Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series ''
Taxi'' (1978–1983), which won him a
Golden Globe Award and an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
. He plays
Frank Reynolds on the
FX and
FXX sitcom ''
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' (2006–present).
He is known for his film roles in ''
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to:
* ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey
* ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas
* ''One Flew Over the ...
'' (1975), ''
Terms of Endearment'' (1983), ''
Romancing the Stone'' (1984), ''
Throw Momma from the Train'' (1987), ''
Twins'' (1988), ''
The War of the Roses'' (1989), ''
Batman Returns'' (1992), ''
Jack the Bear'' (1993), ''
Junior'' (1994), ''
Get Shorty'' (1995), ''
Matilda'' (1996), ''
L.A. Confidential'' (1997), ''
The Big Kahuna'' (1999), ''
Big Fish'' (2003), ''
Deck the Halls
"Deck the Hall” is a traditional Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh, dating back to the sixteenth century, and belongs to a winter carol, " Nos Galan", while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862 ...
'' (2006), ''
When in Rome'' (2010), ''
Wiener-Dog'' (2016) and ''
Jumanji: The Next Level'' (2019). He is also known for his voice roles in such films as ''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted th ...
'' (1997), ''
The Lorax
''The Lorax'' is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and published in 1971. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, the titular character, who "speaks for the trees" and confronts the Once-ler, a business magnate who caus ...
'' (2012) and ''
Smallfoot'' (2018).
In 2017, he earned a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination for
Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the
Broadway revival of
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' (19 ...
's ''
The Price''. DeVito and
Michael Shamberg founded Jersey Films. Soon afterwards,
Stacey Sher became an equal partner. The production company is known for films such as ''
Pulp Fiction'', ''
Garden State'', and ''
Freedom Writers''. DeVito also owned Jersey Television, which produced the
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy program ...
series ''
Reno 911!''. DeVito and wife
Rhea Perlman starred together in his 1996 film ''
Matilda'', based on
Roald Dahl's children's novel. DeVito was also one of the producers nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only categor ...
for ''
Erin Brockovich'' (2000).
Early life
DeVito was born at
Raleigh Fitkin-Paul Morgan Memorial Hospital in
Neptune Township, New Jersey, the son of Daniel DeVito Sr., a small business owner, and Julia DeVito ( Moccello). He grew up in a family of five, with his parents and two older sisters.
He is of
Italo-
Albanian descent; his family is originally from
San Fele,
Basilicata, as well as from
Arbëresh Albanian community of
Calabria. He was raised in
Asbury Park, New Jersey; notably, he would live just miles away from the original
Jersey Mike's location and would eat there frequently, which would partially inspire him to become the sub shop's first-ever celebrity spokesman in a line of commercials that began to air in September 2022.
DeVito was raised as a Catholic. When he was 14, he persuaded his father to send him to boarding school to "keep him out of trouble",
and graduated from
Oratory Preparatory School in
Summit, New Jersey, in 1962. While working as a beautician at his sister's salon, his search for a professional makeup instructor led him to the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he graduated in 1966. In his early theater days, he performed with the Colonnades Theater Lab at the
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in
Waterford, Connecticut. Along with his future wife
Rhea Perlman, he appeared in plays produced by the
Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective.
Career
Film work
DeVito played Martini in the 1975 film ''
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to:
* ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey
* ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas
* ''One Flew Over the ...
'', reprising his role from the 1971
off-Broadway play of the same title.
After his time on the ''
Taxi'' series ended, DeVito devoted more effort to a growing successful film career, appearing as Vernon Dalhart in the 1983 hit ''
Terms of Endearment''; as the comic rogue Ralph in the romantic adventure ''
Romancing the Stone'' (1984), starring
Michael Douglas and
Kathleen Turner; and its sequel, ''
The Jewel of the Nile'' (1985). In 1986, DeVito starred in ''
Ruthless People'' with
Bette Midler and
Judge Reinhold, and in 1987 he made his feature-directing debut with the
dark comedy ''
Throw Momma from the Train'', in which he starred with
Billy Crystal and
Anne Ramsey. He reunited with Douglas and Turner two years later in ''
The War of the Roses'' (1989), which he directed and in which he co-starred.
Other work included ''
Other People's Money'' with
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...
; director
Barry Levinson's ''
Tin Men'', as a rival salesman to
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss (; born Dreyfus; October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for starring in popular films during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including '' American Graffiti'' (1973), '' Jaws'' (1975), '' Close Encounters of th ...
' character; the comedies ''
Junior'' (1994) and ''
Twins'' (1988) with
Arnold Schwarzenegger; playing the villain
The Penguin in director Tim Burton's ''
Batman Returns'' (1992); and the film adaptation ''
Matilda'' (1996), which he directed and co-produced, along with playing the role of Matilda's father, the villainous car dealer Harry Wormwood.
