LOS ANGELES: John Mahoney, who as the cranky, blue-collar dad in “Frasier” played counterpoint to pompous sons Frasier and Niles, has died. Mahoney was 77.
The actor died Sunday in Chicago after a brief hospitalization, Paul Martino, his manager for more than 30 years, said Monday. The cause of death was not immediately provided.
In “Frasier,” the hit “Cheers” spinoff that aired from 1993 to 2004, Mahoney played Martin Crane, a disabled ex-policeman who parked himself in a battered old armchair in Frasier’s chic Seattle living room.
Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier and David Hyde Pierce’s Niles, both psychiatrists with lofty views of their own intellect, squabbled constantly with their dad but, when needed, the family closed ranks.
Martin’s beloved dog, Eddie, also took up residence to annoy the fussy Frasier.
Mahoney, a British native who made Chicago his home town, was a two-time Emmy nominee for “Frasier,” won a 1986 Tony Award for “The House of Blue Leaves,” and worked steadily in movies.
John Cusack, who appeared with Mahoney is the 1989 film “Say Anything,” tweeted that he was a great actor and a “lovely kind human — any time you saw him you left feeling better.”
Mahoney’s recent TV credits included a recurring role as Betty White’s love interest on “Hot in Cleveland” and a 2015 guest appearance on “Foyle’s War.” On the big screen, he was in “The American President,” “Eight Men Out” and “Tin Men,” with 2007’s “Dan in Real Life” starring Steve Carell among his last movie credits.
The actor was born in 1940 in Blackpool, England, during World War II. That’s where his pregnant mother had been evacuated for safety from Nazi attacks, but the family soon returned to its home in Manchester.
In a 2015 interview with The Associated Press, Mahoney recounted memories of huddling in an air raid shelter and playing among bombed-out houses. The accounts his four older sisters shared with him, he said, included tucking him into a baby carriage outfitted with a shield against feared gas attacks.
One sister, who moved to the Midwest after marrying a US sailor, was responsible for Mahoney’s decision to make his life in America. He visited Chicago as a college student and fell in love with it.
“The lake, the skyline, the museums, the symphony, the lyric opera,” he said in extolling the city in 2015. Add in reliably friendly Midwesterners, Mahoney said, and it’s “my favorite place in the world.”
“I give up nothing (professionally) by being in Chicago,” said Mahoney, who at the time was preparing to begin rehearsal on a Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of “The Herd.”
The theater canceled Monday’s scheduled performance in honor of Mahoney, according to an outgoing phone message that said he had been an ensemble member since 1979.
“John’s impact on this institution, on Chicago theater and the world of arts and entertainment are great and will endure,” the theater said.
John Mahoney, who played cranky dad on ‘Frasier,’ dies at 77
John Mahoney, who played cranky dad on ‘Frasier,’ dies at 77
Saudi designer Njoud Alghamdi: ‘We want to sustain our cultural identity in a new form’
- The Saudi designer on revamping the date-serving experience with Muntj Studio
DUBAI: Saudi product designer Njoud Alghamdi brought a culturally rooted product to last month’s Dubai Design Week with “Nawat” — showcased under the Designed in Saudi initiative by the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission.
Alghamdi is the co-founder and lead product designer of Muntj Studio, which she describes as “a cultural design studio where we focus on sustaining our cultural identity.”
But Alghamdi isn’t interested in simply reproducing products from the past. “I am passionate about cultural innovation,” she told Arab News.
“Nawat” — which she describes as the studio’s “signature piece” — is a perfect example of that innovation. It was created to address an issue that occurs in gatherings across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
“As you know, dates hold a very special place for us,” she said. But Alghamdi and her team identified a common concern. “Usually when people eat dates, they are embarrassed dealing with the pits themselves,” she explained. “So usually, they hide it in their pockets or in a tissue.
“We asked ourselves, ‘How we can solve this problem to make the experience easier for the users?’” she continued. The elegant result is “Nawat,” a rounded wooden vessel with openings designed to store date pits out of sight.
Those openings were inspired by traditional Najdi architectural elements, with a particular focus on the motifs used in old Najdi doors. During the research phase, she and her team reviewed a range of patterns but chose not to use the sharper shapes found in older houses.
“We didn’t want to use motifs like the triangle,” she said. “So, we found the perfect circular motif and used that. Najdi doors are also a symbol of welcoming.”
This connection aligned naturally with the social role of dates in Khaleeji culture. “The date pit holds a very special place for us at every table,” she said. “We hope that reflects how friendly this object is.”
The final product was crafted in Riyadh by local artisans, she explained. “They used natural wood with natural finishes as well.”
The studio is now developing an entire “Nawat” range, Alghamdi said, explaining that the collection will include different sizes and dimensions to fit a wider range of occasions.
Alghamdi described the studio’s broader focus as creating contemporary objects that sustain cultural identity. “Most of our products reflect our Saudi identity in a new format,” she said. “We want to sustain our cultural identity in a new form that can share our story with the whole world.”
Current projects include an incense burner inspired by the camel hump, intended to “support a more comfortable daily incense ritual.” She added that the studio is also working on “cultural games,” which she described as ways to express Saudi identity in an interactive way.
“Playing a game is the perfect way to communicate,” she said. “We believe that by expressing our identities through these games, it will help us to spread our identity and culture to the whole world.”
Dubai Design Week was a small step towards that goal.
“Actually, this is one of my proudest moments, to be honest,” Alghamdi said. “Exhibiting with the Architecture and Design Commission is something really special to me.
“We’re always grateful for all the support and empowerment that (the commission is) giving us,” she continued. “As a Saudi designer, they always ensure that we get the best (opportunities) to present our work. This is something that makes every Saudi designer super-excited to come up with the best designs, because (we have the chance to) reflect our identity and the (wider design) scene.”
