Watch Apple TV+ Movies
TV Shows and more
Try 7-Day Free
Home >

David Hyde Pierce

David Hyde Pierce

Birthday: 1959-04-03 | Place of Birth: Saratoga Springs, New York, USA

David Hyde Pierce 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.

...

Known For

Acting

Year
Title

Role

2024
The Exorcism

as    Father Conor

2022
Julia

as    Paul Child

2019
The Lavender Scare

as    Dr. Franklin E. Kameny (voice)

2010
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert

as    Self - Host

2010
The Perfect Host

as    Warwick Wilson

2009
Stingray Sam

as    Narrator

2009
Forever Plaid

as    The Narrator

2008
2006
The Amazing Screw-On Head

as    Emperor Zombie (voice)

2005
Celebrity Mix

as    Self (archive footage)

2005
Monty Python's Spamalot

as    Sir Robin / Guard 1 / Brother Maynard

2004
Frasier: Analyzing the Laughter

as    Niles Crane

2003
Down with Love

as    Peter MacMannus

2002
Full Frontal

as    Carl

2002
Treasure Planet

as    Doctor Doppler (voice)

2002
Laud Weiner

as    Laud Weiner

2001
On the Edge

as    Barney (segment "Happy Birthday")

2001
Osmosis Jones

as    Drix (voice)

2001
Wet Hot American Summer

as    Henry

2001
Chain of Fools

as    Mr. Kerner

2000
Isn't She Great

as    Michael Hastings

1999
Jackie's Back!

as    Perry (The Deaf Rehearsal Pianist)

1999
The Frasier Story

as    Self

1999