Dan Butler Movies

Frasier's son, Frederick Crane (Luke Tarsitano), makes his annual Yuletide visit to Seattle. Eagerly looking forward to the educational toys that Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) has promised him -- including a "Living Brain" -- Frederick is crushed when a mistake is made in shipping and he receives nothing but girl's playthings. Thus it is that Frasier, who despises crowds even in the best of time, must claw his way from one mall to another in a hectic last-minute shopping excursion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ex-cop Martin (John Mahoney) has but one profound regret in life: that he was never able to solve the "Weeping Lotus Murder," a baffling case involving a cop, a hooker, and a monkey. Now, after several decades, the case in on the verge of being solved -- not by Martin, who has obsessed over the murder for lo these many years, but by his son, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer). So as not to break his father's heart, Frasier arranges the existing evidence so that Martin will "accidentally" discover it. Only one problem: Frasier and Martin may not have arrived at the same solution. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In a fit of nostalgia, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce) purchase their favorite restaurant, a landmark establishment that has fallen on hard times. The brothers eagerly look forward to the opening of the newly christened "Les Frères Heureux," which translates as "The Happy Brothers." But "happy" is not the word that immediately springs to mind on opening night -- especially after Frasier and Niles have managed to either injure or scare off virtually the entire staff. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The eternally unlucky-in-love Roz (Peri Gilpin) begins dating one of Niles' (David Hyde Pierce) patients. Armed with the knowledge that Roz's new beau is a serial womanizer, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) agonizes over how to break the news to her without violating the standard psychiatrist-patient confidentiality. As a result of Frasier's veiled and somewhat convoluted warnings, Roz leaps to the conclusion that he himself has fallen in love with her. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Actor Dan Butler hosts this documentary survey of homosexuality as depicted in movies from Hollywood's Golden Age. The film presents an endless parade of clips as it attempts to read a gay subtext into cinema characters portrayed by Eric Blore, Edward Everett Horton, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Walter Brennan, and Randolph Scott. Shown at the 1997 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Armistead Maupin calls the three-story wooden house at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco "my homestead, my Tara." He began his portrait of Barbary Lane life during the '70s in a daily newspaper serial, expanding the material into a series of six novels. PBS aired the original TV miniseries in 1994, but threats and pressures prompted PBS to drop their plans for a follow-up, leaving an unresolved cliffhanger for four years. Several members of the original PBS cast were reunited for this six-part Showtime sequel (adapted from Maupin's second novel in the series), set in San Francisco of 1977. It picks up the threads of the story six weeks after the point where the PBS miniseries ended. When Mary Ann Singleton (Laura Linney), hoping for romance, and her cynical gay friend Michael (Paul Hopkins) take a Mexican cruise, Mary Ann meets amnesia victim Burke Andrew (Colin Ferguson) and Michael runs into his former lover, Dr. Jon Fielding (William Campbell). Michael's roommate Mona Ramsey (Nina Siemaszko), in a purple haze of pot and angel dust, answers phones at a Reno brothel owned by Mother Mucca (Jackie Burroughs). Mona learns about her lineage and also about Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis), the former Mr. Madrigal. Rich widow Frannie (Diana LeBlanc) finds a cure for her depression at the rural resort Pinus, where society ladies celebrate their 60th birthdays with youthful houseboys. Beauchamp Day (Thomas Gibson) is married to Frannie's pregnant daughter DeDe (Barbara Garrick), but Beauchamp isn't the father. Locations include San Francisco, Montreal (substituting for some areas of San Francisco), and Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Premiered June 7, 1998 on Showtime. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

The catalyst of this story is a little girl named Jamie (Kaleigh Krish), who is trapped in a deep well. In his efforts to rescue the child, a man named Dewey (David Graf) has himself been killed. Performing the autopsy on Dewey, is Dr. Ivan Kroneberger, a cynical, embittered man with no faith in either God or humanity. Monica (Roma Downey) and Tess (Della Reese) encourage Kroneberger to "read" Dewey's body for clues as to how the dead man lived, and why he was willing to give up his life for another person--a most unusual anatomy lesson that may well prove to be the redemption of the doctor, and the salvation of the still-entombed Jamie! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Bill Gates guest stars on this, the 200th episode of Frasier. It so happens that this landmark event occurs on the same day as the 2000th radio broadcast of Frasier's radio call-in show. Having accumulated all but one of his broadcast tapes, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) must now negotiate with the overly obsessive fan (Adam Arkin) who owns the only surviving copy of the missing show. This episode orginally ran 35 minutes and was shown in tandem with a special comprised of clips from previous Frasier seasons. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) has just about had enough of the practical jokes perpetrated by radio sports guy "Bulldog" Briscoe (Dan Butler). Clearly what is called for is a get-even scheme so elaborate and complicated that Frasier has to bring in "outside help." And on the subject of revenge, Daphne's mother, Gertrude (Millicent Martin), is determined to settle accounts with the youthful trick-or-treater who has "vandalized" Niles' door. ~ Rovi

Felicity Huffman makes her first series appearance as Julia Wilcox, KACL's new financial analyst. The abrasive, condescending Julia rubs everyone the wrong way, but Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) -- who can be pretty abrasive and condescending himself -- believes she's merely insecure. He extends the hand of friendship, only to have the nasty Julia nearly bite it off. Thus spruned, Frasier expresses his outrage to everyone -- which merely confirms their belief that he had a crush on Julia. The situation culminates with threats of a harrassment suit and a remarkable revelation. ~ Rovi

After crashing his ATV and sustaining burns over 40 percent of his body, 16-year-old Adam (James Immekus) suffers heart trouble, seizures and a brain dysfunction--but none of these ailments are connected with his injuries! As House (Hugh Laurie)is wrestling with this medical mystery, he is also plotting sweet revenge against Dr. Philip Weber (Dan Butler) who had ratted him out for cheating way back in med school. House's master scheme is to prove publicly that Weber's revolutionary new migrane therapy is a fraud--by testing it on himself! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Can a gay character actor find happiness with a disgraced Republican powerbroker? The actor seems to think so, even if no one else does, in this satiric mockumentary. Dan Butler is an actor who becomes the subject of a documentary by Phil Leirness, who's eager to look into the career of one of America's best supporting actors. During an interview, Butler explains to Leirness that he's become fascinated with the career of Republican political strategist Karl Rove, as he's a "supporting player" in the George W. Bush White House but is also one of the most important figures in the administration. Butler decides to create and stage a one-man-show about Rove, but since he knows next to nothing about him, Butler's first step is to start doing some research. The more Butler learns about Rove, the more fascinated he becomes, until he's developed a head-over-heels infatuation with the former presidential advisor, which begins taking both his show and his life down an increasingly strange path, with Leirness along for the ride. Karl Rove, I Love You was conceived, co-written and co-directed by Dan Butler, who cut his teeth as a director helming episodes of the television comedy series Frasier, where he was a regular cast member. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi