David Hyde Pierce | |
|---|---|
 Pierce in New York City in 2010 | |
| Born | David Pierce (1959-04-03)April 3, 1959 (age 66) |
| Alma mater | Yale University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Spouse | |
David Hyde Pierce (bornDavid Pierce; April 3, 1959)[1] is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatristNiles Crane on theNBC sitcomFrasier from 1993 to 2004, he received fourPrimetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series as well as twoScreen Actors Guild Awards. Pierce has also received fiveGolden Globe Awards nominations forBest Supporting Actor for the role. He won theTony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role of Lt. Frank Cioffi in theBroadway musicalCurtains (2007).
Pierce acted in such films asCrossing Delancey (1988),The Fisher King (1991),Sleepless in Seattle (1993),Wolf (1994),Nixon (1995),Down with Love (2003), andThe Perfect Host (2010). He voiced roles inDisneyPixar'sA Bug's Life (1998),Osmosis Jones (2001), andTreasure Planet (2002). He portrayed Henry Newman in the comedy filmWet Hot American Summer and reprised his role in two series fromNetflix in2014 and in2017. From 1992 to 1993, Pierce starred in the NBC sitcomThe Powers That Be. He has since acted in theCBS legal dramaThe Good Wife (2014–2015), theABC docu-dramaWhen We Rise (2017), and theHBO Max seriesJulia (2022–23).
Besides his performance inCurtains, Pierce also had Broadway roles as Sir Robin inMonty Python'sSpamalot (2005), Vanya in the comedic playVanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (2013) and Horace Vandergelder in the revival ofHello, Dolly! (2017). For the latter two, Pierce was nominated for aTony Award. He made his Broadway directorial debut with the musicalIt Shoulda Been You (2015).
David Hyde Pierce was born inSaratoga Springs, New York. His father, George Pierce,[2] was an aspiring actor, and his mother, Laura Marie Pierce (née Hughes),[2] was an insurance agent.[1] He is the youngest of four children: he has two older sisters, Barbara and Nancy and one older brother, Thomas.[3][4] He adopted the middle name Hyde in 1993 to avoid confusion with another actor named David Pierce.[5] As a child, Pierce frequently played organ at the localBethesda Episcopal Church.[6] He attended Kabeyun, an all-boys' summer camp, where he acted in their camp productions of Gilbert & Sullivan and directed their production ofH.M.S. Pinafore.[7]
After graduating fromSaratoga Springs High School in 1977,[8] Pierce attendedYale University. He originally majored in music with an emphasis in piano performance, but later changed to adouble major inEnglish literature andtheater studies.[9] While attending Yale, Pierce performed in and directed student productions, appearing in the YaleGilbert & Sullivan Society's production ofH.M.S. Pinafore. Pierce also directed the Gilbert & Sullivan Society's operettaPrincess Ida.[10] Pierce graduated from Yale in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
After his graduation, Pierce moved to New York City, where during the 1980s and early 1990s he was employed in various jobs, such as selling ties atBloomingdale's and working as a security guard, while pursuing an acting career and studying atMichael Howard Studios. During this period he played Laertes in an off-Broadway production ofHamlet, withKevin Kline in the title role, and made his Broadway debut in 1982 inChristopher Durang'sBeyond Therapy.[11]
Pierce's first big television break came in the early 1990s withNorman Lear's political comedy,The Powers That Be, in which Pierce played Theodore Van Horne, a Congressman.[12] Despite positive reviews from critics, the show was canceled after a brief run. This did free Pierce up for his breakthrough role inFrasier, and the producers of that show did in part hire Pierce based on his performance inThe Powers That Be.[13]
