Moose, the Jack Russell terrier that played Frasier Crane's beloved companion on long-running hit sitcom
Frasier, has died at the age of 16-and-a-half.
Moose's trainer, Mathilde Halberg, told People Magazine that Moose passed peacefully last Thursday.
"He just had an incredible charisma and was such a free spirit," Halberg told the magazine. "He was always trying to put Frasier in uncomfortable circumstances."
It's a good old rags-to-riches Hollywood tear-jerker - the story of a smalltown pup from the wrong side of the tracks making it big in the cutthroat, fickle world of entertainment.
Moose was rescued from the Pound by a whisker - his first family found him too difficult to cope with, as he was destructive (as Jack Russells are), barked continuously (as Jack Russells do) and once killed a neighbour's cat (which is the sole purpose of a Jack Russell).
The family were about to take Moose to the Pound when they decided to give him one last shot instead, and gave him to the Florida manager of Birds and Animals Unlimited, a company that trains animals for TV and motion pictures.
From there he was put on a plane from Florida to Los Angeles, where he was assigned to Halberg, who worked as a trainer for the company.
It took six months of training and Moose was ready to hit the casting couch, which he did in spectacular fashion - at his first ever audition he beat out a corridor-full of hopefuls (some of whom were no doubt more concerned with scratching their fleas than learning their lines) to land the role of Eddie on Frasier.
"Moose had a great disposition for training," Halberg said in a 1994 interview with Animal Press. "He loved it right away ... it calmed him down a little. It's as if all of a sudden he had a purpose in his life."
Moose played the role of Eddie for 10 years, before retiring gracefully and handing over Marty Crane's old armchair to his son and successor, Enzo.
He spent the last six years of his life in retirement in Los Angeles, and died peacefully of old age.
Click here to read Moose's TVSA actor bio.