David Hyde Pierce was born April 3, 1959 in Saratoga Springs, New York. Prior to acting, Pierce developed an early love for music, particularly the piano, which led him to become an organist with his local parish at Bethesda Episcopal Church. He realized his passion for drama when he was in high school and received the Yaddo Medal for best Dramatic Arts student on his graduation. Although he pursued his musical calling by taking up classical piano at Yale University, he soon got bored with music history lessons and discovered that he didn’t have the dedication to put in the amount of practice required to become a concert pianist. He decided to focus his energies towards acting and graduated with a double major in Theatre Arts and English. Pierce undertook odd and menial jobs like selling ties at Bloomingdales and working as a security guard, while struggling to make a name as an actor. His big break came when he was cast as Dr. Niles Crane on the sitcom, Frasier, for which he was nominated a record 11 times in the Emmy Awards as Best Supporting Actor. Pierce went on to win four times in 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2004.
Dr. Niles Crane, played by David Hyde Pierce on Frasier, is Frasier’s younger brother and fellow psychiatrist. Although he is actually smarter than his brother, Niles has constantly found himself in Frasier’s shadow. He is jealous of Frasier’s fame and feels that his talents and skills are wasted on the radio. Niles used to be trapped in a difficult, oppressive and lackluster marriage to Maris but since their divorce, he has finally found the courage to tell Daphne, his dad’s physical therapist, his long-hidden feelings for her.
(Photo courtesy of NBC)