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The Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor John Lithgow said he often speculates about what things may have been like if he took on the role of Frasier Crane instead of Kelsey Grammer. Lithgow, who is currently appearing in the new film Conclave, per The Independent, said that he “can’t help but wonder” what life would be like if he took the role that originated on the classic sitcom Cheers.

Lithgow said he was pursued for the role of the psychiatrist of Frasier Crane before Grammer ended up being cast in the role that he played for many years, including in the recent reboot. Lithgow, who also starred in a 1990s sitcom, 3rd Rock From the Sun, said he was offered the role shortly after his back-to-back Oscar nods for his turns in The World According to Garp (1982) and Terms of Endearment (1983).

Related John Lithgow Comments on Possible Return as Lord...

This article contains spoilers for "Frasier" season 2.

The "Frasier" revival might be struggling without the involvement of the original cast, but it has brought back plenty of fan-favorite characters to satiate fans of the '90s sitcom. The most notable example is Peri Gilpin's Roz Doyle, who appeared in the "Frasier" revival's season 1 finale — an episode that actually stacked up quite well against Christmas episodes from the original series. But we've also seen Frasier's ex-wife Lilith Sternin show up, alongside the return of one of the best recurring characters from the Og "Frasier," Harriet Sansom Harris' machiavellian agent Bebe Glazer.

Now, with episode 8 of the revival's second season, Frasier has returned to Seattle, the city that hosted him for all 11 seasons of the original run of the show. Unfortunately, the episode, entitled, "Thank You, Dr. Crane," does not include the long-awaited return of David Hyde Pierce's Niles, but...

There was so much to love about "Frasier." Leaving aside the fact that star Kelsey Grammer seemed born to play the fussy titular doctor, or that he was surrounded by one of the finest ensembles in TV history, "Frasier" also attracted a dazzling array of guest stars, many of whom we never actually got to see. That's because dozens of guests merely provided their voices to Frasier's call-in talk radio show. These were big name stars, too, with everyone from Helen Mirren to Billy Crystal contacting Frasier for life advice. It wasn't just actors, either. "Frasier" played host to Art Garfunkel, Stephen King, and tennis legend John McEnroe, making for what is surely one of the most impressive lists of guest stars for any TV show (and even rivaling "The Simpsons" for the sheer amount of celebrities that agreed to appear).

Another example of how the show managed to transcend...

Frasier season 2 brings back nostalgia with familiar faces from Seattle, including Bulldog and Gil Chesterton. Freddy's interaction with Bulldog in Frasier season 2 contradicts their previous introduction in the original Seattle show. The revival had to change Freddy's character to create conflict with Frasier, making him more like Martin than his younger self.

Ahead of its premiere, Frasier season 2 already creates a plot hole involving Freddy. Kelsey Grammer's beloved snooty intellectual will soon return to the small screen for another round of adventure. The first 10 episodes of Frasier focused on establishing the character's final act as he returned to Boston. Aside from wanting to redeem himself in his old haunt, another major motivation for Frasier to come back to Beantown was to re-establish his relationship with his grown-up son, Freddy. This was inspired by his own experience with fixing his fractured dynamic with his father, Martin Crane, in the original show.

Until the neither disappointing nor remarkable "Frasier" reboot, the beloved sitcom on which it was based had been off the air for almost 20 years. Running from 1993 to 2004, "Frasier" came to represent the gold standard for '90s sitcoms, alongside contemporary hits such as "Friends" and "Seinfeld." A big part of the show's success was that star Kelsey Grammer seemed to have been born to play the titular doctor, portraying his egoism and fastidiousness with the perfect balance of humor and earnestness. But the show was also propelled by a truly stellar supporting cast.

David Hyde Pierce might have thought the script for the "Frasier" pilot was "terrible" at first, but he very quickly realized how well-written the show was and throughout the show's run delivered a consistently brilliant performance as Frasier's equally stuffy brother, Niles. Alongside Peri Gilpin as Frasier's radio producer, Roz, John Mahoney as Frasier and Niles' father,...

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Screen is listing the 2023 release dates for films in the UK and Ireland in the calendar below.

For distributors who wish to add/amend a date on the calendar, please get in touch with Screen here. Screen is also running a calendar for festival and market dates throughout 2023 here.

December

December 31

Berliner Philharmoniker Live: New Year’s Eve Concert 2023 (Trafalgar - event cinema)

Previous releases January

January 6

Piggy (Vertigo), The Enforcer (Vertigo), Alcarràs (Mubi), A Man Called Otto (Sony), Rashomon (BFI), Till (Universal)

January 7

Andre Rieu In Dublin 2023 (Piece of...

Happy Thanksgiving!!! While you’re watching the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you might be interested to know more about the balloons and floats… and we have you covered.

The parade will feature 25 balloons this year and seven of them are brand new.

In addition to the balloons, featured in the parade will be 6 balloonicles, 31 floats, 11 marching bands, 18 performers, 29 clown crews, and 7 performance groups.

If you’ve ever wondered how much it costs for those balloons to be made and sponsored, we have the details.

Head inside to see the lineup of all the balloons and floats in this year’s parade…

Keep scrolling to see the full list of balloons and floats for the 2023 parade, including which ones are new…

Balloons

Acorn

Beagle Scout Snoopy – New

Blue Cat & Chugs – New

Bluey

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Goku

Grogu

Ice Cream Cone

Kung Fu Panda‘s Po – New

Leo from...

