Kelsey Grammer was playing pool with Matthew Perry when 'Friends' was picked up
The 'Cheers' actor has recalled hanging out with the late star - who died 11 months ago aged 54 - the moment he found out about the beloved sitcom, which came at a time when Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay) was in the running to play Roz Doyle in 'Frasier', while the role ultimately went to Peri Gilpin
21 September 2024
In a joint interview with Peri, Kelsey told the Daily Beast's Obsessed: "I remember shooting pool with Matthew Perry at my house when they announced that they were going to actually pick that show up.
"It was just like a week or two before we started. So that was what she was meant to do. And they were able to write to her particular set of skills.
"I mean, she's a little bit quirky and unpredictable. We needed somebody on a little more solid ground. Frasier needed a guide, rather than someone that was as crazy as he was."
The 69-year-old star admitted that Lisa was "fantastic in that other show", and it didn't take long for Peri - who has reprised the role of Roz in the 'Frasier' reboot - to be linked to the character.
He recalled: "Peri's name came up after we just couldn't find how to help Lisa make this role work. It didn't connect.
"And that was partially our fault and really no fault of hers. We were a little bit at sea about what that character was supposed to be.
"And then Peri's name came up, and it was, 'Oh, yeah, well, she's good. She'll be able to give it some depth and some gravitas that we weren't able to find.' "
Kelsey knew Peri from her guest appearance as a reporter in 'Cheers', the iconic sitcom which birthed the Frasier Crane character.
On seeing her as Roz for the first time, he said: "Boom, she was fantastic. So, we missed the luxury of the first reading because we just didn't have it.
"Peri came, and it was a day before. It was a Friday. Was it Monday? So she had one day rehearsal, and boom, off and running. It was magnificent."
Peri - who pointed out she "did come on Friday", giving her three days to prepare - was so convinced Lisa was set for the role that she even took her out to lunch.
She said: "I didn't feel like it was mine. But, you know, I was at that age where you're just all audition, audition, audition. You don't get 99 percent of them.
"So it was like, 'OK, Lisa got it.' We went to lunch because she got the part. I was like, 'Oh, I'm paying, and congratulations!' She was, 'I'm paying, I'm working.' It was very normal not to get something."
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