David Hyde Pierce Movies
Although he is best known for his role as anal-retentive psychiatrist extraordinaire Niles Crane on the celebrated sitcom Frasier, David Hyde Pierce has also done considerable work on the stage and screen. Fair, birdlike, and bearing an uncanny resemblance to Frasier co-star Kelsey Grammer, Pierce is one of the entertainment business' finest purveyors of a certain kind of blue-blooded neuroticism, and, in the eyes of some viewers, has even gone so far as to make insecurity perversely sexy.Born in Saratoga Springs, New York, on April 3, 1959, Pierce was raised in what he has described as a "very run-of-the-mill, middle-class" household. When he was eight, he began taking piano lessons, and he decided to pursue a career as a concert pianist. He continued to train until he got to Yale University, where he realized that he was better suited to the acting profession. Following graduation, Pierce moved to New York and did a brief stint as a tie salesman at Bloomingdale's before being cast in a Broadway play. Although the production was a flop, Pierce continued to work on the stage in New York and Chicago for several years and was eventually cast as a suicidal congressman on the short-lived sitcom The Powers That Be in 1992. His work on the show, coupled with his resemblance to Kelsey Grammer, led to his casting on Frasier the following year.
Frasier proved to be the turning point in Pierce's career. His portrayal of Niles, aside from winning him a slew of awards, including an Emmy, also provided a number of opportunities for the actor on the big screen. Pierce, who had been acting sporadically in films since the early '80s, could be seen in supporting roles in such '90s films as Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Nixon (1995), in which he played John Dean, and the animated A Bug's Life (1998), for which he provided the voice of a stick insect.
As the first decade of the 21st century opened, Pierce began appearing in more and more feature films, selecting an eclectic array of roles that utitlized his strengths without resorting to rehashing the Niles Crane character. Diverse in their genre and theme, the projects also ranged in their levels of success and acclaim. The 2000 comedy Isn't She Great was an abysmal failure, while the indie films Wet Hot American Summer and Full Frontal both left audiences and critics fiercely split. Pierce also continued to flex his voice skills in the animated features Osmosis Jones and Treasure Planet.
One of Pierce's best-received roles came in 2003, when he costarred in the tongue-in-cheek comedy Down With Love. While not much of a box-office hit, the film managed to charm many critics with its wall-to-wall homages to 1960s sex-comedies. A year later, Pierce again showed up sans-body, providing the voice of Abe Sapien in the comic-book adaptation Hellboy. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Endlessly imitated, The Terminator made the reputation of cowriter/director James Cameron -- who would go on to make 1997's titanic Titanic -- and solidified the stardom of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie begins in a post-apocalyptic 2029, when Los Angeles has been largely reduced to rubble and is under the thumb of all-powerful ruling machines. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a member of the human resistance movement, is teleported back to 1984. His purpose: to rescue Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the mother of the man who will lead the 21st-century rebels against the tyrannical machines, from being assassinated before she can give birth. Likewise thrust back to 1984 is The Terminator (Schwarzenegger), a grim, well-armed, virtually indestructable cyborg who has been programmed to eliminate Sarah Connor. After killing two "Sarah Connors" who turn out to be the wrong women, he finally aims his gunsights at the genuine article. This is the film in which Schwarzenegger declared "I'll be baaaack" -- and back he was, in "kinder and gentler" form, in the even more successful Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, (more)
In this flat attempt at comedy by the director of the Police Academy series, Neal Israel, a brash Dana Cannon (John Murray, brother of Bill) lands in a crooked re-education school for delinquent drivers, run by Deputy Halik (James Keach, brother of Stacey). The objective is to lord it over the miscreant drivers sent to the school (wrongly given citations and tickets by cops out to fill a quota, according to opening sequences) and make some money in the bargain. Deputy Halik has already decided to flunk out anyone in his classes, with the objective of impounding their cars and then auctioning off the vehicles to the highest bidders. Dana, the irrepressible new student, manages to unite the other put-upon drivers at the school into a single, determined faction -- and trouble quickly brews. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Murray, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
