David Hyde Pierce (Height: 5 feet 9 inches) is an American actor, director, and producer best known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier from 1993 to 2004. For his role on Frasier, Pierce won four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, making him the only performer to have won four consecutive Emmys in that category. He also received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in the Broadway musical Curtains (2007).
Pierce was born David Pierce on April 3, 1959, in Saratoga Springs, New York. He is the youngest of four children. His father, James Joseph Pierce, was a salesman, and his mother, Laura Marie Hughes, was a homemaker. Pierce attended Saratoga Springs High School, where he was a member of the drama club. After graduating from high school, Pierce attended Yale School of Drama, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1984.
Pierce began his acting career in the theater. He appeared in a number of off-Broadway productions, including The Threepenny Opera, The Playboys, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1989, he made his Broadway debut in the play The Heidi Chronicles.
Pierce's breakthrough role came in 1993, when he was cast as Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier. The show was a spin-off of the popular sitcom Cheers, and it starred Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist who moves to Seattle to join his brother Niles, also a psychiatrist, in practice. Pierce's portrayal of Niles Crane was both hilarious and nuanced, and he quickly became a fan favorite. For his work on the show, Pierce won four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, making him the only performer to have won four consecutive Emmys in that category.
After Frasier ended its run in 2004, Pierce continued to work in television and film. He has starred in a number of television series, including The Good Wife, The Good Fight, and Veep. He has also appeared in a number of films, including Wet Hot American Summer, Down with Love, and A Bug's Life.
In addition to his acting work, Pierce is also a director and producer. He has directed episodes of the television series Frasier, The Good Wife, and Veep. He has also produced a number of television projects, including The Good Fight and The Undoing.
Pierce is married to Brian Hargrove, a film producer. They have been together since 2002 and were married in 2008.
2024
as Father Conor
2022
as Paul Child/Charles Child
2020
as Self
2019
as Dr. Franklin E. Kameny (voice)
2017
as Henry Neumann
2016
as Self
2015
as Self
2015
as Henry Neumann
2012
as Vanya
2010
as Self - Host
2010
as Warwick Wilson
2009
as Frank Prady
2009
as The Narrator
2009
as Narrator
2008
as Self
2006
as Emperor Zombie (voice)
2006
as self
2005
as Self (archive footage)
2004
as Niles Crane
2004
as Abe Sapien (voice) (uncredited)
2004
2003
as Addison
2003
as Peter MacMannus
2003
2002
as Doctor Doppler (voice)
2002
as Carl
2002
as Laud Weiner
2001
as Drix (voice)
2001
as Henry
2001
as Barney (segment "Happy Birthday")
2001
as Mr. Kerner
2000
as Bird (voice)
2000
2000
as Michael Hastings
1999
as The Narrator
1999
as Perry (The Deaf Rehearsal Pianist)
1998
as Slim (voice)
1998
as Daedalus
1998
as Daedalus (voice)
1996
as Niles Crane
1995
as John Dean
1995
1995
1995
as Dr. Niles Crane
1995
as Jimmy Callahan
1995
as Dr. Jack Henson
1995
as Puss (voice)
1994
as Roy McCallister
1993
as Delivery Room Doctor
1993
as Niles Crane
1993
as Dennis Reed
1992
as Theodore Van Horne
1991
as Lou Rosen
1991
as Garth Emmerick
1990
as Jerry Dorfer
1989
as Cecil Terwilliger (voice)
1989
as Felix (voice)
1988
as Gibson
1988
as Theater Guy
1988
as Businessman
1988
as Monsieur Henri
1988
as Mark
1988
as Bartender at Fashion Show
1985
1985
as Immigration Officer
1956
as Self - Presenter
1949
as Self