Frasier Saul Rubinek Interview - Donny, Niles & Daphne

Saul Rubinek Interview
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Warehouse 13 and Frasier star Saul Rubinek talks to Red Carpet News at the MCM London Comic Con 2014.
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[@craigd6261]

Got Saul's autograph at MCM London. He spoke to everyone as if they were the most important person there, didn't rush through his signings. What a gent.

[@5pointpm]

All I can say is Saul Rubinek, a great character actor, a great actor, loved so much of his work over the years!

[@KiyokaMakibi]

Wonderful to hear how great it was behind the scenes

[@MrDaiseymay]

He comes accross as a really decent and likeable man; realistic and honest. May his career continue to foster.

[@Juliana65]

This man was BRILLIANT as Donny, specifically in the first episode that Niles meets him in his office and he's undressing and eating a corned beef sandwich. I laugh EVERY time I watch that episode. BRILLIANT!!

[@laurabusse1832]

My favorite part was the towel 🤣

[@CielBlanche]

you could say saul rubinek was the original saul goodman

[@laurabusse1832]

@@CielBlanche only not as shady lol?

[@dla116z3]

For me was when he was swinging them funky draws around in Frasier's, face he nearly fell out the chair.

[@HeavenSoundsLikeThis]

If you Watch real close, while Donnie is on the phone with the other law office, right before he puts them on speaker and takes a bite of the sandwich and intentionally rubs mustard across the side of his face. As you watch the episode, you can pick out minor flaws like that. Funny.

[@cbstevp]

In the summer of 2004 I was walking in a park in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the morning before I had to go to work. The park was located near one of the top hotels. To my utter shock I saw Saul Rubinek sitting on a bench reading a book. I was a movie buff and loved Unforgiven (I had forgotten he was on Frasier) and thought should I ask for...and no sooner had the thought begun and was still unfinished when he looked up from his book, saw me staring, and this look came over his face like "Oh no, not another one. Please go away, I am trying to have some peace and quiet here." And I got it, and looked away, walked past him, and never looked back. I hope he got that peace and quiet he was looking for.

[@tod3msn]

Donny was a really important supporting cast member of Frasier and Saul Rubinek nailed that role down. It could be argued successfully that bringing Donny into the storyline breathed life into Frasier and gave it a boost forward at the right time. If Dauphne and Niles hooked up earlier the storyline would eventually have dragged so the Donny appearance was a real gift for the show and no one could have played Donny better than Saul.

[@casslac1981]

Daphne and Niles dragged seriously when they finally got together. All that build up and get them together zero zilch. They were more interesting with Niles pined for Daphne

[@epyscrivano3145]

The Donny character was a genuinely nice man who suffered the misfortune of stepping unwittingly into the path of someone else's love story. Although his love for the lovable and desirable Daphne was genuine he was sadly a day late and a dollar short. It would have been nice to see him get matched up with a worthy love to keep him around, but, after all, the show was centered around Fraser the psychiatrist and HE never even found a suitable love (although he certainly explored a multitude of women in search of a lasting relationship!) The moral of the story is not all good hearted people find love that lasts.

[@brendahettmansberger2905]

Hi, Epy - I'm surprised that you say Frasier "never even found a suitable love" - but the final episode indicates he's moving to Chicago to be with Charlotte, which was apparently the real thing - they had great chemistry that was a pleasure to watch. I happily imagined that Charlotte and Frasier did in fact get married and made it work...

[@SpyWhoLovedHimself]

Nah it fails with Charlotte and he re-marries Lilith. In a Cheers flashforward, Lilith is at the reading of Frasier's will as his widowed wife.

[@DanTasticEntertainment]

I was always sad for Donny. When he pursued Daphne, I genuinely liked him. He was a good man with a stable life and fell in love with a wonderful woman. It was sad to see him in later episodes where he was something of a broken, unstable guy who was trying to fill what he lost and never seemed to be able to.

[@erictjwalker7218]

@@brendahettmansberger2905 no he never moved to Chicago. He moved to California L A I think. While the woman you're talking about did move to Chicago. So they went in opposite directions.

[@brendahettmansberger2905]

Eric Tj Walker in the final episode we see Frasier on a plane, and for the whole episode we think he is going to San Francisco to start his new job; at the end, we find that he has landed in Chicago - indicating that he has decided against the SF job in favor of pursuing the relationship with Charlotte.

[@d33846]

LOL he used the word 'melange' ...that reminds me of that one episode where niles offers roz a "melange" of fruit and she mistakes it for him saying menage HAHA Brilliant, donny

[@DivineREDxo]

That episode was hilarious. And they kept that joking so long that Roz had to yell at them in public.

