Hollywood legend, 79, reveals he rejected Frasier Crane role in classic sitcom
A HOLLYWOOD icon has revealed how he turned down the iconic sitcom role of Frasier Crane.
79-year-old John Lithgow has revealed how he was approached to play the famed sitcom character but ultimately turned the opportunity down.
Kelsey Grammer went on to play the role but John has admitted he is constantly left with questions of what could have been had he accepted the role.
Frasier Crane started off life in the 1980s sitcom Cheers before the character proved popular enough to be provided with his very own spin-off.
Although John managed to prove himself in Hollywood with a variety of high-flying roles including a six-year stint in 3rd Rock From The Sun.
Revealing why he decided to turn the show down, John admitted it came after a discussion between him and his agent.
He told RadioTimes: “When it came up, it was my early years in Hollywood, and I’d had two Oscar nominations in two years.
“There was this chance to play a supporting role on Cheers and my agent and I agreed, ‘Let’s not think about episodic TV’.”
Confessing that his mind has wandered to what could have been, he said: “I can’t help but wonder about the road not travelled.
“But I have so few regrets.
“For one thing, I did do 3rd Rock from the Sun for six years, which was a glorious experience.”
The show’s casting director Jeff Greenberg even confirmed that the entire character was modelled on someone that John could play before he turned it down.
Jeff previously told Metro: “I do know that for the Frasier role, the prototype was John Lithgow and they offered it to him, but he wasn’t interested.
“Then they auditioned some actors in New York, and Kelsey was one of the two actors that they flew out to audition and read, and got the role he was destined to play.”