Can an independent, contemporary woman find happiness with a guy who sells pickles? Isabelle Grossman (Amy Irving) is an attractive, intelligent Jewish woman in her early 30s. She has a good job and a nice apartment on the Upper West Side, and she values her independence; she often visits her grandmother Bubbie (Reiz Bozyk), who lives on the Lower East Side and wants Isabelle to meet a nice Jewish man and settle down. Bubbie goes so far as to obtain the services of Hannah Mandelbaum (Sylvia Miles), a matchmaker who finds the "perfect" man for Isabelle: a pickle salesman named Sam Posner (Peter Riegert). Isabelle thinks Sam is a nice enough guy, but she has a hard time imagining herself spending her life with the pickle man, and she isn't sure if she wants to pursue the relationship. However, Sam is taken with Isabelle and goes out of his way to change her mind. Crossing Delancy was directed by Joan Micklin Silver, whose breakthrough film Hester Street also examined Jewish culture on the Lower East Side, albeit from the vantage point of the 1890s. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Irving, Reizl Bozyk, (more)
Michael J. Fox once more makes a courageous effort to shed his nice-guy image in Bright Lights, Big City. Fox plays an impressionable Kansan who comes to the Big Apple to take a job at a major magazine. It isn't long before he falls into the twin traps of drug and alcohol abuse. His only hope for redemption is in the hands of Vicky (Tracy Pollan), the cousin of his scuzzy drinking buddy Tad (Kiefer Sutherland). Jay McInerney's bestselling novel does not translate easily to the big screen, but Fox strives hard to please, as do all of his costars. The white stuff snorted by Fox wasn't really cocaine, but powdered milk. Watch for Frasier's David Hyde Pierce in a small role and Jason Robards in a significant unbilled cameo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
On the occasion of wealthy patriarch Burt Lancaster's 77th birthday, his Long Island home is invaded by well-meaning family members. Lancaster is bored by the well-meaning interference of his grown children, but he thrives on the company of his grandchildren, especially 5-year-old Macaulay Culkin (in a terrific pre-star performance). To the kids, Lancaster reveals what he really wants as a birthday present: an old-fashioned Viking funeral! From this point on, the ending of Rocket Gibraltar is a "done deal", but getting there is all the fun. A superb, hand-picked cast--including Suzy Amis, Sinead Cusack, John Glover, Bill Pullman and Kevin Spacey -does full justice to Amos Poe's whimsical, often deeply touching script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Suzy Amis, (more)
Vampire's Kiss follows the story of yuppie literary agent Peter Loew (Nicolas Cage) as he descends into madness and vampirism. Loew believes he has been bitten by a vampire (Jennifer Beals) and is slowly becoming one himself, despite the contrary opinion of his therapist (Elizabeth Ashley). He then begins to wage a campaign of escalating terror against his secretary and first potential victim, Alva (Maria Conchita Alonso, looking appropriately baffled). Alva begs her parents to let her stay home from work to avoid her unusual boss, but they force her to go on that fateful day, and the plot unfolds. Vampire's Kiss became a cult item on the basis of Cage's outrageous performance: at one point he actually eats a live cockroach. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Maria Conchita Alonso, (more)
Terry Gilliam directed this adaptation of Richard LaGravenese's mystical (and mythical) tale of redemption in the hard-time town of New York City. Jeff Bridges is shock radio DJ Jack Lucas, whose low opinion of humanity lends itself well to his radio talk show, where the enmity rubs off on his listeners. One fan in particular takes Jack's rants to heart and goes to a fancy restaurant with a gun, murdering innocent diners. Jack is so distraught at what his on-air suggestion wrought that he sinks into a three-year depression, drinking himself to sleep and mooching off of his girlfriend Anne Napolitano (Mercedes Ruehl, in an Oscar-winning performance), an attractive owner of a video store. Hitting bottom, Jack slumps to the river, prepared to commit suicide. To his rescue comes a crazed but witty homeless man named Parry (Robin Williams), who tells Jack he's destined for great things -- all his has to do is find the Holy Grail (conveniently located in mid-town Manhattan) and save Parry's soul. He also wants Jack to help him out with the woman of his dreams, Lydia Sinclair (Amanda Plummer), a shy type who works at a publishing company. Parry was once a university professor became unglued by a tragic event in his past; Jack soon realizes that to save himself, he first must save Parry. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, (more)
Jodie Foster made her directorial debut (with a script by Scott Frank) in this tale of a child prodigy's search for social acceptance. Fred Tate (Adam Hann-Byrd) is a precocious fourth grader who has no problem with the most complex mathematical problems or in banging out a Rachmaninoff concerto on the piano, but is totally inept at playing baseball or dealing with children his own age. His mother Dede (Jodie Foster) is a cocktail waitress who acts more like a child than Fred, but cares passionately about her son. Fred comes to the attention of child psychologist Jane Grierson (Dianne Wiest), who runs a summer camp for child prodigies called Odyssey of the Mind. She invites Fred to attend the summer session, creating a rift between Fred and Dede. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, Adam Hann-Byrd, (more)
Sleepless in Seattle, the sophomore directorial effort from Nora Ephron, is a light romantic comedy inspired by the 1957 film An Affair to Remember. Tom Hanks stars as widower and single father Sam. When Sam's son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), calls into a talk radio program looking for a new mother, Sam ends up getting on the phone and laments about his lost love. Thousands of miles away, Annie (Meg Ryan) hears the program and immediately falls in love with Sam, despite the fact that she has never met him and that she is engaged to humdrum Walter (Bill Pullman). Believing they are meant to be together, Annie sets out for Seattle to meet Sam, who, meanwhile, contends with an onslaught of letters from available women equally touched by his phone call. Rosie O'Donnell, Rita Wilson, and Rob Reiner also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
The first of Frasier's eleven seasons began just where the series' predecessor, Cheers, left off -- with psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) bidding farewell to Boston and heading to his new home in Seattle, WA, where he has accepted a job as host of a radio advice show on station KACL. Though it was clear that there would be no love lost between Frasier and his producer and call-screener, the abrasive Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), our stylishly neurotic hero could take heart in the fact that he now lived in one of the fanciest apartments in all Seattle. But he didn't live there alone: At the behest of his married brother and fellow psychiatrist Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce), Frasier reluctantly invites his father, retired policeman Martin Crane (John Mahoney), to move in with him. Semi-invalided since sustaining a gun wound, Martin relies upon the round-the-clock ministrations of his attractive, outspoken, and seemingly psychic cockney caregiver, Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), who likewise moves into Frasier's apartment -- along with Martin's tiny, phlegmatic dog, Eddie (played by Moose the dog), who seems contemptuous of Frasier's very existence.
Although the relationship between Daphne and her two male "roommates" is strictly platonic, she becomes the object of obsessive adoration on the part of Niles -- who, of course, would never, ever admit to yearning for Daphne (who seemed oblivious to his ardor), lest he damage his already fragile relationship with his fabulously wealthy -- and never seen -- wife, Maris. Season one of Frasier introduced one supporting character who would soon become a series regular: The insufferably macho Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe (Dan Butler), KACL's resident sports-show host. Others making their first appearances were such recurring characters as Frasier's carnivorous agent Bebe Glazer (Harriet Sansom Harris), Roz's moony eyed admirer and full-time Star Trek freak Noel Shempsky (Patrick Kerr), and KACL's snobbish restaurant critic Gil Chesterton (Edward Hibbert). Also established during this inaugural season was the series' habit of using celebrities to provide the voices of Frasier's mixed-up listeners: Among those heard in the first 24 episodes were Mel Brooks, Christopher Reeve, Joe Mantegna, Eddie Van Halen, Mary Tyler Moore, and even LSD guru Timothy Leary. Arguably the most memorable of the first-season episodes was the self-explanatory "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back," in which Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-star Bebe Neuwirth made a memorable return appearance as Frasier's insufferable ex-wife Lilith. Conspicuous by his absence was Frasier and Lilith's son, Frederick, though his existence was alluded to from time to time. Frasier wound up its maiden season with four Emmy awards including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Kelsey Grammer), Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (single episode) (James Burrows), and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series (single episode) (David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Although the relationship between Daphne and her two male "roommates" is strictly platonic, she becomes the object of obsessive adoration