Frasier's 15 Best Guest Stars, Ranked

One of the greatest sitcoms ever created, "Frasier" had its fill of memorable guest appearances during its eleven season run from 1993 to 2004, amassing an incredible 23 Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series. While Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahony, Jane Leeves, and Peri Gilpin steered the ship for over a decade, like most long-running shows (sitcom or not) the supporting cast, recurring characters, and famous guest spots created interesting and unique dynamics to keep the spirit of the show fresh.

Choosing only 15 guest stars for a show as renowned as "Frasier" proved a difficult challenge, with many amazing performances (Derek Jacobi, Jean Smart, and Luis Guzman, for example) left off the list for some lesser known appearances. It should also be noted that this list only includes on-screen guest appearances, as the number of famous voices who called in to "The Dr. Frasier Crane Show" on KACL is far too expansive to consolidate into one list. Caveats aside and without further adieu, here are the 15 best guest stars on "Frasier."

"Wheels of Fortune" may not be one of the series' most memorable episodes, but Michael Keaton goes a long way in keeping the show on the rails when it so desperately wants to fly off them. Keaton plays Blaine Sternin — yes, Sternin as in related to Lilith, Frasier's sharp and pale ex-wife — whose appearance at the Elliott Bay Towers is welcomed with distrust and disdain.

Although Blaine knocks on Frasier's door with the proverbial olive branch, Frasier recounts the number of times his former brother-in-law deceived him and others: selling Frasier a fake deed to a 50,000 acre kelp farm, selling forged autographs of famous people like Marie Curie and Sugar Ray Robinson (until people discovered their penmanship was suspiciously similar), and the worst of them all, stealing an antique salt shaker from Frasier. It's safe to say, Blaine's claims of being a recovered con-man after being in a life-changing drink-driving accident that has left him paralyzed from the waist down (as demonstrated by stabbing himself in the thigh with Daphne's brooch) fall on Frasier's deaf ears.

Keaton's natural comedic chops, which he displays intermittently in his career, slides in perfectly with Grammer's sensibilities. The two bounce off one another as if they've been doing it for years, which is appropriate given the long history Frasier and Blaine are meant to share.

Frasier and Julia Wilcox's (Felicity Huffman) relationship gets off to a rocky start when, in a fit of angry passion, he asks her, "Are you as turned on as I am?" Of course, this mirrors Sam Malone and Diane Chambers' infamous argument in season 1 in "Cheers." But unlike Sam and Diane, who give into their obvious attraction for one another, Julia reacts with disgust and reports Frasier to KACL's Human Resource Department. This forces Frasier, and the rest of the station's staff, to attend a seminar about sexual misconduct in the workplace.

Eventually Julia softens to Frasier after overhearing him berate his account for cheating on his wife with Julia, and the two begin a brief and tumultuous relationship. Although Frasier excuses and arguably emboldens Julia's behavior, eventually her brash personality and a rather tense game of charades that forces Frasier's to send her packing. (Not to mention her dismissive remarks to his hand towels.)

Given her deeply unlikable character, Felicity Huffman's tenure on "Frasier" isn't remembered fondly by fans, but that shouldn't discount her fantastic work on the series. Julia provides a foreshadowing antithesis to Frasier's final love affair on the series, as well as exemplifying Frasier's desperation to make a relationship work, to the point that he would overlook such a classless partner who displays little respect towards his family and friends.

With a career that spans six decades, Lincoln Kilpatrick appeared on Broadway, as well as in film and television, working alongside the likes of Sidney Poitier and Cicely Tyson. Kilpatrick, though perhaps less well known today, was a trailblazer for his community during the 1960s, becoming the first Black member of the Lincoln Center Repertory Company.

Kilpatrick appears on "Frasier" in season 2's "Burying a Grudge" as Artie Walsh, Martin's (Mahoney) former best friend and partner on the police force. The two have been estranged for years, after Martin made an unflattering remark about Artie's wife's bottom. After Frasier happens upon Artie at the hospital, he attempts to repair the strain in their relationship, using Artie's failing health to guilt Marty.

