was so well-received that NBC granted him his own show.

Just a year after Cheers ended, NBC debuted Frasier. The spin-off introduced the show's titular character, who returned home to embark on a new career as a radio psychiatrist. This marked his long-awaited reunion with his remaining family members, including his father, Martin, and his brother, Niles. By the time Frasier started, Cheers had already solidified its reputation as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Fortunately, Frasier not only lived up to the high expectations but also surpassed them, becoming a critically acclaimed comedy that enjoyed a successful run of 11 seasons. Since Cheers and Frasier shared the same universe, some of Frasier's old Boston pals made appearances in his own series. In addition to these familiar faces, a variety of other minor characters were also involved in both shows.

4 Paul Krapence

Paul Krapence, portrayed by Paul Wilson, was the most notable supporting character in Cheers. Much like Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin, he frequented Sam's pub as a regular customer. Despite sitting alongside them, Paul often went unnoticed and disregarded, as the Cheers bar had a tendency to be unwelcoming to outsiders. Carla, in particular, exhibited unfriendliness towards him. Interestingly, despite frequently spending time with the group, Paul was typically overlooked when it came to group activities. While Cheers did not delve deeply into Paul's character, Norm occasionally provided viewers with additional insight. According to Norm, Paul was supposed to help get him and Cliff in shape, but that evidently did not come to fruition.

In Frasier, Paul made an appearance in "Cheerful Goodbyes," where Frasier, Niles, Martin, and Daphne attended Cliff's retirement party. The gathering aimed to capture the atmosphere of Cheers, as it took place in another bar-esque setting. Prior to his physical cameo, Paul was also mentioned in Frasier's "The Show Where Sam Shows Up," where Sam visited Seattle and reconnected with the pompous psychiatrist. It turns out that Paul had slept with Sam's fiancée Sheila, which contributed to their breakup.

3 Walt Twitchell

Unlike Paul, who had been a member of the Cheers crew for most of its run, Ray Birk's character, Walter Q. "Walt" Twitchell, was first introduced in the 1985 episode "Executive's Executioner Hines." Walt, like Cliff, was a postal carrier, and they had a fierce rivalry. He made a comeback years later in the episode "A Diminished Rebecca with a Suspended Cliff," where he and his brother-in-law tricked Cliff into thinking he needed a new uniform. Despite their turbulent relationship, Walt even attended Cliff's retirement party on an episode of Frasier.

2 Phil

Carla actress, Rhea Perlman's father, Philip Perlman, also appeared regularly in Cheers as another bar patron. Known as Phil, he started frequenting Sam's pub at the start of Cheers season 4. Despite his advanced age, Phil was renowned for his sharp-witted remarks whenever the situation demanded it. Sporting large glasses, he would choose to sit at the rear end of the bar next to Al. Despite lacking a personal connection with Cliff, Phil was also invited to Cliff's retirement party, where Frasier and his extended family were in attendance.

1 Hester Crane

In Cheers, when Frasier was first introduced, he chose not to discuss his family in Seattle. Gradually, when he did acknowledge them, he mostly fabricates their existence. Not only does he falsely claim to be an only child, thus denying the existence of his brother Niles, but he also lies about his father being deceased, which is clearly contradicted in the Frasier spin-off. It wasn't hard to believe his tales since the only Crane family member shown in Cheers was his mother, Hester Crane. Portrayed by Nancy Marchand in the Boston-based sitcom, Martin's wife visited New England to intimidate Diane into ending her relationship with her son.

In Frasier, viewers are provided with more information about Hester. By the time Frasier returned to Seattle, Hester had succumbed to lung cancer. Martin affectionately spoke about his late wife, expressing his love for her. As the series progressed, Frasier had a hallucination in the episode "Don Juan In Hell," during which he encountered his mother. Rather than reintroducing Marchand from Cheers, NBC introduced Rita Wilson to portray this character. Following this, the actress went on to play Mia Preston, a character bearing a striking resemblance to Hester, in the episode "Momma Mia."