on the part of Niles -- who, of course, would never, ever admit to yearning for Daphne (who seemed oblivious to his ardor), lest he damage his already fragile relationship with his fabulously wealthy -- and never seen -- wife, Maris. Season one of Frasier introduced one supporting character who would soon become a series regular: The insufferably macho Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe (Dan Butler), KACL's resident sports-show host. Others making their first appearances were such recurring characters as Frasier's carnivorous agent Bebe Glazer (Harriet Sansom Harris), Roz's moony eyed admirer and full-time Star Trek freak Noel Shempsky (Patrick Kerr), and KACL's snobbish restaurant critic Gil Chesterton (Edward Hibbert). Also established during this inaugural season was the series' habit of using celebrities to provide the voices of Frasier's mixed-up listeners: Among those heard in the first 24 episodes were Mel Brooks, Christopher Reeve, Joe Mantegna, Eddie Van Halen, Mary Tyler Moore, and even LSD guru Timothy Leary. Arguably the most memorable of the first-season episodes was the self-explanatory "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back," in which Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-star Bebe Neuwirth made a memorable return appearance as Frasier's insufferable ex-wife Lilith. Conspicuous by his absence was Frasier and Lilith's son, Frederick, though his existence was alluded to from time to time. Frasier wound up its maiden season with four Emmy awards including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Kelsey Grammer), Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (single episode) (James Burrows), and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series (single episode) (David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
The ghoulish cartoon family created by Charles Addams returns for a second big-screen outing darker and nastier than the first. When Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston) gives birth to new baby boy Pubert, the other Addams children, Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) and Wednesday (Christina Ricci), devise any number of ways to kill off their new sibling. This leads Morticia and her husband, Gomez Raul Julia, to hire a nanny (Joan Cusack) to oversee all three children. But the nanny has an agenda of her own, packing the Addams children off to a horrid parody of summer camp and setting out to seduce Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd), all with the goal of getting her hands on the Addams family fortune. Of course, the Addams eventually triumph, with this blacker-than-most satire extolling the virtues of eccentricity and non-conformity above all. It was followed by 1999's direct-to-video Addams Family Reunion, with Darryl Hannah and Tim Curry replacing Huston and the late Julia. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, (more)
Frasier marked the beginning of its second season on NBC by moving from Thursday evenings to Tuesdays, remaining in this slot for the next four years. The cast from the previous season was by now pretty well set, with only one significant addition to the roster for season two: Eric Lutes as Tom Duran, the new manager of Seattle radio station KACL, where Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) held sway as a phone-in advice show host. Otherwise, the plotlines were the mixture as before, including the erudite Frasier's shaky but affectionate relationship with his down-to-earth dad, Martin (John Mahoney), the nervous efforts by Frasier's brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) to remain in close proximity with Martin's attractive caregiver Daphne (Jane Leeves) without revealing his obsession with the girl--and without destroying his marriage to the fabulously wealthy (and still unseen) Maris. Acknowledging the excellent response to the Season One episode "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back", Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-star Bebe Neuwirth made a return appearance as Frasier's insufferable ex-wife, Dr. Lilith Sternin in the second-season entry "Adventures in Paradise". This two-parter concluded with the biggest surprise of the season (one that was successfully concealed from TV reviewers and industry pundits alike until the very last moment), in which Frasier's former fiancée Diane Chambers (Shelley Long, another one-time Cheers regular) popped up unannounced, much to our hero's horror. In this same "old home week" spirit, still another Cheers star, Ted Danson, guest starred in his familiar role of Sam Malone in "The Show Where Sam Shows Up." As before, a number of high-profile celebrities "appeared" on Frasier, providing the voices of Frasier's call-in listeners. This time the guest roster was an eclectic one indeed, including Tom Cruise, Art Garfunkel, Sandra Dee, Gary Sinise, Jodie Foster, and, most significantly, John Lithgow, the actor who had originally been considered for the role of Frasier Crane back in the Cheers days. Frasier added several more Emmy awards to its trophy room during season two, with stauettes going to regulars Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce, director David Lee, writers Chuck Ranberg and Anne Flett-Giordano, and the series itself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