Unfortunately, Artie only appears for one episode and is never mentioned again, but through Artie we're afforded a glimpse into Martin and his career as a policeman. Characters like Artie serve a crucial purpose by adding to the depth and roundness of supporting characters like Martin, thereby creating a full view of the world and helping audiences engender connections to a show and its stories and people.

In a similar vein to Artie and Martin, Eva Marie Saint's Joanna Doyle, Roz's mother, provides viewers with a deeper insight into Roz. Before we meet Joanna in season 6, we're given bits and pieces about the Doyle matriarch: She lives in Wisconsin, works as the state's Attorney-General, her mother was born in a sod house in Ireland, and mother and daughter have built a close relationship akin to girlfriends.

When we finally see Joanna on-screen, though, it appears that distance may be the reason for their tight-knit connection. Upon hearing Roz's desire to get Joanna out of the house, Frasier suggests setting her and Martin up on a date, only for Joanna becomes smitten while Martin loudly proclaims how boring he finds her. Although Frasier and Niles' love lives take up most of the airtime, following along on Martin's romantic adventures lends the series an interesting texture, fighting against our existing biases over dating at an older stage of life.

Eva Marie Saint made her big screen debut in Elia Kazan's "On the Waterfront" as Edie Doyle, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film would be the first in a long line of notable films and collaborations, including "Exodus" with Paul Newman and "Raintree County" with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. Arguably her biggest role came in 1959's "North by Northwest" as Alfred Hitchcock's femme fatale Eve Kendall, where the Master of Suspense instructed Saint to drop her vocal register, refrain from using her hands, and look into Cary Grant's eyes.

Today, television audiences know Brian Cox best as the tragic patriarch of the Roy family in "Succession," or maybe the voice of McDonald's, but before he became the slightly terrifying Logan Roy, Cox lent a cuddly, humorous side to Harry Cox, father of Daphne, son of the famously unseen Grammy Moon.

Throughout the series, Daphne shows genuine affection towards her parents and brothers from across the pond, although it's clear she favors a closer relationship with her dad. Harry makes his first and only appearance in the series during the final two episodes of season 9, for which Cox received an Emmy nomination, when Niles flies to Manchester to bring his future father-in-law to America in the hopes of forging a reconciliation between Harry and Daphne's mom (Millicent Martin).

Although Niles' attempts are for naught, we're treated to a heartwarming moment between father and daughter with Harry reassuring his only daughter that the love Niles has for her is pure and unlike anything Harry has experienced himself. Daphne's mother and brothers may appear in the series more, but Harry's presence and effect looms over Daphne.

When Donny (Saul Rubinek), Daphne's then-fiancé, mistakenly invites her brother Simon to America to take part in her birthday celebrations instead of Daphne's actual favorite brother, Stephen (who makes an appearance in the series finale, played by Richard E. Grant), it begins a messy few years for Daphne and her brother. Simon becomes a semi-regular guest character on "Frasier," appearing in eight episodes from season 7 to 11, his bumbling and outspoken manner rubbing up against Frasier in contrast.

Following in the tradition set by Leeves' not-quite Mancunian accent, Aussie actor Anthony LaPaglia adopted a straight up Cockney accent for Simon. Granted, this didn't stop his acclaim as LaPaglia earned three Emmy nominations as Simon, winning once for "The Mother Load" in season 9. Must be Grammy Moon's famous plum duff.

During the '90s, Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell occupied a special space on American sitcoms: the dashing man with the booming voice. Whether as Hilary Banks' ill-fated fiancé Trevor in "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" or Frasier's upstairs-neighbor rival Cam Winston, Stokes Mitchell may only appear sporadically, but when it does, his dulcet tones always hit.

Frasier and Cam's on-screen rivalry begins and ends in season 9, however, the first mention of Cam comes in season 7 when the two hold simultaneous Christmas parties for the other tenants in their building in "The Fight Before Christmas." Frasier's savory lamb tenders and pesto-filled mushroom caps prove no match for Winston Party 2000, setting up a hilariously petulant back and forth for episodes to come.

