Original Frasier actor Saul Rubinek reveals how his opposition to Daphne and Niles being together kept his character on the show longer.
Saul Rubinek reveals that his opposition to Niles being with Daphne kept Donny in Frasier for much longer. Playing divorce lawyer, Donny Douglas, the actor was in the Cheers spin-off for around two seasons. Initially, however, Rubinek’s involvement was only meant to last for a few episodes.
Looking back at his stint in Frasier, Rubinek tells The Natural Aristocrat that because of Daphne’s attraction to Donny, the character’s stint in the sitcom was extended. Their relationship was a foil to Niles, that it made for a compelling love triangle. Read his full quote below:
“Of course I do! (laughs) I still run into people who tell me they’re very sympathetic to Donny being left at the wedding like that. One of the great things about that character and playing that character was that I had to be taken seriously. Because some of the other boyfriends that Daphne had were kind of standard looking, very good looking, tall.…. You know, good looking guys. Well, my character isn’t ugly. He’s just a normal looking guy and maybe four inches shorter than Daphne is. (laughs) And the fact that she’s attracted to him makes it automatically a more serious, difficult situation for Niles. I was originally only contracted for three episodes of Frasier, but it was such a successful challenge to Nile’s secret longing for Daphne that they kept the character going for almost two seasons. So that was really cool!”
Why Daphne & Niles Ending Up Together Is So Important In Frasier
While Niles was married to Maris at the start of Frasier, he was infatuated with Daphne the moment they met. Throughout the show’s run, both dated different people, but the younger Crane’s attraction had been consistent. Arguably, he had only become more in love with her as it went on. The comedy used his attraction for comedic purposes, but there was always a promise that they would be together.
It wasn’t until Frasier season 7 that the show developed the pair’s romance. Considering how much time and effort the series devoted to their story, viewers were all invested in their arc. Finally bringing them together during the latter half of the sitcom’s run made sense. That way, NBC had enough time to tackle what happened after they got together. During Frasier’s final years, Niles and Daphne got married, and in the last season, they had a son — David, who will appear in the revival.
Somehow, the consistency of Niles’ affection for Daphne provided the show with a romantic angle, especially since Frasier and Martin dated different people. Despite Peri Gilpin’s return as Roz in the Frasier revival, it’s still a disappointment that the Paramount+ show won’t feature the couple. Perhaps, fans can still get an update through references from David.