[@d33846]

@@DivineREDxo lol love it..actually rewatching the series now haha I’m on season 10

[@kid--presentable]

Donny episodes happen to be my favorite

[@jaysmith6013]

I really liked Donny, but Niles and Daphne were meant for each other

[@itsmylife842]

I agree 100%!!!

[@tod3msn]

Daphne and Donny really clicked as characters. David Hyde Pierce was brilliant as Niles but it seemed a stretch that Daphne would give Niles the time of day in real life. Donny was more fun with Daphne and they really seemed like they were a couple.

[@LarryTaint-qn8pd]

@@tod3msn Donnie was a big fat disgusting blub, it looked weird when she was so skinny.

[@casslac1981]

Jay Smith Not really. Niles seemed way more into Daphne than she was him. I always felt Daphne settled for Niles and became a shrew bossing the weak Niles around

[@meldme]

@@casslac1981 They simply ran out of material. And I don’t think Daphne was as bossy toward the end as people recall. It was only in a few episodes. Some other episodes it just seemed like the character was coasting. The show pulled the five main characters closer together as it went on, so there was less room for conflict, and without the conflict there’s no show. There’s a reason that they put “....And they lived happily ever after” at the end of the fairytales.

[@debraengland3827]

The extraordinary quality of the set which he describes is, among other things, a huge tribute to Kelsey Grammer. This was an amazing ensemble work: across the cast of actors as well as across the larger team including writers, directors, etc. But had Kelsey Grammer been a raging jerk, all those other nice & gifted people could not have created that exceptional dynamic with a nasty, selfish diva (divo?) at the heart of it.

[@coachbear31]

This man is one of my favorite actors, and to me, very underrated.

[@bigeric1030]

He’s like Robert Horry was in basketball or like Craig Biggio was in baseball: whatever you need from them, they’ll not only give you but do a fantastic job while doing it.

[@coachbear31]

Totally agree. Great analogy. Loved him in Unforgiven as well. He played a really interesting character in Star Trek TNG too.

[@waynemarvin5661]

So he's underrated to you, but still one of your favorite actors? How can this be? What do you think underrated means? That no one (except you, of course) appreciates his acting talent? You're not making any sense.

[@coachbear31]

@@waynemarvin5661 Ok. Thank you for your addition to this observation. Really…much appreciated.

[@ElvisRose_]

I loved Donny and I hated the show for doing such a great job with casting him then I was mad at the actor for making me love Donny. I wished that he could have stayed on as a reoccurring character that became friends since he had chemistry within the ensemble and I missed him when he was gone.

[@TheGodisgodis]

Saul Rubinek could have done a spinoff show from FRAISER like A bumbling lawyer that always won his cases

[@SL-vi4tk]

Agreed... I also thought Roz could've carried her own show

[@shadowjack8]

I love this guy. First in Warehouse 13, then in Frasier.

[@lss74]

Best tv show everrrrr ❤

[@kezzyttid9125]

What's the difference between a boil and a bunion? Love that line

[@saltpepper2248]

He was great as Donny

[@TubenIt83]

Saul is one of the premier character actors of this time period (along with Stanley Tucci, Tony Shaloub, and a few others).

[@nathanbradleyf777]

He was great on Frasier. Such a great show.

[@lilyblossom1240]

loved him as donny but rooted for niles ;) . i did wish he would have ended up with roz in the final season. if not him for roz than frasier. but oh, well...lol. donny started season 6, 7, 8 and reappeared in season 9 i believe for niles and daphne's wedding for the final appearance of donny on the show.

[@ReadingIsLife1908]

Me too!!! Loved him for Rod!

[@scottmessenger8639]

Always enjoyed his work, loved Warehouse 13 that he starred in. Sounds like a really nice guy which is good to see!

[@davidrickett3347]

It's June 21st 3020 and a Frasier re-boot is in the works! I hope they can find info a place for Saul, can't wait for it!!

[@jackpoint188]

I think that by 3020 a Frasier reboot would have come and gone.

[@SpiritualAtheist]

Glad they "offered" him the job! He was terrific as Donny. That episode with the towel ... 🤣

[@q.barclay8562]

Fantastic interview 👏

[@dirpbirp6747]

He explains this so well😊

[@OldTimerGarden]

Saul, you're a great Actor too. Loved Warehouse 13.

[@sitcomsTV]

Great character. We felt for him but we also wanted Niles to get Daphne. Latter Danny shown up again and he was unhappy at love and still suffering. Witch is normal and felt so real.

[@davidboyce8683]

I love Saul , I always loved him in Frasier.