In an exercise of perfect casting, Stokes Mitchell's Cam goes toe-to-toe with Frasier in every way possible, taking an ever so slight advantage each time. As the two bicker over parking spaces (with Cam claiming Frasier just wants "more room to swing [his] fat ass into that BMW") and Cam hanging a giant American flag from off his balcony obscuring Frasier's view of the Space Needle, they officially announce the cessation of all hostilities in "The Love You Fake," when Cam's mother (Emily Yancy) pays her son a visit. Her and Marty strike up a friendship posing as a romantic relationship in an effort to see their boys finally get along. They eventually do — as defined by the treaty.

Season 6 sees Frasier not at his best, when he's been fired from KACL and fails to make any meaningful, long-term connections. Trying to buoy his son's spirits, in "First Do No Harm," Marty tells Frasier his old friend Duke's daughter Marie is back in town and has grown into "quite the looker." Frasier's skeptical of the girl that he and Niles nicknamed "The Ugly Dukeling" as kids, until he sees the gorgeous Marie, played by Teri Hatcher, enter Café Nervosa.

As Marie, Hatcher's given a psychiatrist's full house to work with: obsessive compulsive disorder, a fear of heights, mother issues, a phobia of touching door knobs, and recurring dreams. Marie's many mental health issues lead Niles to suggest that they're simply together because she gives Frasier an opportunity to flex his at-the-time dormant psychologist muscles. Of course, this leads Frasier to spiral, ending yet another love affair.

A key pillar to the success of "Frasier" comes from the story arcs the series' talented writers form within the series, particularly creating moments that find cyclical poetry. They're found throughout the show, but from season 1 to 11 (and into the currently cancelled Paramount+ reboot), it's Frasier's desire for love and his willingness to start fresh in a new city ties together the entire series (or new-old cities as is the case for Seattle and Boston).

While we delight in Frasier's bumbling self-destruction with women, the introduction of Laura Linney's Charlotte Connor in an Emmy-winning performance grounds the show by giving him the happy ending we want to see after over a decade. A matchmaker from Chicago, Charlotte and Frasier meet when he hires her to find a romantic partner, eventually falling for the matchmaker herself.

Although they don't make it in the end, finishing "Frasier" with him on a plane to Chicago pursuing Charlotte provides a sense of closure. Through Linney's heartfelt portrayal, Charlotte lends a genteel warmth to the series that brings calm to Frasier's life.

For a '90s sitcom, "Frasier" made surprising strides when it came to LGBTQ+ commentary. Episodes like "The Matchmaker," "The Ski Lodge," and "Out With Dad" find Frasier, Niles, and Martin mistaken for gay men, whether purposely or mistakenly, resulting in good-natured humor that never judged or ridiculed. Season 10's "Fathers and Sons" sees Martin discover that his late wife's close relationship with her research assistant was due in large part to her assistant only feeling comfortable coming out to her, giving credence to the shifting social views.

In season 11, Patrick Stewart stars as Alistair Burke in "The Doctor is Out," a conductor who mistakenly believes Frasier to be gay and courts him. The comedy of the episode turns on Frasier's thirst for high-society clouding his vision to see Alistair's true intentions, not Frasier's revulsion at the idea of a man being attracted to him. It may not sound like much, but for the time period, it proved quite the departure — compounded with the fact that Stewart's Shakespearean take on Alistair delivers a classic "Frasier" episode towards the series end.

A personal favorite episode, "Taking Liberties" sees Frasier hiring a butler, Ferguson (Victor Garber, in an Emmy nominated appearance), in season 8 to take over Daphne's housekeeping duties. As Ferguson, Garber is every bit the gentleman's gentleman (and in fact, even his father's father was a gentleman's gentleman), granting Frasier the luxury he believes himself to deserve.