Jack Nicholson becomes a werewolf in this bizarre comedy-horror film directed by Mike Nichols. Nicholson plays Will Randall, a book editor with a testosterone deficit who has just been sacked at his publishing firm by a new boss, Raymond Alden (Christopher Plummer). A colleague, Stewart Swinton (James Spader), whom Randall thought was his friend, betrays him. Randall's personality changes after he hits a wolf with his car and gets bitten by the creature. He immediately feels more powerful, has heightened hearing and vision, and sets about to right the wrongs in his life. He visits Alden at the publisher's mansion to protest his dismissal, and he is asked to leave -- but Alden's daughter Laura (Michelle Pfeiffer) asks him to stay for lunch. Laura loves to defy her father. Will tells her about the wolf bite, and she becomes attracted to him. But because werewolves usually kill the ones they love, Laura is in danger. Will reasserts his place in the publishing world, supported by his loyal secretary Mary (Eileen Atkins), and his relationship with Laura deepens. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
Oliver Stone, the most outspokenly political American filmmaker of the 1980s and '90s, directs this epic-length biography of Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the U.S., who was re-elected by a landslide in 1972, only to resign in disgrace two years later. Taking a non-linear approach, Nixon jumps back and forth between many different periods and events, from Nixon's strict upbringing at the hands of his Quaker mother, through the many peaks and valleys of his political career, to his downfall in the wake of the Watergate scandal. The facts of his life are blended with supposition and speculation to create a portrait that is often critical of the man's policies but displays an unexpected compassion toward his failings as a human being. Anthony Hopkins stars as Nixon, Joan Allen plays his long-suffering wife Pat, Mary Steenburgen portrays his mother Hannah, Bob Hoskins is cast as J. Edgar Hoover, Powers Boothe plays Alexander Haig, Paul Sorvino portrays Henry Kisinger, and Ed Harris plays E. Howard Hunt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, (more)
Firmly and comfortably ensconced in its Tuesday-night timeslot, Frasier launched its third season on NBC. The basic character lineup was carried over from the first two seasons: Seattle radio psychologist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), his brother and fellow "shrink" Niles (David Hyde Pierce), their retired policeman father Martin (John Mahoney), Martin's down-to-earth cockney caregiver Daphne Moon (Jane Reeves) -- for whom the very married Niles silently carried a torch -- and Frasier's sharp-tongued radio producer and call-screener Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin). Though Dan Butler was still receiving "special guest appearance" billing for the role of gonzo sports-show emcee Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe, the actor was methodically moving out of the recurring-character class and ever closer to "regular" status. Then, of course, there was Niles' imperious, fabulously wealthy wife Maris -- still much talked about but still never seen. Additions to the recurring cast during season three included Oscar-winning actress Mercedes Ruehl, who made a cluster of unforgettable appearances as Kate Costas, the headstrong, ratings-obsessed new manager of Frasier's home radio station KACL. The combative relationship between Frasier and Kate rather unexpectedly morphed into a torrid romance, culminating with a poignant airport farewell. Also making her earliest series appearances was Irene Olga Lopez as Marta, Maris' maid and go-between. Finally, Luke Tarsitano became the first of several young actors to essay the role of Frasier's son, Frederick. In the tradition of Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-stars Bebe Neuwirth and Ted Danson, Shelley Long made a return appearance as Frasier's former fiancée Diane Chambers in the episode titled "The Show Where Diane Comes Back." The hints dropped in this episode that Frasier and Diane might rekindle their romance were eclipsed by the turbulent events in the life of Frasier's brother Niles. It was during season three that Niles' marriage to Maris began to disintegrate, and also during this season Niles finally "declared" himself to Daphne in the form of a kiss (though they would not be genuine lovers for several seasons to come; Daphne was not yet about to be tied down to anyone, and Niles was still skittish about jumping into another relationship).
