Hello TonyVincent -
David started out as a Broadway performer, and was a steady actor on Broadway well before Frasier. His first appearance on a Broadway stage was in 1981 and he worked regularly on Broadway and Off-Broadway right up until he went to California in 1990 or '91.
In addition, while attending Yale, he was a regular summer performer at the Williamstown Theatre Festival playing on the same stages with the likes of Christopher Reeve, Micheal Cerveris and Frank Langella. He acted as well at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, including a season with the famed Guthrie Repertory Company. The list is long and impressive when you start to look at his stage credits. So the "name" theory has little to do with his being on stage and is at the very least debatable.
Whether or not he would have a Tony is also in debate. I can see the controversy of this past year; although I disagree that he was undeserving, but that's another thread. If he had remained on Broadway, I do think with his innumerable talents he would have had a Tony Award at some point over the 26 years. But hey, it's just my opinion.
Updated On: 3/19/08 at 02:35 PM