WITH AN EYE ON . . . : When crediting the chemistry on ‘Frasier,’ don’t forget Peri Gilpin

“Frasier” star Peri Gilpin knows exactly what purpose her character Ros Doyle serves on the hit NBC sitcom. “She’s there to torment Frasier relentlessly,” Gilpin says, laughing.

Gilpin enjoys playing Frasier Crane’s (Kelsey Grammer) fast-talking radio producer, who’s on a vigilant search for Mr. Right. “It’s different every week, her quest for a date. She’s sure having fun along the way. She saw the value in the biggest nerd on Earth. She just wanted to explore the possibilities.”

Ah , exploring the possibilities. There’s some of that in Gilpin.

“Of course, she’s a lot like me,” she says from her new Los Angeles home. “It’s an ongoing thing as you’re developing your TV character. I love that she’s so out there.”

Ros is “much more on the edge than I am,” says the actress. Unlike Ros, Gilpin is “in a settled relationship.”

It took a while for Gilpin to settle down, though, in life and career. The Texas native studied acting at the Dallas Theater Center from age 8 through 18. Anxious to travel, she crossed the Atlantic to London, where she studied drama at the British-American Academy. When she returned to the United States, she opted for a career change, going behind-the-scenes: She became a makeup person, working in TV and film.

“I figured I was still staying in the business and making money, it was creative and I was learning something,” she recalls. “I learned, however, once and for all, that I needed to be on the other side of the camera.”

Among those who agreed with her was “Frasier” co-creator and executive producer David Lee: “We first saw her when we were casting our other show, ‘Wings,’ and she was up for the role of Helen, who originally was written as a sultry Greek.”

Crystal Bernard eventually won the role of Helen, and Gilpin went on to series guest roles. She ventured back to her theater roots and produced and starred in “The Maderati” at the Tiffany Theater. She also appeared in the Ensemble Theater Production of “Women of Manhattan.”

Eventually, Lee cast her opposite David Keith in his sitcom “Flesh ‘N Blood,” which lasted only a few episodes. “Local Heroes,” which paired Gilpin again with Keith, never aired.

When it was time to cast “Frasier,” it was down to Gilpin and another actress. The other actress got the part.

“But when we were working on the pilot,” Lee now says, “the other actress just didn’t work. It wasn’t a proper wedding of actress to character.”

Lee and his associates tracked down Gilpin, who was dining at Los Angeles’ Orso restaurant. “We told her she had gotten the part; we understand that there was a scream that came from the phone that was heard throughout the restaurant.

“She’s an extraordinary actress,” Lee says. “She’s a rare combination of beauty and comedic talent, which is one of the hardest things to find. I love her drawl and how smart she is.”

Gilpin’s well-paired with Grammer. “His character is so well-defined and our characters are all wrapped around him,” she says.

Her description of Ros could be a description of herself: “She’s having fun and she’s good at her job and very efficient.” Gilpin, who knows her own playful side, adds, “Ros loves to talk about her social life, because she knows it freaks Frasier out. It’s a great way to tease him and sure, there’s that side of me that’s like that.”

“Frasier” airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.