Canine actor
Moose (December 24, 1990 – June 22, 2006) was a wire-hair Jack Russell Terrier[4] who portrayed Eddie Crane on the American television Cheers spinoff sitcom Frasier.[5]
Early life
Moose was born on Christmas Eve, 1990, in Florida, the youngest littermate. He was the largest puppy in the litter. Like Pal, the original Lassie, the rambunctious puppy was too much for his original owner. According to an article by Lori Golden:
In fact, chasing cats was one of the activities that led to this troubled terrier becoming one of TV’s most precious pooches. Originally owned by a Florida family, Sam and Connie Thise, Moose was too hard to handle. He could not be house trained; he chewed everything; he dug and barked a lot; and he was constantly escaping and climbing trees. Eventually given to the Florida manager of Birds and Animals Unlimited, a company that trains animals for TV and motion pictures, Moose was put on a plane at 2½ years old and sent to Mathilde de Cagny, an LA trainer working for the show-biz animal company.[6]
Career
Moose won the role on Frasier after only six months of training. Moose had the ability to fix Kelsey Grammer with a long hard stare; this became a running sight gag on the show.[2] When Moose had to lick his co-stars, however, sardine oil was applied upon the actors' faces. John Mahoney once revealed liver pâté was dabbed behind the actor's ears to make Moose nuzzle the actors.[2]
Moose had numerous television appearances and several magazine covers to his credit. There is an official Moose calendar and an "autobiography", My Life as a Dog, which was written by Brian Hargrove, husband of actor David Hyde Pierce who portrays Niles Crane in Frasier.
Retirement
Moose spent the last six and a half years of his life in retirement in West Los Angeles with son Enzo, their trainer Mathilde de Cagny, her husband Michael Halberg, and Jill, the dog from As Good as It Gets. He died of natural causes at home at the age of 15 on June 22, 2006.
