It Takes Two to Tangle - S8-E17
Trivia: In the opening credits Niles mentions that Daphne had lost 9 lbs. 12 oz at the weight-loss spa. This is a deliberate reference to the birth of Janes Leeves' (Daphne) daughter. According to www.imdb.com, she was born in Jan 2001 and weighed 9 lbs. 12 oz.
Trivia: While Niles makes his basketball shot on the first attempt, at the stadium it took actor David Hyde Pierce 27 attempts to do it.
Answer: It equals the record of James Arness of "Gunsmoke" for the actor who's played the same part on TV NOT in a soap opera. If you include soaps there are two main contenders - William Roache, who's been playing Ken Barlow in "Coronation Street" in the UK since 1960. Don Hastings has been playing Robert Hughes in US soap "As the World Turns" since 1960 as well.