[@maxbrazil3712]

I've been a Saul Rubinek fan since he was the slimy sports agent in "Against All Odds"

[@HAL_NINER_TRIPLE_ZERO]

I think what was brilliant about that whole arc was how they so deftly turned both Donnie and Mel's characters into vindictive asshats after they both got dumped. Any lingering sympathy for them would have diminished and tarnished Niles and Daphne in the eyes of the audience.

[@richardfecteau4490]

i still sympathized with them.

[@casslac1981]

Richard Fecteau I did too. Daphne became very unlikeable when get finally got with Niles

[@NicoleCzarnecki]

@@casslac1981, Niles was the worst of all because he used Maris’ money to hire Daphne to take care of his father. So, Daphne was a victim of an adulterer and a power-dynamic abuser. PS I realized that because Daphne was an immigrant, Niles was able to hold her immigration status over her, which makes Niles even worse.

[@shaunsiz.itsbetterbytube2858]

WAREHOUSE NO 13 ( for me ) Best Series ever "Respect"

[@vatafakman]

Great actor,jackpot for Frasier !

[@mattthambirajahpt286]

The thing about Donny - he is a genuinely nice guy on Frasier. I felt really bad for him when Daphne called it off - even though that was the right thing to do

[@heidifedor]

I kinda wanted to see Donny, and Mel end up together.

[@jodiurlacher145]

You and me both!

[@donnarachiele1226]

Never thought of it but it woud be good rebound for both characters I think Mel was very vindictive so no not good for Donnie but both have certain qualities that coud compliment each other

[@sbello361]

Donny and Roz would've worked

[@ssjup81]

Felt bad for Donny. Didn’t feel as bad for Mel since she started off as Pre-Maris. It would’ve gotten worse for Niles over time.

[@waynemarvin5661]

Pre-Maris? What does that mean?

[@ssjup81]

@@waynemarvin5661 She was coming across as Maris, but not quite entirely like Maris, but going in that direction. That's why I said Pre-Maris, before she became how she did when married if going by the way she was described on the show. In all honesty, since this post was done so long ago, I had to rewatch the video to get an idea what I was even referring to. lol

[@cluman1]

This guy was all wrong as a love interest for Daphne. At least he explained why they chose him.

[@guypilotte1151]

I still watch warehouse 13

[@giselematthews7949]

I loved him in Leverge

[@pjdexter168]

He'll always be Donny and the movie producer from True Romance

[@robrichmond6171]

The writer character that pees himself in the unforgiven always comes to mind first for me!

[@Dulcimertunes]

Great on Nero Wolfe with Timothy Hutton

[@HeavenSoundsLikeThis]

I wish they’d bring back Frasier the show. Although John Mahoney won’t be there may he rest in peace, but I would love to see Donny get together with Roz.

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

These are the reasons we still laugh at the reruns today.

[@HellhammerSS]

He played such a good prick on star trek

[@SleepSensation_]

LOved frasier they don't make tv shows like that anymore

[@nodrip1]

Daphne did ya wrong!

[@pamhi7633]

I thought Donnie was so funny as Daphne boyfriend. It was funny when he tried sue Frasier for the wedding.

[@CursoryMercenary]

Saul was excellent on Frasier, the show was worse off for him no longer being a part of it.

[@ced11773]

Too bad he and Roz never got back together

[@kid--presentable]

Yes that would have been awesome

[@jasonbyrd1840]

I wasn't a fan of Donny, he just came off as the super cocky hot shot attorney that his look didn't fit his character.

[@ssjup81]

That was the point, right? Not to judge a book by its cover. Niles had to learn that too when considering him to represent him.

[@LarryTaint-qn8pd]

Neither of those two soy boys were in Daphne's league.

[@waynemarvin5661]

Soy boys? What the Hell does that mean?

[@bySterling]

Just wasn’t fond of this character, gave me the willies imagining him naked w Daphne

[@aroyaliota]

I fell in love with Donny the moment he appeared on screen when Niles hired him as his lawyer. A gorgeous personality who got burned in the crossfire of two star crossed lovers.

[@Oddballkane]

I'm with you he loved Daphne but her love was ment for someone else. He seems like a nice guy.

[@edigabrieli7864]

Best TV show ever. We are glad you were part of it and certainly your contribution is much appreciate.

[@ReneeandLloydRamsey]

I STILL watch Frasier EVERY day, on Netflix. I wish Donny and Roz would have gotten together. I'd give almost anything to see a reunion. R.I.P. John Mulaney, you are loved and missed more than you know. Saul was awesome and I'm overjoyed that they kept him longer than was originally planned, but I wish they would have kept him on as a regular on the show. Making him Roz's boyfriend, then husband, would have been perfect! (Though before Donny, I was really rooting for Roger, lol).

