'Brilliant' Fraiser star John Mahoney dies aged 77
The Blackpool-born actor grew up in Withington.
Last updated 6th Feb 2018
Blackpool-born actor John Mahoney, who starred as Martin Crane in hit US sitcom Frasier, has died, his manager said.
The 77-year-old, who appeared in the long-running series for 11 years, died in Chicago on Sunday.
Born in Blackpool in 1940 to a family evacuated from wartime Manchester, Mahoney grew up in Withington and later emigrated to the US where he was granted citizenship after service in the military.
Mahoney earned legions of fans and a Screen Actors Guild award for his portrayal of the cranky retired detective and army veteran Marty, father of Kelsey Grammer's Frasier.
The sitcom's casting director, Jeff Greenberg, tweeted: "I've not known a kinder man nor more brilliant actor. We were all blessed to have spent 11 glorious years together.''
Mahoney starred in Frasier from its first episode in 1993 to its final show in 2004 and was twice nominated for an Emmy for the role.
He most recently appeared on TV screens in 2015, when he portrayed businessman Andrew Del Mar in an episode of ITV drama Foyle's War.
It's reported that whilst filming for the drama, in Blackpool, he revisited parts of North West England from his childhood.