Trivia: For better or worse, leading actor Kelsey Grammer's name will probably forever be associated with the pompous, garrulous, and self-absorbed but lovable psychiatrist Frasier Crane, a character Grammer has played on television since he first appeared on the NBC sitcom Cheers, in 1984, as a love interest for Shelley Long. Though Frasier was not intended to become a series regular, Grammer's performance of the blowhard neurotic charmed audiences and he remained with Cheers through its 1993 demise. At the beginning of the 1993-1994 television season, Grammer's character was resurrected in his own show and moved from Boston to Seattle, where he became a radio psychologist and faced a whole slew of folks just waiting to poke metaphorical pins in his hot air balloon. Thanks to excellent performances and top-notch writing, Frasier became as big a hit as its predecessor. Grammer won three Emmy awards and was nominated for seven more (twice for Cheers, once for his guest appearance on a 1992 episode of Wings, four times for Frasier) for playing the character. Born on St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Grammer knew extreme tragedy in youth. Following the shooting death of his father when he was a boy, he was raised in New Jersey and then Florida, by his mother and grandfather. His grandfather died before Grammer became a teen. When he was 20, his sister was abducted and violently murdered. Five years later, he lost two half brothers in a diving accident. As a young man, Grammer found comfort in Shakespeare; with his acting debut in a high school production of The Little Foxes came an interest in pursuing drama as a career. He enrolled in Juilliard, but dropped out after two years to work at San Diego's Old Globe Theater, where he gained three years' invaluable experience performing in Shakespearean and classical dramas; afterward, Grammer performed in productions across the country. He eventually made it to Broadway, where he appeared in various productions, including Othello. Prior to playing Frasier, Grammer appeared occasionally on television and had regular roles in three soap operas, including One Life to Live. He continues to occasionally guest star on other series. Fans of the animated satire The Simpsons will recognize his periodic voice characterization as the venomous Sideshow Bob. Miniseries and telemovies in which he has appeared include London Suite and Beyond Suspicion. Grammer made his feature film debut with a small role in Top of the Hill (1989) and had his first starring role in the much-panned comedy Down Periscope (1996). In addition to his Emmy kudos, Grammer has received an American Comedy Award, two Golden Globes, and a People's Choice Award. In 1995, he published his autobiography So Far.Grammer would spend the following years taking on TV roles on shows like Back to You and Boss, but would find even more success as a producer, helping bring shows like The Game, Girlfriends, Hank, Medium, and World Cup Comedy to fruition. In 2014, he returned to acting in a big way, making a cameo appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past, reprising his role as Beast, playing the bad guy in Transformers: Age of Extinction, and returning to television in the FX series Partners.

Trivia: 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. He reunited with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola's animated comic adaptation The Amazing Screw-On Head to voice the role of the dreaded Emperor Zombie in 2006, and joined the cast of The Perfect Host in 2010 for a leading role as Warwick Wilson, whose genteel façade hides a deep rage and mental instability.

Trivia: A distinctive-looking, grey-haired British character actor, John Mahoney worked onstage in his teens, and moved to the U.S. at 19. In his mid-30s, while employed as an editor in Chicago, he decided to renew his interest in acting, and he enrolled in classes at a local theater co-founded by playwright David Mamet; he landed a role in a Mamet play and left his job for the part. At the urging of actor John Malkovich, he went on to join Chicago's celebrated Steppenwolf Theater; eventually he appeared in more than 30 plays. For his work in the Broadway play House of Blue Leaves he won a Tony and a Clarence Derwent Award. For his work in the lead role of Orphans (on Broadway and in Chicago) he won a Theater World Award. He still lives in Chicago, and maintains his connection with Steppenwolf. Mahoney debuted onscreen in Mission HIll (1982), but his screen breakthrough came in his fifth film, Barry Levinson's popular comedy Tin Men (1987); afterwards he went on to better parts in more noteworthy movies, and has avoided typecasting in a busy screen career. Mahoney's TV credits include Favorite Son and House of Blue Leaves, in which he reprised his stage role; he has since achieved wide popularity as Martin Crane, Frasier Crane's crochety father, on the NBC sitcom Frasier.

Trivia: Began studying ballet at a very early age, but hurt her ankle when she was 18 and was forced to give it up. Appeared in David Lee Roth's video for "California Girls." Lived for a time with her best friend Faith Ford, whom she met in acting class. Cofounded the production company Bristol Cities with Frasier costar Peri Gilpin in 1998. Since her first pregnancy wasn't written into Frasier, her character, Daphne, was sent off to a fat camp and was said to have lost 9 pounds, 12 ounces---the weight of Jane's daughter when she was born. Made her Broadway debut in Cabaret as Sally Bowles in 2002. Reunited with Fraiser alum Wendy Malick to costar in the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland.

Trivia: With a father who was a famous local radio and television celebrity, a model mother who appeared in television, and a working relationship with Wings producer Roz Doyle in her past, it may all seem like an obscure cosmic joke that pretty Peri Gilpin would rise to fame as radio producer Roz Doyle on the smash television sitcom Frasier, though the longtime actress would likely credit her success to hard work rather than astrological coincidence.Born in Waco, TX, and raised in Dallas, Gilpin began acting on stage with the Dallas Theater Company at the age of eight, a fact that helped her shake stage fright and gain the confidence that would accompany her through numerous future auditions. A Skyline High School graduate, Gilpin later studied acting at both the University of Texas at Austin and London's British-American Academy. Upon returning to the U.S., Gilpin worked as a makeup artist in the Dallas area before taking an apprenticeship with the Williamstown Theater Festival. A chance meeting with actress Blythe Danner resulted in Gilpin gaining some support within the industry, and it wasn't long before Gilpin's dreams were coming true with roles on television's Flesh 'n' Blood and 21 Jump Street. A role on Cheers followed shortly after, and when a spin-off series entitled Frasier became an unexpected hit, Gilpin found the role that would bring her into households across the country on a weekly basis. Appearing frequently on such made-for-television films as The Secret She Carried (1996) and Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2000) while simultaneously essaying her role on Frasier, Gilpin (who was named after the animated Disney character Peri the squirrel) has also loaned her voice to such animated projects as television's Hercules and the computer-animated feature Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001). Throughout the 2000's and 2010's, Gilpin remained active, starring most notably on the dance series Make It or Break It.

Trivia: Gold medal-winning figure skater Scott Hamilton is so well known for his flamboyance and liveliness it's hard to believe he started out sickly and meek. At the age of just two, Hamilton mysteriously stopped growing, with no doctor able to offer a definite diagnosis. His family sought out numerous specialists, but eventually, through diet, exercise, and time, he began growing again. He remained slight, but this proved in some ways to be an asset as he began skating, adding to his agility.Hamilton took to the ice early on and began training with former Olympic champion Pierre Brunet in 1976, when he was 13. By 1980, he finished third in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and earned a spot on the Olympic team, eventually finishing fifth at the games in Lake Placid, NY. The next year, Hamilton took first place at the U.S. Championships, the first in a streak of first-place wins that would continue for every subsequent competition the skater competed in for the rest of his career. In the end, his achievements totaled four gold medals from the U.S. Championships, four from the World Championships, and one for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Fresh off his gold streak, Hamilton embarked on a professional career, where he found the freedom to express his creativity with a more performance-oriented take on the sport, entertaining crowds with fun music choices and costumes. He also became involved in major charity work, especially following a brush with testicular cancer in 1997 and treatment for a benign brain tumor in 2004. Additionally, Hamilton continued to work as a figure skating commentator on a number of networks and signed on to participate in the reality show Celebrity Apprentice 2 in 2008.

Trivia: An alumnus of the famous Second City improvisational troupe that produced some of the best comics of the '70s and '80s, Joe Flaherty is best remembered for playing Guy Caballero, the Argentine owner of the fictional Channel 109, the home of Second City TV (1977-1981), a hilarious Toronto-based parody of all things television. Flaherty made his feature-film debut in Alex and the Gypsy (1976). He has subsequently gone on to play small character roles in numerous films of widely varying quality. Flaherty also occasionally appeared as a television guest star in shows such as Ellen (1994-1998).

Trivia: Born December 3rd, 1960, the older sister of actress Page Hannah and niece of cinematographer Haskell Wexler, leading lady Daryl Hannah trained for the ballet before switching to acting at the Goodman Theatre. Taking the stage would prove quite a daunting task for the girl who suffered from agoraphobia and was once such a wallflower that she was diagnosed as borderline autistic, and though it would take Hannah a few years to become truly comfortable in front of an audience, she eventually overcame her fear to stunning results. In addition to ballet Hannah also exuded a certain grace on the high school soccer field. Her interest in film was sparked by a severe case of insomnia early in life, and young Hannah would spend hours on end soaking in film into the wee hours of the night. Before completing her theatrical training under the guidance of Stella Adler, the young hopeful appeared in the Brian De Palma film The Fury (1978) at the age of 18 . After delivering a remarkable performance as a tough android in Blade Runner (1982), Hannah achieved full stardom with her winsome portrayal of a mermaid in Splash (1983). Not all of her subsequent films -- nor her performances -- have been as successful, though she was highly praised for her interpretation of a nerdish hairdresser in Steel Magnolias, and was treated kindly by the press and public for her characterization in the title role of the made-for-TV Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1992). Her often turbulent private life achieved an even keel with her long-term relationship with lawyer/ publisher John F. Kennedy Jr. Sadly, their relationship was doomed from the start due to Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis' disapproval of her son marrying an actor, the two eventually parted ways. In 1996 Kennedy wed Carolyn Besette, and the rest of their story is history. Despite public perception that Hannah withdrew from acting in the later 1990s, it was simply an unfortunate series of career missteps that kept the enigmatic actress out of the multiplexes and in such mediocre fare as The Last Days of Frankie the Fly and Gun (both 1997). Of course not all was lost during the 1990s, and audiences could indeed catch memorable performances by Hannah in Grumpy Old Men (1993) (as well as that film's 1995 sequel), the Emmy-nominated mini-series The Last Don and the Robert Altman thriller The Gingerbread Man. As the millennium turned Hannah was still stuck in a sort of celluliod limbo, though such edgy efforts as Cord and Dancing at the Blue Iguana (both 2000) showed the actress had a fearless side that had been left virtually unexplored since her days in The Fury and Blade Runner. Of course Hannah still had a soft spot, and following a supporting performance in Mark and Michael Polish's quirky 2001 drama Jackpot she went family friendly with the mini-series Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story and the comparitively earnest and innocent teen drama A Walk to Remember (2002). Having formed a friendly working relationship with the Polish brothers with Jackpot, Hannah returned to the screen for the filmmakers in their acclaimed 2003 drama Northfork. The critical success of Northfork marked the beginning of a critical year for the veteran actress. A turn as a contract killer with a conscience followed with The Job, and after a trip to the middle of nowhere in The Big Empty Hannah aspired to adopt a Mexican orphan in John Sayles Casa de los Babys. Teamed with a powerhouse cast that included Lili Taylor, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Marcia Gay Harden, the critically acclaimed drama cemented the comeback that would continue with Kill Bill Vol. 1 just a few short months later. Cast as deadly assassin Elle Driver (Codename: California Mountain Snake), Hannah's eye-patch wearing killer was inspired by the exploitation roughie Thriller (also known as They Call Her One Eye). Though Hannah was still breathing at the end of Kill Bill Vol. 1, audiences held their breath to discover the ultimate fate of her viscous character until the release of Kill Bill Vol. 2 four months later.

