Which actor played Niles Crane?

David Hyde Pierce played Niles Crane on the sitcom Frasier.

Pierce portrayed Frasier Crane’s younger brother throughout the original series, which ran from 1993 to 2004. Niles is a psychiatrist in private practice, and his refined manners, anxiety, competitiveness, and intense fear of germs made him one of the show’s central comic characters.

The role was created with Pierce in mind partly because producers noticed his resemblance to Kelsey Grammer, who played Frasier. The brothers’ relationship drives many stories: they compete professionally and socially, yet regularly rely on one another when their schemes collapse.

Pierce’s performance earned 11 consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, a record at the time. He won four times, in 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2004. He also played Niles in all 264 episodes of the original series.