In what was now becoming an annual ritual, Frasier garnered several Emmy Awards during its third season. This time, the statuettes were doled out for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing (multi-camera production). The final Frasier episode of the season, "You Can't Go Home Again," offered a "prequel" to the events leading up to the first episode of season one. As a bonus, the episode ended with a roll call of all the A-list celebrities who had been heard as "guest voices" during the past three seasons, playing the various neurotics who placed calls to Frasier's radio show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In what was now becoming an annual ritual, Frasier garnered several Emmy Awards during its third season. This time, the statuettes were doled out for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing (multi-camera production). The final Frasier episode of the season, "You Can't Go Home Again," offered a "prequel" to the events leading up to the first episode of season one. As a bonus, the episode ended with a roll call of all the A-list celebrities who had been heard as "guest voices" during the past three seasons, playing the various neurotics who placed calls to Frasier's radio show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
- 1995
This 1995 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by David Hyde Pierce and features musical guest Live. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Hyde Pierce, Live Entertainment, (more)
This season of Frasier finds the Crane household in a variety of turning points. Niles' (David Hyde Pierce) long-separated wife, Maris, finally serves him with divorce papers, while Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) finds himself trying to build a better relationship with Frederick (Trevor Einhorn), his son. Martin (John Mahoney) starts his first serious relationship in years, though his sons hardly approve of his choice in women, and Roz (Peri Gilpin) tries to broaden her horizons as well. Though Daphne (Jane Leeves) is still oblivious to Niles' crush on her, she still manages to build a closer relationship with him than they had in the past. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
- 1997
The Adirondacks are 400 miles of scenic beauty full of adventure and spectacular terrain. Follow the Adirondacks from New York City all the way to Montreal and learn along the way about famous author Washington Irving's close ties to the area. Actor David Hyde Pierce takes viewers on a tour of Saratoga Springs. Many tiny romantic towns are featured, along with elegant historic mansions and glorious outdoor retreats. ~ Laura Mahnken, All Movie Guide
This season finds the Crane brothers (Kelsey Grammer as Frasier, David Hyde Pierce as Niles) in their usual competitive state, with misadventures at fancy dinners, parties, and galas occurring at an alarming rate. Perhaps the most notable development this season is Roz's (Peri Gilpin) surprise pregnancy. Her decision to keep the baby and her dilemma over whether or not to tell the father about it are prevalent throughout the entire season, which culminates in Roz giving birth at one of Frasier and Niles' parties. Martin's (John Mahoney) personal relationships are given more screen time than they've had in the past, and his sons worry about his potential marriage to Sherry (Marsha Mason), while Niles himself is still in a constant state of anxiety concerning his feelings for Daphne (Jane Leeves). ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
John Lasseter, director of Pixar's movie phenomenon Toy Story, has set new standards in computer animation with this effort, another Disney-released children's epic entitled A Bug's Life. Blending classic Disney storytelling characters and the mysterious underground world of bugs, Lasseter has created a film that can be enjoyed by all audiences, and another franchise in the process. A Bug's Life is a computerized retelling of the Aesop fable The Ant and the Grasshopper, made as a cartoon-short by the one-and-only, Walt Disney, in the mid-'30s. However, A Bug's Life has modernized the story with many new twists and celebrity voices. The story focuses on a colony of ants who seasonally gather food for themselves and a wild gang of rowdy grasshoppers. When bumbling worker ant Flik (David Foley) destroys the food supply, the angry grasshoppers, lead by the maniacally warped Hopper (Kevin Spacey), threaten to kill the ants if they don't produce a new supply of food by the time they return -- an impossible feat. Flik leaves the anthill in search of help in the form of bigger bugs, and to wage war against the grasshoppers. What he doesn't know is he has actually discovered a group of down-on-their-luck traveling circus insects in need of a job. When the ants realize that their heroes are really circus performers (and the circus bugs realize these grasshoppers are really big and mean), the situation goes from bad to worse. Ultimately, the ants use their large numbers to overcome the grasshoppers. ~ Chris Gore, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, (more)