In part owing to his close facial resemblance toKelsey Grammer,[14] the producers of theCheers spin-offFrasier created the role ofNiles Crane (Frasier Crane's younger brother) for him.[12] Prior toFrasier going into production, Pierce had petitioned theScreen Actors Guild to change hisbilling to David Pierce–the name he had used on the stage–concerned that the use of his middle name in the show's credits would typecast him, saddling him with the character's "snooty" image.[14] For his work onFrasier, Pierce was nominated for a Best Supporting ActorEmmy a record eleven consecutive years, winning in 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2004. Pierce received praise for his skilled physical comedy and rapid fire comedy reactions.David Bianculli ofNew York Daily News declared, "Not sinceJack Benny has TV seen such a great reactive comedian as Pierce, and whenever he and [Kelsey] Grammer share the same stage,Frasier is undiluted magic.[15]
Pierce also appeared alongsideJodie Foster inLittle Man Tate, withAnthony Hopkins inOliver Stone'sNixon (1995), and withEwan McGregor inDown With Love (2003).[12] He provided the voice for Doctor Doppler inDisney's 42nd animated feature,Treasure Planet; Slim, astick insect inPixar'sA Bug's Life; andAbe Sapien inGuillermo del Toro'sHellboy. In his role inSleepless in Seattle (1993), Pierce played Dennis Reed, the brother ofMeg Ryan's character Annie Reed, a professor atJohns Hopkins University. The film was released three months before the start ofFrasier.[12] In 2001, he starred in the cult 1981-set summer camp comedyWet Hot American Summer, as the befuddled astrophysicist Prof. Henry Newman.
Pierce has played a number of roles as a voice actor. These include the narrator of the filmThe Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human in 1999, the walking stick insect "Slim" inA Bug's Life, Dr. Delbert Doppler in Disney's filmTreasure Planet, and amphibian Abe Sapien inHellboy.[12] Pierce declined to be credited for hisHellboy role because he felt it was the performance ofDoug Jones, and not his own voice, which ultimately brought the character of Abe Sapien to life.[16] He was the voice for Drix, a cold pill, in the animated comedyOsmosis Jones.[citation needed]
In a deliberatein-joke, he voicedCecil Terwilliger, the brother of Kelsey Grammer-voicedSideshow Bob, inThe Simpsons'eighth season episode "Brother from Another Series", in which the two characters parallel the Frasier–Niles relationship. At one point in the episode, Cecil mistakesBart Simpson (voiced byNancy Cartwright) forMaris Crane, the unseen wife of Niles onFrasier. He returned as Cecil in theSeason 19 episode "Funeral for a Fiend" whereFrasier co-starJohn Mahoney voices Dr. Robert Terwilliger Sr., the father of Cecil and Sideshow Bob.[citation needed]
Pierce provided the voice of Mr. Daedalus in the 1998Disney showHercules: The Animated Series. Pierce narrated an audio tour guide,Napa Uncorked, in 2002.[17] In 2006, he co-starred in the animated pilot forThe Amazing Screw-On Head as the Screw-On Head (Paul Giamatti)'s nemesis Emperor Zombie; however, the series was not picked up. His commercial voiceover work included ads for theTassimo coffee system, Seattle's Metro Transit, and home furnishings retailerIKEA Canada.[18]
In 2005, Pierce joinedTim Curry and others in the stage production ofSpamalot.[12] In August and September 2006, he starred as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi inCurtains, a newKander and Ebb musical staged at theAhmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. In March 2007,Curtains opened onBroadway[12] and on June 10, 2007, Pierce won theTony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at the61st Tony Awards for his performance.[12] In his acceptance speech, Pierce said the first words he spoke on a Broadway stage were, "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."[19]
On November 19, 2007, Pierce was awarded an honoraryDoctor of Fine Arts degree fromNiagara University inLewiston, New York. In 1999, he was awarded an honorary degree fromSkidmore College, located in his native Saratoga Springs. Pierce was nominated for aGrammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children at the52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010 for his narration ofThe Phantom Tollbooth.
