Moose was the original dog actor who played Eddie Crane on Frasier.
Eddie is Martin Crane’s Jack Russell Terrier and one of the show’s most recognizable characters, despite communicating almost entirely through looks and physical reactions. Moose became famous for staring intensely at Frasier, creating one of the sitcom’s longest-running visual jokes. His ability to hold that stare made him an unusually effective television performer.
Moose was born in Florida on December 24, 1990, and won the role after roughly six months of training. His trainer, Mathilde de Cagny, helped him perform the precise marks and behaviors required on set. Food scents, including sardine oil or liver pâté, were sometimes used to encourage him to lick or nuzzle actors.
Moose eventually retired as he aged. His son Enzo became Eddie’s primary performer during the later seasons and sometimes served as Moose’s stunt double. That distinction causes a common mix-up: Enzo also played Eddie, but Moose was the original Eddie. Moose later appeared as the older Skip in My Dog Skip and died in 2006.