No longer a fish out of water in Seattle, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) begins this season believing that his life is going smoothly, for once. The rug is pulled out from beneath him, however, when the most recent in a string of KACL-related events -- this time, the radio station is changed to a salsa format -- leaves him without a job. Much of the season's first half follows a thoroughly disconcerted Frasier as he goes back and forth between pining after his former job and searching for a new one. Though he is eventually hired back, the rest of the season is hardly an easy path. There's Niles (David Hyde Pierce), whose long-standing attraction to Daphne (Jane Leeves) leaves him lonelier and more confused after she becomes romantically involved with his divorce lawyer (Saul Rubinek); Martin (John Mahoney), who has his own romantic ups and downs; and, of course, Frasier, who has switched his focus from his woes with KACL to deciding which of the two women he is currently dating makes a better candidate for a long-term relationship. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
Soul diva Jackie Washington is determined to hit the comeback trail but seems to be having trouble finding the on-ramp in the mock-documentary comedy Jackie's Back. Jackie (played by Jenifer Lewis) was a Rhythm and Blues singer who had a few late '60's and early 70's hits, including "Yield" and the memorable "Look At Me (My Love For You Has Only Made Me Love Me More)," but she's spent much of the 80's and 90's playing the "Where Are They Now?" circuit. However, Jackie has organized what she hopes will be a gala comeback concert, and filmmaker Edward Whatsett St. John (Tim Curry) is on hand to film the event, and discusses the high and (frequent) low points of Jackie's career with such friends and well-wishers as Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Penny Marshall, Jackie Collins and Dolomite himself, Rudy Ray Moore. Meanwhile, Jackie's big gig is not going quite the way she planned. Directed by Robert Townsend, Jackie's Back was produced for the Lifetime Cable Network and originally aired June 14, 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenifer Lewis, Tim Curry, (more)
Season Seven of Frasier opens as Daphne Moon (Janes Leeves), cockney caregiver for the Crane brothers' ex-cop dad Martin (John Mahoney), prepares to marry Niles' nutty lawyer Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek)--if Martin and Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) will cease their meddling that is. Soon thereafter, Frasier's prickly producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) finds out how macho radio sports-talker Bulldog (Dan Butler) truly feels about her (truly, he'd love to feel about her--all over!); Frasier's ex Lillith (Bebe Neuwirth) and their son Frederick (Trevor Einhorn) descend upon Seattle for Thanksgiving; and, of utmost importance, Daphne's wedding plans hit a snag during the series Christmastime two-parter when it finally dawns upon her that Niles (David Hyde Pierce) is madly in love with her (funny, she's just about the only person in the solar system who hasn't already figured this out!) Also: Jean Smart makes her first appearance as Frasier's short-fused high school sweetheart Lorna Lynley (Smart would return, but her character would be rechristened Lana Gardner for legal reasons); Martin finds himself in the uncomfortable position of posing as the gay lover of his own son just to avoid meeting someone he'd rather not see; Kim Coles guest stars as Roz' temporary assistant, a woman who drives Frasier crazy by calling herself "Dr. Mary" and dispensing advice to his listeners--but whom Frasier is afraid to complain about because she is black. As the season closes, the day of the Daphne-Donny wedding arrives, and with it Daphne's overbearing mom Gertrude (Millicent Martin) and her mooching brother Simon (Anthony LaPaglia). And of course the last episode is a "cliffhanger"--and WHAT a cliffhanger, as Daphne runs away from her own wedding in the company of...aw, come on, you know who! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
- 1999
- R
- Add The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human to QueueAdd The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human to top of Queue
If aliens from another galaxy were to observe ordinary people as they look for love in contemporary America, what would they make of it? That is the premise of The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human, which takes the form of a documentary in which a camera crew from an alien civilization spies on a couple from Earth as they meet, fall in love, and navigate the bumpy road to matrimony, as a helpful narrator explains what's going on. The Male (Mackenzie Austin) encounters The Female (Carmen Electra) at The Sacred Meeting Ground (a nightclub in Los Angeles), and thus begins a long series of dates, conversations, sexual episodes, meetings of parents and friends, and finally marriage, as an expert (David Hyde Pierce) enlightens us as to what it all means. The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human was written and directed by Jeff Abugov, best known for his work in television on the series The Golden Girls, Roseanne, and Grace Under Fire; the supporting cast includes Lucy Liu, Markus Redmond, and Lisa Rontondi. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- MacKenzie Astin, Carmen Electra, (more)
- 2000
- Add Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas to QueueAdd Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas to top of Queue
Jenna Elfman, Trisha Yearwood, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and other luminaries contribute vocals to this animated children's holiday special featuring the inimitable Tangerine Bear. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
