| Dr. Niles Crane | |
|---|---|
| Frasier character | |
 David Hyde Pierce as Dr. Niles Crane | |
| First appearance | "The Good Son" (episode 1.01) |
| Last appearance | "Goodnight, Seattle (Part 2)" (episode 11.24) |
| Portrayed by | David Hyde Pierce[1] |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Psychiatrist |
| Family |
|
| Spouse | |
| Children | David Crane (b. 2004; son, with Daphne) |
| Relatives |
|
Niles Crane (born 1957)[2] is a fictional character on the American sitcom Frasier, a spin-off of the television show Cheers. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Frasier Crane (played by Kelsey Grammer).
Pierce was hired because Frasier producers saw his headshot and commented on how much he looked like a young Grammer. Unlike Frasier, part of whose background comes from Cheers, Niles's background is established over the course of Frasier.[3]
Pierce has said that his character was originally explained to him as "what Frasier would be if he had never gone to Boston and never been exposed to the people at Cheers." Anita Gates of The New York Times wrote in 1998 that "the difference between the brothers is that Frasier knows they're being pretentious; Niles honestly doesn't".[4]
- ^ Shales, Tom (April 6, 1996). "Pierce Doesn't Even Like Niles Crane". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ "The Apparent Trap". Frasier. Season 7. Episode 9. November 18, 1999. NBC.
- ^ "David Hyde Pierce: From mind games to Moliere...". The Independent. London, England: Independent Print Ltd. July 19, 2010. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
- ^ Gates, Anita (April 19, 1998). "Yes, America Has a Class System. See 'Frasier.'". The New York Times. New York City.