Daniel Davis (born November 26, 1945) is an American film, stage and television actor. He portrayed Niles the butler on the sitcom The Nanny (1993 to 1999) and had two guest appearances as Professor Moriarty on Star Trek: The Next Generation (a role he reprised on Star Trek: Picard), affecting a received pronunciation English accent for both roles.
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Early life and education
Davis was born on November 26, 1945, in Gurdon, Arkansas, and grew up in Little Rock. His parents operated a cinema. His first acting job was at the age of 11, when he was cast in a local broadcast program, Betty's Little Rascals.
Davis graduated from Hall High School in Little Rock in 1964. He graduated from the Arkansas Arts Center with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, followed by work with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, and six years with the American Conservatory Theater (ACT). During his time at ACT, he taught acting classes.
