THE HAT SQUAD: MOOSE

One of the stars of 'Frasier' has passed away... at the age of sixteen and a half.

Real fans of the series will automatically realize that I'm referring to Moose, the Jack Russell Terrier who played Eddie on the show. But I can't help but wonder how many might see the age listed and think it might have been the kid actor who played Frederick Crane?

Mathilde Halberg, who trained Moose for his role on 'Frasier', told People Magazine that "He was extremely mischievious, always escaping, chewing up things and running off" before she got him. Apparently acting gave him an outlet to channel his energies.

And as he had killed a neighborhood cat before he became an actor, it could be said that Moose was the Charles S. Dutton of the show biz animal world.

Moose got his name because of his size; the youngest of a litter of four, but the biggest of the bunch. But everyone will always know him as Eddie.

Or as Skip, as he played the older version of the title character in the movie "My Dog Skip" with Frankie Muniz. If you haven't seen this film, rent it; I highly recommend it.

His son Enzo portrayed the younger version of Skip in the movie and Enzo also went on to assume the role of Eddie after Moose finally retired. Moose played Martin Crane's best friend on the show for over 200 performances and Enzo took care of the remaining 98.

And this little tidbit of information.... information.... information.... reminds me of the situation Rowlf found himself in when he was a cast member on 'The Jimmy Dean Show':

For playing Eddie, Moose received more fan mail than any of the human cast members on 'Frasier'.

My favorite moment for Eddie on the show? The Feydeau Farce-like episode in which everybody was caught in Daphne's room for one reason or another: during the end credits, when she finally thinks she has regained control of her small corner of the Crane apartment, Daphne realizes that Eddie is in there, hiding under a pile of clothes.

Thanks for your contributions to Toobworld, Moose. Like Neil on 'Topper', I hope there's an afterlife for you as well.

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

PS:
As I was writing up this tribute, I was in IM with one of the "Iddiots", Eliot With One L. We were wondering if the trainers of Moose would still collect on his residuals from the show now that he was gone, and whether or not his son Enzo still gets money as well.

And I said, "If they had appeared on an Aaron Spelling show, Enzo's step-mother would inherit all the money, the bitch!"

Sorry, but you know there is humor in Death, as Don Rickles once pointed out.

Just ask Chuckles the Clown.......

“The dog is a gentleman;
I hope to go to his heaven, not man's.”
Mark Twain