The Tragic Life Of Kelsey Grammer

Kelsey Grammer has been a fixture in Hollywood for over 40 years. The Cheers and Frasier star holds a record for one of the longest times playing a single character on television. 

But before he became everyone’s favorite radio psychologist, the man who played Dr. Frasier Crane had a life that even the most seasoned therapist would struggle with.

Let’s dive into the tragic history of one of America’s most beloved television actors, Kelsey Grammer.

Related: Kelsey Grammer Speaks Out to Defend Roseanne Barr

Kelsey Grammer’s Fraught Childhood

Born in the Virgin Islands in 1955, Grammer was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents in New Jersey. As a young man, Grammer experienced immense loss. 

When Kelsey was 13, his father was murdered by a man who set fire to his home while the senior Grammer, his second wife, and four of his children were inside. As Grammer escaped the fire, the arsonist shot him twice, killing him. The man was later found to be criminally insane.

Related: Kelsey Grammer Defies Hollywood To Tell Fans To “Trust In God”

Death Of His Siblings

In 1975, his sister Karen was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Freddie Lee Glenn, the man behind Karen’s murder, was in the midst of a crime spree that included robbery, rape, and the murder of others. While on trial for his crimes, Glenn blamed LSD for his behavior. 

Authorities did not identify Karen’s body until Kelsey arrived in Colorado Springs to identify her. Glenn was sentenced to death for the murders until Colorado banned the death penalty. Glenn was up for parole in 2009. Kelsey testified against his parole, stating:

“She was so smart and good and decent. She wrote poetry … We could laugh for hours together… I was supposed to protect her — I could not. It very nearly destroyed me… When we heard this man might be paroled, the suffering began anew.”

Karen’s murder has been featured in true crime documentaries and podcasts.

Researching this story, I had no idea all of what Grammer went through. He has struggled with alcohol for much of his life, and frankly, it is easy to see why. 

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