Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. (born
November 17 1944) is an
Academy Award-nominated,
Emmy Award-winning
American actor,
director and
producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal of "Louie De Palma" on the popular
ABC and
NBC TV series Taxi (1978–1983). In 2006 he began co-starring as Frank Reynolds on the
FX sitcom
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He stands 5 feet.
Biography
Early life
DeVito, an
Italian American,
was born in
Neptune,
New Jersey, the son of Julia, a homemaker, and Daniel Michael DeVito, Sr., who owned several small businesses, including a dry cleaning store, a dairy outlet, a luncheonette, and a pool hall.
[Danny DeVito Biography - Yahoo! Movies][Danny DeVito Biography (1944-)] He was raised
Catholic[Reel.com: Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito] and grew up in
Asbury Park.
[Shaw, David. "DeVito! Although He Has a Penchant for Dark Comedies, Actor-Director Danny DeVito Is Serious About His Craft, His Family and His Cigars", Cigar Aficionado profile, accessed May 2, 2007. "Danny DeVito was born in 1944 in the shore town of Neptune, New Jersey--hence the name of his production company--and raised in neighboring Asbury Park, the youngest of five children (two of whom died before he was born)."] He boarded at
Oratory Preparatory School, in
Summit, New Jersey, graduating in 1961. He married actress
Rhea Perlman on
January 28,
1982.
Career
DeVito played "Martini" in the movie
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (reprising his role from the 1971
off-Broadway play). After
Taxi, DeVito continued what became a successful movie career, beginning with a role in 1983's
Terms of Endearment (in an almost walk-on role) and the comic rogue in the romantic adventure
Romancing the Stone, starring
Michael Douglas and
Kathleen Turner. All three reprised their roles in the 1985 sequel,
The Jewel of the Nile. In 1986, he was in
Ruthless People with
Bette Midler and
Judge Reinhold. In 1987, DeVito made his feature directing debut on
dark comedy Throw Momma from the Train, in which he additionally starred, opposite
Billy Crystal and
Anne Ramsey. Two years later DeVito reunited with Douglas and Turner to direct and star with them in
The War of the Roses.