Trivia: Olympia Dukakis is one of those character actresses who infallibly lends a touch of class to whatever picture she's in. Despite her extraordinary dignity and class, she is able to make even the most outrageous character believable. Though she is well regarded in film, Dukakis has spent the bulk of her distinguished career on-stage as an actress and a director. She is also a highly respected drama teacher. The daughter of Greek immigrants, Dukakis once worked as a physical therapist. Her interest in acting came after appearing in summer stock and then taking adult-ed classes in drama at Boston University, where she graduated with a master's in Fine Arts. After graduation, she began her theatrical career and then co-founded Boston's renowned Charles Playhouse. Dukakis made her film debut in director Robert Rossen's last film Lillith (1964). She continued to make sporadic and undistinguished appearances in movies though much of the '80s, but did not gain notice until 1987 when she won an Academy Award for playing Cher's Italian mother in Moonstruck. Since then, Dukakis has specialized in playing older women from different ethnic backgrounds or mothers. Subsequent film appearances include Steel Magnolias (1989), where she played the elegant widow Clairee Belcher, Mighty Aphrodite (1995), and Picture Perfect (1997). In addition to her film and stage work -- she has appeared in over 100 plays -- Dukakis has also occasionally appeared on television in movies and mini-series. One of her most famous roles was that of the mysterious and kooky Annie Madrigal in the PBS adaptation of Armistad Maupin's Tales of the City (1993). Though the miniseries' gay themes led to considerable controversy, a sequel starring Dukakis was released in 1998. In addition to her Oscar win, she has earned Obie Awards, a New York and Los Angeles Critics Award, and a Golden Globe. As a drama teacher, Dukakis has worked at New York University and Yale. Her cousin, Michael Dukakis, was a presidential candidate for the Democratic party in 1988.She co-starred with Juli Dench for The Last of the Blonde Bombshells in 2000, and took a leading role in 2001's Further Tales of the City. Though she remained busy throughout the early and mid-2000s, it wasn't until 2006 that she would enjoy critical success in the acclaimed drama Away From Her. In 2007 she co-starred in the comedy drama The Land of Women. In 2011 she appeared in The Misadventures of the Dunderheads and Cloudburst, and joined the cast of Joe Papp in Five Acts in 2012.

Trivia: The son of actor John Carradine, Keith Carradine began his own theatrical training at Colorado State University, dropping out after one semester because he felt he wasn't getting anywhere. Soon afterward, Carradine made his stage debut in the "tribal love rock musical" Hair; his brief relationship with fellow cast member Shelley Plimpton resulted in a daughter, Martha Plimpton, who grew up to become a prominent actress in her own right. Carradine's first film was 1971's McCabe and Mrs. Miller, directed by Robert Altman. Four years later, Carradine's musical composition "I'm Easy," which he performed in Altman's Nashville (1975), won an Academy Award. Carradine divested himself of his familiar movie mannerisms in the early 1990s to portray the folksy, gum-chewing title character in the Broadway hit The Will Rogers Follies. In 1995, he emulated the past screen villainy of his father and his brother, David, as the smirking antagonist of the movie melodrama The Ties That Bind. He continued to work in film and television throughout the rest of the decade, showing up in movies like A Thousand Acres (1997) and various TV series. Meanwhile, the early 2000s found Carradine as busy as ever, with a recurring role as Wild Bill Hickock (whom he had previously played in the 1995 feature WIld Bill) on HBO's popular wild west series Deadwood, as well as roles on Dexter, Dollhouse, and Damages serving well to keep him in the public eye. Always handy with a six-shooter, Carradine took aim at some particularly nasty extraterrestrials in Iron Man director Jon Favreau's sci-fi/western genre mash-up Cowboys and Aliens in 2011.