"Taking Liberties" exemplifies much of what "Frasier" stands for as a sitcom and what made it so successful: effectively taking the piss out of high society by highlighting the absurdity, but interjecting a healthy dose of heart and sentiment. The latter demonstrated when Ferguson overhears Niles declare his love for Daphne, social status be damned — inspiring Ferguson to revisit an unrequited love he believed doomed because of their class difference.

The first main "Cheers" cast member to appear on "Frasier," Ted Danson's Sam Malone unexpectedly drops in on Frasier after leaving his fiancée at the alter the day before. Although Danson has since spoken up about his discomfort in playing a playboy like Sam, it's a role that he can seemingly turn on and off on a whim, and it's a role that continues to be associated with Danson decades later.

Danson's appearance on "Frasier" also gave the series writers an opportunity to remedy a now infamous plot hole between the original series and its spin-off. In season 8 of "Cheers," Frasier tells bar fly Cliff that his father died and previously worked as a scientist; of course, retired police officer Martin Crane is alive and well in Seattle. Sam brings this up to Frasier when introduced to Marty for the first time with Frasier explaining that they had just gotten in a bad argument and Frasier lied out of anger.

Another Emmy nominated guest appearance, Woody Harrelson reprises his role as Woody Boyd on "Cheers" in the aptly-titled season 6 episode, "The Show Where Woody Shows Up." Dropping into Seattle for the week to attend a wedding between his two cousins, Frasier and Woody reunite over beers and pizza, reminiscing about the good ol'days. After their jovial first evening together, Frasier finds the constant socializing laborious, discovering that the two have nothing in common except for shared memories.

Harrelson finds Woody's trademark boyish, dopey demeanor easily, undercutting humor with the character's genuine do-good nature. For as much as Frasier reaches his wits end with Woody, it's hard not to be charmed by the latter's pure intentions to not hurt Frasier's feelings, thinking of Frasier's life as a middle-aged compromise. The episode and Woody's return also mark a lovely bridge between Frasier's life in Boston to Seattle, different but satisfying and full all the same. Cheers!

Shelley Long's appearance as Diane Chambers on "Frasier" grants Frasier some much needed closure. After surprising Frasier in Seattle, she proudly announces that she has a new play, based on her and Frasier's relationship, including him being jilted at the alter. Encouraged by Niles to confront Diane, Frasier receives his catharsis. Diane represents a large part of what makes Frasier, Frasier, which becomes glaring in "Frasier" when Diane reunites with Marty and Niles. It's a small thing, but the shared history among the characters emphasizes the fact that, at one point, Diane was the love of Frasier's life, and her leaving him left an indelible mark.

It's a now infamous part of "Cheers"/"Frasier" lore (aided by Grammer's claim in his own autobiography) that Long hated Grammer so much, she tried to get him fired from "Cheers," and that her appearance on "Frasier" marked a real-life reconciliation between the two — art imitating life. However, on his blog, writer, director, and producer Ken Levine who worked on both shows admits that while Long "could be difficult" to work with, he refutes claims of such heinous claims, stating, "One downside to the internet is that people can write anything."

As Frasier's ex-wife, Bebe Neuwirth's Lilith never failed to deliver a devastating quip to knock Frasier down numerous pegs in one swing. A fan favorite, Neuwirth mixes the perfect amount of scathing with uproarious to create Lilith, and similar to Grammer, Malone, Harrelson, and Long, the Broadway superstar always finds her way back into the character no matter how much time passes.

Neuwirth provided "Frasier" with a multitude of classic moments and her best episodes tend to come when they involve their son Freddy, from "The Apparent Trap" to "Star Mitzvah." However, her most memorable appearance, and one of the series' best, comes from the fall out of sleeping with Niles in a regrettable one-night stand in season 5's "Room Service."

From Lilith's first episode in season 1's "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back," where she calls into Frasier's show and handily dismisses the advice he provided the last caller to her last in season 9, when the two share a meaningful night together before saying goodbye, there has always been a deep love and respect between them that defines Frasier Crane in more ways than one.