David Hyde Pierce Movies and Career Information

David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier. Pierce, the youngest of four children, was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, to Laura Marie (née Hughes) and George Hyde Pierce, who was an insurance agent and aspiring actor. He has three older siblings: Barbara, Nancy, and Thomas. As a child, Pierce became very interested in the piano and frequently played organ at the local Bethesda Episcopal Church in Saratoga Springs. He began acting in high school and was recognized as best Dramatic Arts student. He also received the Yaddo Medal for character and scholarship in 1977, and worked in theater while a counselor at Camp Kabeyun, in New Hampshire. However, his love of music was still strong, so he decided to study classical piano at Yale University. Unfortunately, he soon grew bored with music history lessons and found that he wasn’t dedicated enough to practice the required number of hours to become a successful concert pianist. Instead, he graduated in 1981 with a double major in English and Theatre Arts. At Yale University, Pierce performed and directed student productions,