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

John Mahoney, you mean. Though it's an easy mistake to make, I confuse those names all the time 😄

[@Michelle-pn9xt]

He was not her type! If a woman was short and fat, I am sure that you would not say that she should be would a more attractive guy. The double standard lives on!

[@DomoftheDoctor]

@@Michelle-pn9xt What do you mean he was not her type? There was a whole episode of Roz conniving with Niles to get back together with Donny!

[@terrybulford3784]

I too whatch this show every day, it has all life in it, beautiful souls, got me through many a hard time, love, love it.xx💕💕

[@marmike2001]

I am happy to hear I am not the only one who still watches this show. I must have seen every episode at least 500 times, but so what this show was awesome. They don't make shows like these anymore, used to love Everybody Loves Raymond and Cheers. As you can see I am a person who likes all of the old shows. Thank goodness for classic tv.

[@no288]

HE WAS GREAT....I felt sorry for him when they brought him back when Niles and Daphne had to fake their wedding for the third time. Why humiliate him again?

[@davidinvenio3094]

One of the best and most under-utilized actors.... and apparently he's an incredibly nice person and great father/friend/person which makes me want to watch his work even more when compared to most actors I think. Because who he is as a person comes through in his acting. If I am getting it right and not delusional LOL

[@garymeise673]

The best guest star of Frasier ever. Saul rubinek dammit how good was he

[@garymeise673]

Course this is like 7 years ago so I'm not sure how to tell Saul rubinek that he was my absolute favorite guest character ark that the entire series. I adore him and Warehouse 13, and yet my very favorite character he did was Daphne's boyfriend fiance on Frasier. He is a truly perfect character actor, I mean absolutely perfect no wonder they cast him. He completely added to the fact that the Frazier is one of the most elite shows that has ever existed

[@kid--presentable]

I am in total agreement

[@no288]

i don't care if he is an actor i want him as my lawyer ; - )

[@johnscanlan9335]

One of the best scenes ever in all of Fraser was when Donny spilled the beans to Niles about the real truth about how Maris's family made their fortune! No it was in the very respectable Northwest forestry industry; instead it was in manufacturing urinal cakes!!! LOLOLOL

[@donnarachiele1226]

I flushed out her family secret

[@jeffbishop9404]

@@donnarachiele1226 "Hellooooo Maris" 🤣🤣

[@forestpepper3621]

I admired how the writers never made Donny any sort of "villain", a common cliche' in drama, where the woman discovers some dark secret that causes her to reject "the bad guy". Rather, Donny was a decent person looking for love, and the writers explored all the emotional turmoil this caused for Niles, with Donny and Daphne totally oblivious to that turmoil. That is how real Life often goes.

[@kw2299]

It was the brilliance of the supporting cast that added such depth to the show. Even those small, one episode parts: the ticket operator in the car park, the receptionist at the s bank, Mrs Wadjadubokowski dating Martin were so authentic and perfectly cast.

[@MeMeDaVinci]

Saul Rubinek is a good actor, always fits the bill of the role he plays...I met him briefly, about 1993ish. In Toronto, going to someone else's house, a friend of mine wanted me to spend time watching a movie with his daughter in the den while he talked with a friend at the kitchen table. The someone else friend was Saul Rubinek.

[@GradStudentTutorials]

Saul Rubinek is a legend. My favorite scene is when he confronts Frasier in his office with "Mr. Chump"

[@erlinglea4122]

This man destroyed Hollywood they stopped making western after this

[@JoeOMalley-py8wq]

He comes across as a genial down to Earth guy .

[@BeckettSong]

It's really a shame that Mr. Rubinek did not appear on Friends.

[@Michelle-pn9xt]

as who?

[@nealsausen4651]

Sol looks like buddy Hackett here!

[@swish6754]

Honestly, I gagged - just a little bit - every time Donny and Daphne kissed.

[@thegray5730]

Saul Rubinek is one of only 7 actors to play on all three of my favorite shows, Frasier, Star Trek and Stargate.

[@marfialennox2642]

Donny was such a slob, but lovable. I wanted him with daphne because between she and Niles, I preferred the chase not the romance

[@francismallard5892]

His performance in “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” was magnificent.

[@ImpInTowVideos]

Brilliant actor. And all the stuff he said made me feel so proud for the show. What a gem!

[@christineparker7534]

I loved the character Donny he was perfect for that part..💕

[@Greg87601]

I'm a fan of Saul Rubinek.

[@kirkwoodward8443]

Such a good good actor.