In 2010, Pierce appeared in a revival ofDavid Hirson's playLa Bête directed byMatthew Warchus. The production debuted on London'sWest End before moving to New York.[20] Also in 2010, Pierce had his first starring film role as Warwick Wilson in the dark comedy/psychological thrillerThe Perfect Host. From 2014 to 2015, Pierce appeared inThe Good Wife as Frank Prady onCBS. He also starred as Assoc. Prof. Henry Neumann inWet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015) onNetflix. Pierce directed the Broadway production of the musicalIt Shoulda Been You. In 2015, he directed theManhattan Theater Club production ofDavid Lindsay-Abaire's playRipcordOff-Broadway atCity Center.[21] Pierce appeared in the Off-Broadway limited engagement ofA Life byAdam Bock. The play premiered at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater on October 24, 2016, directed byAnne Kauffman, and closed on November 27.[22]
.jpg)
In 2017, he returned to television in the limiteddocudrama series aboutLGBT rights,When We Rise, as Dr. Jones. He also appeared as himself withJulie Andrews inJulie's Greenroom on Netflix. Pierce co-starred withBette Midler in the Broadway revival ofHello, Dolly!. The musical opened on April 20, 2017, at theShubert Theatre. The show was a critical and box office hit. Pierce received aTony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance at the71st Tony Awards,[23] as well asDrama League Award nominations forHello, Dolly! andA Life.[24]
In 2020, Pierce replacedTom Hollander asPaul Cushing Child in the biographical seriesJulia which premiered onHBO Max in March 2022. The cast includesSarah Lancashire,Bebe Neuwirth, andIsabella Rossellini.[25] In October 2021 he starred as Walter Vale in the musicalThe Visitor atThe Public Theatre. The project is based on the2007 film of the same name written byTom McCarthy. In late 2022, it was revealed that Pierce had declined to return as Niles Crane in the 2023 revival ofFrasier, saying he didn't think there was much left for Niles to do.[26]
Pierce starred in the final musical fromStephen Sondheim entitledHere We Are (2023) which was performed atThe Shed in New York City. Pierce acted alongsideBobby Cannavale,Amber Gray,Rachel Bay Jones,Denis O'Hare, andSteven Pasquale.[27] The production involves a book byDavid Ives and was directed byJoe Mantello. It is based on theLuis Buñuel filmsThe Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) andThe Exterminating Angel (1962).
In 2024, it was announced that Pierce would star as the Major General andW. S. Gilbert in theRoundabout Theatre Company's revival ofGilbert and Sullivan'sThe Pirates of Penzance titledPirates! The Penzance Musical starting in April 2025. Pierce would star oppositeRamin Karimloo as the Pirate King. The revival is reportedly a reimagining set in New Orleans, "sizzling with Caribbean rhythms andFrench Quarter flair."[28]
After years of media speculation about his sexuality, Pierce revealed in 2007 that he is gay and later confirmed through his publicist that he and television writer, director, and producerBrian Hargrove were a couple.[29][30] When accepting his Tony Award forCurtains, Pierce thanked "my partner, Brian, because it's 24 years of listening to your damn notes—that's why I'm up here tonight."[31] They married in California on October 24, 2008, just days beforeProposition 8 was adopted as law banningsame-sex marriages in the state.[32] On May 28, 2009, while a guest onThe View, he publicly announced his marriage to Hargrove and expressed his anger about the approval of Proposition 8.[33]
