Daniel Michael “Danny” DeVito, Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor, director, producer, singer, dancer, voice artist, and comedian. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma on Taxi (1978–1983), for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy. Devitto got his break in the tv series ’TAXI’.
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Full Name: Daniel Michael DeVito Jr.
Description: Actor, USA
Known For: Twins – Throw Momma from the Train – The War of the Roses
Location: NJ, United States of America
Date Born: 17th November 1944
Location Born: Neptune, New Jersey, United States of America
CONTACT DETAILS
Web Site: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000362/
Other Links: For other links about this entertainer click on the Links button above
YOUTUBE VIDEO
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Danny DeVito
An American actor, comedian, director, and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC TV series Taxi (1978–1983), for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.
He went on to become a major film star, known for his roles in films (such as Throw Momma from the Train, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Terms of Endearment, Romancing the Stone, Twins, Batman Returns, Get Shorty, and L.A. Confidential) and for his voiceover work in films (such as Space Jam, Hercules, and The Lorax).
DeVito co-founded Jersey Films with Michael Shamberg. 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 owns Jersey Television, which produced the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. DeVito and wife Rhea Perlman starred together in his 1996 film Matilda, based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel. He currently stars as Frank Reynolds on the FXX sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He also directs and produces graphic short horror films for his Internet venture The Blood Factory. He has appeared in several of them, as have friends of his and members of his family.
DeVito was born Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. in Neptune Township, New Jersey on November 17, 1944, the son of Daniel DeVito, Sr. and Julia DeVito (née Moccello), a homemaker. DeVito grew up in a family of five, with his parents and two older sisters. DeVito is of Italian descent (his family is originally from San Fele, Basilicata) and grew up in Asbury Park. He boarded at Oratory Preparatory School, in Summit, New Jersey, and graduated in 1962. DeVito went to the boarding school at the age of 14, after he persuaded his father to send him there as it would keep him out of trouble. After leaving the boarding school he subsequently trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, from which he graduated in 1966. In his early theater days, he performed with the Colonnades Theater Lab, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and, along with his wife Rhea Perlman, appeared in plays produced by the Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective. DeVito is also the brother of Fran DeVito, an artist and musician.
DeVito played Martini in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, reprising his role from the 1971 off-Broadway play of the same name. He 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. After Taxi ended, DeVito began a successful film career, starting with roles in 1983’s Terms of Endearment, as the comic rogue in the romantic adventure Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, and its 1985 sequel, The Jewel of the Nile. 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. Two years later, DeVito reunited with Douglas and Turner in The War of the Roses, which he directed and in which he co-starred.
DeVito’s work during this time includes Other People’s Money with Gregory Peck, director Barry Levinson’s Tin Men as a competitive rival salesman to Richard Dreyfuss’ character, two co-starring vehicles with Arnold Schwarzenegger (the comedies Twins and Junior), and playing The Penguin as a deformed sociopath in director Tim Burton’s Batman Returns (1992).
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), L.A. Confidential, The Big Kahuna, and Heist (2001), as a gangster nemesis to Gene Hackman’s character.
DeVito has an interest in documentaries: In 2006, he began a partnership with Morgan Freeman’s company ClickStar, on which he hosts a documentary channel called Jersey Docs. He was also interviewed in the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car, about his interest in and ownership of electric vehicles.
Theatre
In April 2012, DeVito made his West End acting debut in a revival of the Neil Simon play The Sunshine Boys as Willie Clark – alongside Richard Griffiths. The play previewed at the Savoy Theatre from 27 April 2012, opened on 17 May and played a limited 12-week season until 28 July .
WORKS
Films include.
Solitary Man (Sep-2009)
Housebroken (2009)
Guest of Cindy Sherman (Apr-2008) Himself
Just Add Water (18-Mar-2008)
Nobel Son (28-Apr-2007)
Reno 911! Miami (23-Feb-2007)
The Good Night (25-Jan-2007)
Deck the Halls (22-Nov-2006)
Even Money (Mar-2006)
The OH in Ohio (2006)
Relative Strangers (2006)
Be Cool (4-Mar-2005)
Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (24-Jan-2005)
Big Fish (10-Dec-2003)
Anything Else (27-Aug-2003)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (22-Jul-2002)
Death to Smoochy (28-Feb-2002)
America: A Tribute to Heroes (21-Sep-2001) Himself
Heist (10-Sep-2001)
What’s the Worst That Could Happen? (01-Jun-2001)
Screwed (12-May-2000)
Drowning Mona (2-Jan-2000)
Man on the Moon (20-Dec-1999)
The Big Kahuna (16-Sep-1999)
The Virgin Suicides (19-May-1999)
Living Out Loud (15-Sep-1998)
The Rainmaker (21-Nov-1997)
L.A. Confidential (19-Sep-1997)
Hercules (14-Jun-1997) [VOICE]
Mars Attacks! (13-Dec-1996)
Space Jam (15-Nov-1996) [VOICE]
Matilda (2-Aug-1996)
Get Shorty (20-Oct-1995)
Junior (24-Nov-1994)
Renaissance Man (3-Jun-1994)
Look Who’s Talking Now (5-Nov-1993) [VOICE]
Jack the Bear (2-Apr-1993)
Hoffa (25-Dec-1992)
Batman Returns (19-Jun-1992)
Other People’s Money (18-Oct-1991)
The War of the Roses (8-Dec-1989)
Twins (9-Dec-1988)
Throw Momma from the Train (11-Dec-1987)
Tin Men (6-Mar-1987)
Ruthless People (27-Jun-1986)
My Little Pony: The Movie (20-Jun-1986) [VOICE]
Wise Guys (18-Apr-1986)
Head Office (29-Dec-1985)
The Jewel of the Nile (11-Dec-1985)
Johnny Dangerously (21-Dec-1984)
The Ratings Game (15-Dec-1984)
All the Kids Do It (24-Apr-1984)
Romancing the Stone (30-Mar-1984)
Terms of Endearment (23-Nov-1983)
Going Ape! (10-Apr-1981)
Goin’ South (2-Oct-1978)
The World’s Greatest Lover (18-Dec-1977)
The Van (21-Apr-1977)
Deadly Hero (15-Oct-1976)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (19-Nov-1975)
Scalawag (14-Nov-1973)
Lady Liberty (1971)