Danny DeVito is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained fame and recognition following his performance of taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the TV series Taxi, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. Apart from this, he has played numerous roles in a lot of notable films like Tin Men, Throw Momma from the Train, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ruthless People, Man on the Moon, Terms of Endearment, among others. Let’s explore more about him through this article.
What is Danny DeVito famous for?
- An American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.
- His portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series Taxi (1978-1983).
When was Danny DeVito born?
Recalling his early life, DeVito was born in Neptune Township, New Jersey, the USA in the year of 1944. His birth name is Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. and he is currently 75 years old. His father’s name is Daniel DeVito Sr. and his mother’s name is Julia DeVito. He has sisters named Theresa Scala and Angela Lucia. Similarly, He holds American citizenship and his ethnicity is Italian.
Where is Danny DeVito educated?
Concering his education, DeVito attended Oratory Preparatory School and finished his high school in 1962. Later, he joined the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and got certified in 1986. After graduation, he served as a cosmetician.
When did Danny DeVito begin his film career?
- Right after his graduation, DeVito started working at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut. After seeing an advertisement, he auditioned for a role in the film version of In Cold Blood.
- He did not get the part in the movie and started working as a car parker to earn his living. He soon moved back to New York, where he got parts to play in several off-Broadway plays.
- In 1971, He landed the role of Martini in the stage production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Four years later, Michael Douglas produced its film version and asked him to reprise his stage role.
- DeVito auditioned for a new NBC series titled Taxi in 1978 and landed the part of the endearingly oppressive cab dispatcher, Louie De Palma. The show ran for five years and he won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
- After Taxi was taken off the air, His Hollywood career started with Terms of Endearment in 1983. The movie, which starred actors like Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, and Jack Nicholson, won five Academy Awards.
- Now that his Hollywood career had started, He gradually gained popularity among filmmakers. He became part of another successful venture titled Romancing the Stone in 1984. The film was an action-adventure romantic comedy, starring his friend Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.
- The following year, a sequel to Romancing the Stone titled The Jewel of the Nile released where all the actors reprised their respective roles. The movie turned out to be a commercial hit but failed to impress the critics.
- In 1987, He came up with his first directorial venture Throw Momma from the Train, a dark comedy in which he also played a role. Inspired by Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, the movie also starred actors like Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner.
- He once again joined hands with Michael Douglas for his next directorial venture The War of the Roses in 1989, which was another black comedy. The movie was based on Warren Adler’s novel of the same name.
- In an attempt to avoid being stereotyped as a comedy actor, he starred in movies like The Rainmaker (1997), Hoffa (1992) – a biographical film which he also directed, Heist (2001), etc.
- During 2002-2003, DeVito directed two movies, Death to Smoochy (2002), starring Robin Williams and Edward Norton, and Duplex (2003), starring Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore. Both the movies were black comedies, a genre close to DeVito’s heart.
- As he was always interested in documentaries, he got into a partnership with Morgan Freeman’s company ClickStar in 2006, which allowed him to host a documentary channel called Jersey Docs.
- In 2012, he debuted at the ‘West End’ in a play titled The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon. He acted in the play along with Richard Griffiths. The play previewed at the Savoy Theatre for a 12-week season.
- From 2012 to 2019, DeVito played many characters with different shades in several movies like Hotel Noir (2012), All the Wilderness (2014), Weiner-Dog (2016), and Dumbo (2019).
- He returned to direction with the 2016 short comedy film Curmudgeons in which he starred alongside David Margulies.
- As a voice actor, He has voiced several characters in movies, such as Look Who’s Talking Now (1993), Space Jam (1996), Hercules (1997), The Lorax (2012), Animal Crackers (2017), and ‘Smallfoot’ (2018).
- In 2019, he was cast to play important roles in movies like Jumanji: The Next Level and Harry Haft. He was also selected to voice a character named Bob in a fantasy film titled The One and Only Ivan.
- Before the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries and the presidential election, He once again expressed his support for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.
Who is Danny DeVito’s wife?
Reflecting on his personal life, DeVito has been married to Rhea Perlman on January 28th, 1982. They first met on January 17th, 1971, when she went to see a friend in the play The Shrinking Bride which featured DeVito. They have welcomed three children: Lucy Chet DeVito, Grace Fan DeVito, and Jacob Daniel DeVito.
But, the couple separated after 30 years of marriage in October 2012. They reunited in March 2103 but again separated in March 2017. But, they have no plans of getting a divorce. Instead of separation, some source, Radar Online stated that they are planning to renew their wedding vows.
How much is Danny DeVito’s worth?
Being a part of the entertainment industry, DeVito earns an impressive amount of money and fame through his profession as an actor and screenwriter. Based on some online reports, his estimated net worth said to be $80 million at present. However, his salary and assets details are yet to be disclsoed.
How tall is Danny DeVito?
Observing his body statistics, DeVito stands a height of 4 feet 11 inches and he weighs around 65 Kg. Similarly, he has a pair of brown eyes and white hair color. Further, he has a healthy body with body measurements of 40-30-10 inches (Chest, Waist, and Biceps).
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