BURBANK, Calif., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- NBC said Wednesday that its long-running comedy "Frasier" will go off the air with a two-hour series finale on May 13.
Jeff Zucker, president of NBC's Entertainment, News and Cable Group, announced that the evening will begin with an hourlong retrospective of the show's 11 seasons and wrap up with a one-hour series finale. Zucker called "Frasier" a classic TV series that set the standard for TV comedy.
The show won Emmys for best comedy in each of its first five seasons on NBC, becoming the first series to win five consecutive Emmys for best series. "Frasier" has won 31 Emmys in all, also a record.
Kelsey Grammer won three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Dr. Frasier Crane, the character he introduced on "Cheers" in 1984. By playing the same character for 20 seasons, Grammer has tied the record previously held by James Arness, who played Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke from 1955-75.
In addition to the Emmys, "Frasier" has also won the George Foster Peabody Award, the Humanitas Prize, the Golden Globe and three People's Choice Awards.