The supporting characters in Frasier, such as Eddie the dog and Gertrude Moon, added depth and relatability to the show's world. Characters like Sherry Dempsey and Kenny Daly brought unique personalities and contributed to the growth of the main cast. Memorable characters like Julia Wilcox, Noel Shempsky, and Gil Chesterton brought compelling dynamics and added an element of comedy to the show.

The best supporting characters in Frasier are still greatly beloved by those who fondly remember the original '90s sitcom. From 1993 to 2004, the show revolved around the lives of Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), Niles (David Hyde Pierce), Martin (John Mahoney), Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), and Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves). These mainstays were joined by some of the best supporting characters in American sitcom history.

Alongside the original Frasier main cast, each of the show's supporting characters brought something special to the mix. From Martin's dog, Eddie, to Daphne's mom,...

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Frasier reboot episode 3.

Niles' absence in the Frasier reboot is acknowledged, making it even more noticeable and impacting the show's dynamic. Frasier episode 3 reminds viewers of the importance of Frasier and Niles' relationship, highlighting what the new show is missing. While David Hyde Pierce refused to return as Niles for the revival, there is a possibility of his guest appearance in potential future seasons of the Frasier reboot.

The Frasier reboot finally acknowledges the importance of Niles, effectively making his absence worse. David Pierce Hyde's refusal to return as Niles in the Frasier revival significantly changed the trajectory of the Paramount+ project. His absence was arguably the biggest concern about the show leading up to its release, considering how integral he was to the success of the original show. However, while he isn't making any physical appearance in the Frasier reboot, at least in its first season,...

It’s Frasier Week at IndieWire. Grab some tossed salad and scrambled eggs, settle into your coziest easy chair, and join us. We’re listening.

The setup is a classic farce: Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) feels guilty that his live-in housekeeper Daphne (Jane Leeves) is having trouble finding a boyfriend, so he invites his attractive new radio station boss Tom (Eric Lutes) over for drinks in the hopes of setting them up. What he doesn’t know is that Tom is gay, and — misled by Frasier’s petty producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) — thinks Frasier is also gay and inviting him on a date. Over the course of an increasingly chaotic evening, a series of mishaps and misunderstandings — Frasier telling Tom about the great view “from his bedroom,” his father Martin (John Mahoney) talking about a bar where he hangs out with young police officers, his brother Niles’ (David Hyde Pierce) entire...

Sony’s “The Equalizer 3” has finally toppled the six-week reign of “Barbie” atop the U.K. and Ireland box office.

Antoine Fuqua’s action thriller, headlined by Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning, debuted with £2.7 million ($3.4 million), per numbers from Comscore.

In its seventh weekend, Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” slid down to second place with £1.6 million for a mighty total of £92.5 million. It is the highest grossing film of 2023 and occupies seventh position on the all-time charts for the territory behind “Spectre,” which has £95.2 million.

Also in its seventh weekend, Universal’s “Oppenheimer” slid down a spot to third with £960,504. With £55.4 million, it is the second highest grossing film of 2023 and is level with “Bohemian Rhapsody” at No. 34 on the all-time chart.

Angel’s “Sound of Freedom,” a massive success Stateside, debuted in fourth place with £760,060. Rounding off the top five was Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” which...

Sophie von Haselberg stars in the film that has played at Rotterdam, Fantasia, Edinburgh and Fantastic Fest.

Amanda Kramer’s Give Me Pity! has sold to Bulldog for a theatrical release in the UK and Ireland from France-uk sales outfit Alief.

Sophie von Haselberg stars as a young performer who hits the small screen for her first ever television special, while desperation and unease looms.

Sarah Winshall and Jacob Agger produce the title, which has played at Rotterdam, Fantasia, Edinburgh and Fantastic Fest.

Universcine has French rights. It is currently on release in North America with Utopia and in Australia...

The upcoming Frasier revival can reveal what became one of the original series' key supporting characters. Frasier appeared to sign off for good with 2004's "Goodnight, Seattle." It marked the end of an era for star Kelsey Grammer too, as he spent 20 years playing the role between Cheers and Frasier. Few actors have achieved such a feat, such as Gunsmoke star James Arness. Naturally, Grammer was eager to move on to other projects and has appeared in plenty of movies, TV and theater roles since, such as 2011's Boss. Still, viewers missed his most iconic role.

Grammer will return as the good doctor for Paramount+'s forthcoming Frasier revival, which takes him back to Boston, where Cheers was set. There's disappointment in the lack of other returning actors, with David-Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves sitting out the new series - at least for the time being. On the plus side,...

Matthew Bauer’s doc follows a diverse group of men across the globe who all share the same name: James Bond.

Paris-based sales company Reservoir Docs has inked new deals for Matthew Bauer’s The Other Fellow including the UK’s Bulldog Film Distribution, and has boarded Thierno Souleymane Diallo’s Berlin Panorama title The Cemetery of Cinema.

The UK deal for The Other Fellow follows sales to Yes in Israel, Filmin and TV3 in Spain, Canal+ Polska in Poland, Sbs in Australia and McF Megacom for the former Yugoslavia. Bulldog Film Distribution plans to release The Other Fellow in...