Although generally a comic actor, DeVito expanded into dramatic roles with ''
The Rainmaker'' (1997); ''
Hoffa'' (1992), which he directed and in which he co-starred with
Jack Nicholson; ''
Jack the Bear'' (1993);
neo-noir film ''
L.A. Confidential'' (1997); ''
The Big Kahuna'' (1999); and ''
Heist
A heist is a robbery or burglary, especially from an institution such as a bank or museum.
Heist may also refer to:
Places
*Heist, Germany, a municipality in Schleswig-Holstein
*Heist-aan-Zee, West Flanders, Belgium
*Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp, ...
'' (
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanistan ...
), as a
gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix ''-ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
nemesis of Joe Moore (
Gene Hackman).
DeVito has an interest in documentaries. In 2006 he began a partnership with
Morgan Freeman's company
ClickStar, for whom he hosts the documentary channel Jersey Docs. He was also interviewed in the documentary ''
Revenge of the Electric Car,'' discussing his interest in and ownership of
electric vehicle
An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. It can be powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered autonomously by a battery (sometimes c ...
s.
Theatre
In April 2012, DeVito made his
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
acting debut in a revival of the
Neil Simon play ''
The Sunshine Boys'' as Willie Clark, alongside
Richard Griffiths.
It previewed at the
Savoy Theatre in London from April 27, 2012, opened on May 17, and played a limited 12-week season until July 28.
DeVito made his
Broadway debut in a
Roundabout Theatre Company revival of the
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' (19 ...
play ''
The Price'' as Gregory Solomon, for which he was nominated for a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
. The production began preview performances at the
American Airlines Theatre on February 16, 2017, and opened on March 16 for a limited run-through on May 7.
Producing
DeVito has become a major film and television producer. DeVito founded Jersey Films in 1991, producing films like ''
Pulp Fiction'', ''
Get Shorty'', ''
Erin Brockovich'' (for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture), ''
Gattaca'', and ''
Garden State''. In 1999, he produced and co-starred in ''
Man on the Moon'', a film about the unusual life of his former ''Taxi'' co-star
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman ( ; January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer and performance artist. While often called a "comedian", Kaufman preferred to describe himself instead as a "song and dance man". He has sometimes b ...
, played in the film by
Jim Carrey. DeVito also produced the Comedy Central series ''
Reno 911!'', the film spin-off ''
Reno 911!: Miami'', and the revival on
Quibi.
Directing
DeVito made his directorial debut in 1984 with ''
The Ratings Game''. He then directed and starred in ''
Throw Momma from the Train'' (1987), ''
The War of the Roses'' (1989), ''
Hoffa'' (1992), ''
Matilda'' (1996), ''
Death to Smoochy'' (2002) and ''
Duplex
Duplex (Latin, 'double') may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Duplex'' (film), or ''Our House'', a 2003 American black comedy film
* Duplex (band), a Dutch electronic music duo
* Duplex (Norwegian duo)
* Duplex!, a Canadian children's music ...
'' (2003). ''
The War of the Roses'' was a commercial and critical success, as was the film adaptation of
Roald Dahl's ''
Matilda''; ''
Death to Smoochy'' and ''
Duplex
Duplex (Latin, 'double') may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Duplex'' (film), or ''Our House'', a 2003 American black comedy film
* Duplex (band), a Dutch electronic music duo
* Duplex (Norwegian duo)
* Duplex!, a Canadian children's music ...
'' had mixed reviews. He also directed the TV movie ''Queen B'' in 2005.
DeVito has directed eight short films between 1973 and 2016, five of which were released across 2010 and 2011. These are ''The Sound Sleeper'' (1973), ''Minestrone'' (1975), ''Oh Those Lips'' (2010), ''Evil Eye'' (2010), ''Poison Tongue'' (2011), ''Skin Deep'' (2011), ''Nest of Vipers'' (2011) and ''Curmudgeons'' (2016).
Television and voice-over work
In 1977, DeVito played the role of John "John John the Apple" DeAppoliso in the ''
Starsky & Hutch'' episode "The Collector".
DeVito gained fame in 1978 playing Louie De Palma, the short but domineering dispatcher for the fictional Sunshine Cab Company, on the hit TV show ''
Taxi''.
In 1986, he directed and starred in the
black comedy "The Wedding Ring", a season 2 episode of
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spi ...
's anthology series ''
Amazing Stories'', where his character acquires an engagement ring for his wife (played by DeVito's real-life wife, actress
Rhea Perlman). When the ring is slipped on his wife's finger, she is possessed by the ring's former owner, a murderous black widow. That year, DeVito also voiced the Grundle King in ''
My Little Pony: The Movie''. In 1990, he and Rhea Perlman played the couple Vic & Paula, commenting on the state of the environment in ''
The Earth Day Special''. In 1991 and 1992, DeVito voiced
Herb Powell
The Simpson family are the fictional characters featured in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of married couple Homer and Marge and their three children, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. T ...
in the episodes "
Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" and "
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 21, 1991. In the episode, Grampa co ...
