Kelsey Grammer's Early Life
Born Allen Kelsey Grammer in St Thomas, the Virgin Islands, on February 21, 1955, Kelsey moved to New Jersey with his mother when he was two years old, after his parents divorced. They later relocated to Florida in 1967. Several family tragedies plagued his early life, including his parents' divorce, his grandfather's death from cancer, his father's murder in a freak accident, his sister's kidnap, assault, and murder, and the death of his two teenage half-brothers in a scuba diving accident.
He found solace in acting and performing, first developing an interest when enrolled into a preparatory high school. He won a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, but stopped attending classes after his sister's murder and was expelled. Shortly after, he began working in theater, doing several internships before playing the leads in a few Shakespearean productions on Broadway.
Kelsey Grammer's Career
Grammer's career in TV and film truly began when he made his debut as Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom Cheers in 1984. Appearing first in the show's third season, his role was intended to be a six-episode arc but eventually led to a gig as series regular till the show's final 11th season. His character was well-received, leading to the creation of a spin-off in 1993, titled Frasier, in which he starred alongside an ensemble cast.
Frasier, like Cheers, was an immense ratings juggernaut and critical hit, winning Grammer four Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, the most ever. He played the role till 2004 and was attached to return for a reboot in 2021, which hasn't moved forward. His other prominent TV credits include The Simpsons (which won him a fifth Emmy), Boss (which won him a Golden Globe), and 30 Rock. In film, his biggest credits include Anastasia (1997), Toy Story 2 (1999), Barbie of Swan Lake (2003), and Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014).
Grammer has also found success in theater, making his Broadway musical debut in 2010 with La Cage aux Folles, which earned him a Tony Award nomination, having also found success on the West End with projects like Finding Neverland, Big Fish, and Man of La Mancha. He won a Tony as a producer on 2016's The Color Purple.
Kelsey Grammer's Personal Life
Grammer has dealt with several bouts of alcohol and drug abuse due to the trauma that carried over from his sister's murder. He vocally fought for his sister's assaulters to be imprisoned, and opposed their release 20 years later.
Grammer has seven children and one grandchild – a daughter, actress Spencer Grammer (born 1983), through his marriage to dance instructor Doreen Alderman (1982-1990), with Spencer giving him a grandson; a daughter, actress Kandace Greer Grammer (born 1992), through a relationship with hair and makeup artist Barrie Bucker; a daughter (born 2001) and a son (born 2004) through his marriage to dancer and model Camille Donatacci (1997-2011); and a daughter (born 2012) and two sons (born 2014 and 2016) with current wife, flight attendant Kayte Walsh, who is 25 years his junior. They tied the knot in 2011.
Grammer has also purchased several homes around the world, shared with his previous partners. He was previously also married to Leigh-Anne Csuhany for a year in 1992 and was briefly engaged to Tammi Balizewski in 1994, appearing on the cover of People together.
To learn more about Kelsey Grammer, click here
