Celebrity - News
Kelsey Grammer's Tragic Real-Life Story
By CHELSEA STEWART
The following story contains discussion of murder, sexual assault, and substance abuse.
Content Warning
losing his father, twice
When Kelsey Grammer was just 13 years old, a man broke into his father's home and shot him dead. Grammer later found a father figure in his TV dad on "Frasier," Martin Crane, and the two remained close until Mahoney died in February 2018 from multiple health complications. "He was my father. I loved him," Grammar wrote.
Rocky Road to fame
Grammer began his studies at the prestigious New York acting school Juilliard in 1973, but due to the high price of his education, he became homeless, working random low-level jobs and sleeping in Central Park. Then, just two years into his studies, Grammer was kicked out of Juilliard for "lack of focus."
Sister's murder
In 1975, Grammer's 18-year-old sister Karen was sexually assaulted and stabbed 42 times by killer Freddie Glenn and two accomplices. The murder "very nearly destroyed me," Grammer said, but he has personally kept Glenn behind bars; a plea Grammer submitted in 2014 prevented his sister's killer from getting parole.
substance abuse
After Karen's death, Grammer started drinking heavily and abusing drugs, particularly cocaine. In 1996, Grammer flipped his car over while driving under the influence, which prompted the actor to check into rehab; he's been on a pretty straight path since, but admits that "I still have a drink sometimes."
Freak accident
When Grammer’s half-brother Billy disappeared in the ocean, his other half-brother Stephen went in to find him, but suffered an embolism and died. Billy's body was never found, and Grammar said of the tragedies he's gone through, "Maybe I learned a little earlier than most, but it's just the way it goes."