Kelsey Grammer hints he wants Glenn Miller’s ‘In the Mood’ played at funeral
Kelsey Grammer has hinted he wants Glenn Miller’s ‘In the Mood’ played at his funeral.
The ‘Frasier’ star, 68, who played radio psychiatrist Frasier Crane from 1993 to 2004 – and who is reprising the role in a reboot of the show that started in October – added he is moved to tears every time he hears Luciano Pavarotti’s version of ‘Nessun Dorma’.
He told NME about his choice of song for his funeral: “I was working on stage with Christopher Plummer years ago when Peter Sellers died – and he had flown out to the funeral.
“And I asked, ‘How was it?’ And he said, ‘Oh Peter, you know, crazy Peter.’ “But the song he selected for his funeral was ‘In The Mood’.
“That was great. Actually, my grandmother always wanted her epitaph to be, ‘I haven’t finished my drink yet.’”
Kelsey added about tearing up over ‘Nessun Dorma’: “Holy moly, every time I hear it man. I’m just weeping when he hits that note.
“I met Pavarotti once, when I was 18. I’d just started going to Juilliard, and I was walking out past the security table and as I stepped out of the elevator, this big guy in a black mouton overcoat said, ‘Excusé, do you know, where is the theatre department floor?’
“And I said, ‘Sure man, follow me, I’ll take ya.’
“So I walked him to the third floor and a couple of kids had seen me walking by.
“Afterwards, they ran up to me and said, ‘Oh my God! Do you know him?’ But I had no idea!”