Pierce has spent years working with theAlzheimer's Association on behalf of Americans withAlzheimer's disease. He has appeared in Washington, D.C., to testify in support of expanding funding for treatment, and he publicly campaigned for theNational Alzheimer's Project Act. Pierce toldMSNBC in 2011, "it is up to us, to all of us, to the American people and to their representatives about whether we face the challenges and make all the effort necessary or if we ignore it and just let this sort of tidal wave crash over us."[34]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Appointments of Dennis Jennings | Businessman | Short film |
| Bright Lights, Big City | Bartender at Fashion Show | ||
| Crossing Delancey | Mark | ||
| Rocket Gibraltar | Monsieur Henri | ||
| 1989 | Vampire's Kiss | Theater Guy | |
| 1990 | Across Five Aprils | Union Soldier | |
| 1991 | Little Man Tate | Garth Emmerick | |
| The Fisher King | Lou Rosen | ||
| 1993 | Sleepless in Seattle | Dennis Reed | |
| Addams Family Values | Delivery Room Doctor | ||
| 1994 | Wolf | Roy MacAllister | |
| 1995 | Ripple | Peter | Short film |
| Nixon | John Dean | ||
| 1998 | A Bug's Life | Slim (voice) | [35] |
| 1999 | The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human | Narrator | |
| 2000 | Isn't She Great | Michael Hastings | |
| Chain of Fools | Mr. Kerner | ||
| The Tangerine Bear | Bird (voice) | ||
| 2001 | Wet Hot American Summer | Henry Newman | |
| Happy Birthday | Barney | Short film | |
| Osmosis Jones | Special Agent "Drix" Drixobenzometaphedramine (voice) | [35] | |
| Laud Weiner | Laud Weiner | Short film | |
| 2002 | Full Frontal | Carl | |
| Treasure Planet | Delbert Doppler (voice) | [35] | |
| 2003 | Down with Love | Peter MacMannus | |
| 2004 | Hellboy | Abe Sapien (voice) | Uncredited |
| 2008 | Forever Plaid: The Movie | Narrator | |
| 2009 | Stingray Sam | ||
| 2010 | The Perfect Host | Warwick Wilson | |
| 2024 | The Exorcism | Father Conor | [36] |
| TBA | Mouse | TBA | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Spenser: For Hire | O'Neill | Episode: "The Man Who Wasn't There" |
| Crime Story | NSA Agent Carruthers | Episode: "Mig 21" | |
| 1988 | Knightwatch | Gibson | Episode: "Friday Knight" |
| 1992 | Dream On | Jerry Dorfer | Episode: "The Guilty Party" |
| 1992–1993 | The Powers That Be | Theodore Van Horne | Main role (21 episodes) |
| 1993–2004 | Frasier | Dr. Niles Crane | Main role (264 episodes) |
| 1995 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Episode: "David Hyde Pierce/Live" |
| The Adventures of Hyperman | Buttons (voice) | Episode: "Emma Is History/Appalling 13"[35] | |
| Caroline in the City | Dr. Niles Crane | Episode: "Caroline and the Bad Back" | |
| 1996 | The Outer Limits | Dr. Jack Henson | Episode: "The Sentence" |
| Mighty Ducks | Baron von Lichtenstamp (voice) | 3 episodes | |
| Caroline in the City | Jimmy Callahan | Episode: "Caroline and the Cat Dancer" | |
| 1997 | Happily Every After: Fairly Tales for Every Child | Puss (voice) | Episode: "Puss in Boots" |
| 1997, 2007, 2014 | The Simpsons | Cecil Terwilliger, Himself (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1999 | Jackie's Back | Perry | Television film |
| 2001 | Titus | Jerry October | Episode: "Life Forward" |
| On the Edge | Barney | Television film | |
| 2003 | Gary the Rat | Addison (voice) | Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" |
| 2006 | The Amazing Screw-On Head | Emperor Zombie (voice) | Television film |
| 2010 | Sondheim! The Birthday Concert | Himself (host) | Television special |
| 2012 | Sesame Street | Commander Chiphead | Episode: "Get Lost, Mr. Chips" |
| 2014–2015 | The Good Wife | Frank Prady | 8 episodes |
| 2015 | Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp | Henry Newman | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later | Episode: "End Summer Night's Dream" | |
| When We Rise | Dr. Jones | 3 episodes | |
| Julie's Greenroom | Himself | 2 episodes | |
| 2022–2023 | Julia | Paul Child / Charles Child | Main role (16 episodes)[37] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | A Bug's Life | Slim | [35] |