" of ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
''. In 1996, he provided the voice of Mr. Swackhammer in ''
Space Jam''. In 1997, he was the voice of Philoctetes in the film
''Hercules''.
In 1999, DeVito hosted the last ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...
'' episode before the year 2000. He earned a 2004
Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for an episode of ''
Friends'', following four Emmy nominations (including a 1981 win) for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy for ''Taxi''. In 2006, he joined the cast of ''
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' as
Frank Reynolds.
In 2011, DeVito received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
for his work in television. In 2012, he voiced the title character in the animated version of Dr. Seuss's ''
The Lorax
''The Lorax'' is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and published in 1971. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, the titular character, who "speaks for the trees" and confronts the Once-ler, a business magnate who caus ...
''. In 2013, along with
Rashida Jones, he voiced Herb for the third time on "
The Changing of the Guardian
"The Changing of the Guardian" is the eleventh episode of the twenty-fourth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 519th episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January ...
" episode of ''The Simpsons'' (aired January 27, 2013). He appeared in the ''
Angry Birds Friends'' "Champions for Earth" tournament advertisement in September 2015. Following the Japanese release of the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generati ...
game ''
Detective Pikachu Detective Pikachu may refer to:
* ''Detective Pikachu'' (video game), a video game for the Nintendo 3DS
**''Detective Pikachu Returns'', sequel of ''Detective Pikachu'' for the Nintendo Switch
* ''Detective Pikachu'' (film), a 2019 fantasy film ...
'', dedicated ''
Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
'' fans submitted a 40,000-signature petition requesting that DeVito be the English voice actor for the title character. However, he declined to audition for the role, commenting that he was unfamiliar with the franchise.
Appearances in other media
DeVito played a fictional version of himself in the music video of
One Direction's song "
Steal My Girl". He also appeared in the short film ''
Curmudgeons'', which he also produced and directed.
In 2021, DeVito wrote a 12-page story centered on the
Penguin and
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
for the anthology comic ''Gotham City Villains''.
Personal life
DeVito stands tall. His short stature is the result of
multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (Fairbank's disease), a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth.
On January 17, 1971, DeVito met
Rhea Perlman when she went to see a friend in the single performance of the play ''The Shrinking Bride'', which featured DeVito. They moved in together two weeks later and married on January 28, 1982.
They have three children:
Lucy Chet DeVito (born March 11, 1983), Grace Fan DeVito (born March 1985), and Jacob Daniel DeVito (born October 1987).
Perlman and DeVito have acted alongside each other several times, including in the television show ''
Taxi'' and the feature film ''
Matilda'' (where they played Matilda's parents).
They separated in October 2012, after 30 years of marriage and over 40 years together,
then reconciled in March 2013.
They separated for a second time in March 2017, but remained on amicable terms and Perlman stated they had no intent of filing for divorce. In 2019, Perlman told interviewer
Andy Cohen that she and DeVito have become closer friends after their separation than they were in their final years as a couple.
DeVito and Perlman resided in a 14,579-square-foot (1,354 m
2) house in
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
, that they purchased in 1994, until selling it for
US$24 million in April 2015. They also own a bungalow near
Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and a multi-residence compound on Broad Beach in
Malibu.
DeVito and Perlman are members of the steering committee of the Friends of the
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
, supporting a theater in
Oberlin, Ohio, as was filmmaker
Jonathan Demme. DeVito co-owned a restaurant called DeVito South Beach in
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...
, which closed in 2011. Politically, DeVito is a
Democrat and a staunch supporter of
Bernie Sanders.
Filmography
DeVito has an
extensive film career, dating back to the early 1970s.
Selected work:
Awards and nominations
DeVito has a large and varied body of work as an actor, producer and director in stage, television and film. He has been nominated for
Academy awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
,
Creative Arts Emmy awards,
Golden Globe awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
,
Primetime Emmy awards,
Producers Guild awards,
Screen Actors Guild awards and
Tony awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
. In 2011 he was honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
, at 6909 Hollywood Blvd., for his contributions to television.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Danny DeVito's Guest DJ Set on KCRWDanny DeVito interviewed by KVUE's Roy Faires in 1971 about "Throw Momma From The Train"from
Texas Archive of the Moving Image
{{DEFAULTSORT:DeVito, Danny
1944 births
Living people
20th-century American comedians
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American comedians
21st-century American male actors
American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni
American film directors of Italian descent
American male comedians
American male comedy actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
American social democrats
Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
Catholics from New Jersey
Comedians from New Jersey
Comedy film directors
Film directors from New Jersey
Film producers from New Jersey
Male actors from New Jersey
New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees
Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
People from Asbury Park, New Jersey
People from Neptune Township, New Jersey
Television producers from New Jersey