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Danny DeVito

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Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito cropped and edited for brightness.jpg
DeVito in 2013
Born
Daniel Michael DeVito Jr.

(1944-11-17) November 17, 1944 (age 75)
Neptune Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actor
  • producer
  • director
  • screenwriter
Years active1969–present
Height4 ft 10 in (147 cm)[1]
Spouse(s)
Rhea Perlman (m. 1982)
Children3 (including Lucy DeVito)

Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. 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. He currently 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 (1975), Terms of Endearment (1983) Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Twins (1988), The War of the Roses (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Get Shorty (1995), Matilda (1996), Mars Attacks! (1996), L.A. Confidential (1997), Man on the Moon (1999), Wiener-Dog (2016), and most recently Dumbo (2019). He is also known for his voice roles in such films as Space Jam (1996), Hercules (1997), and The Lorax (2012).

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 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 for Erin Brockovich.

DeVito's short stature is the result of multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (Fairbank's disease), a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth.[2][3]

Early life

DeVito was born in Neptune Township, New Jersey, the son of Daniel DeVito Sr., a small business owner, and Julia DeVito (née Moccello).[4][5] He grew up in a family of five, with his parents and two older sisters.[6] He is of Italian descent; his family is originally from San Fele, Basilicata,[7] as well as Calabria.[8] He was raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey.[9]

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",[6] and graduated from Oratory Preparatory School in Summit, New Jersey, in 1962. He then trained at 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, and, along with his future wife Rhea Perlman, appeared in plays produced by the Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective.

Career

Film work

DeVito at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2010

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 title. After his time on Taxi ended, DeVito began a successful film career, first appearing as Vernon Dalhart in the 1983 hit Terms of Endearment; then 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, which he directed and in which he co-starred.

DeVito's work during this time included Other People's Money with Gregory Peck; director Barry Levinson's Tin Men, as a competitive rival salesman to Richard Dreyfuss' 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 (2001), as a gangster 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 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.[10] 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.[11]

DeVito made his Broadway debut in a Roundabout Theatre Company revival of the Arthur Miller play The Price as Gregory Solomon, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. 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,[12] 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, 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 upcoming revival on Quibi.[13][14]

Directing

DeVito made his directorial debut in 1984 with The Ratings Game. He then directed and starred in Throw Momma from the Train (1987),[15] The War of the Roses (1989), Hoffa (1992), Matilda (1996), Death to Smoochy (2002) and Duplex (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 had mixed reviews.[16] He also directed the TV movie Queen B in 2005.[17]

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

DeVito with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast mates Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney at the ceremony for DeVito on August 18, 2011

In 1977, DeVito played the role of John "John John the Apple" DeAppoliso in the Starsky & Hutch episode "The Collector".[10] In 1986, he directed and starred in "The Wedding Ring", a season 2 episode of Steven Spielberg's black comedy 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. 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, DeVito 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 in the episodes "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" and "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" of The Simpsons.[18][19] 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 episode before the year 2000. He earned a 2004 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for an episode of Friends,[20] 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 for his work in television.[21] In 2012, he voiced the title character in the animated version of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax. In 2013, along with Rashida Jones, he voiced Herb for the third time on "The Changing of the Guardian" 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 game Detective Pikachu, dedicated Pokémon fans submitted a 40,000-signature petition requesting that DeVito be the English voice actor for the titular character. However, he declined to audition for the role, commenting that he was unfamiliar with the franchise.[22][23]

Appearances in other media

DeVito played a fictional version of himself in the music video of One Direction's song "Steal My Girl".[24][25] He also appeared in the short film Curmudgeons,[26] which he also produced and directed.

Personal life

DeVito with Rhea Perlman

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.[27] They moved in together two weeks later,[28] and married on January 28, 1982.[29] They have three children: Lucy Chet DeVito (born March 11, 1983), Grace Fan DeVito (born March 1985), and Jacob Daniel DeVito (born October 1987).[30]

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).[30] They separated in October 2012, after 30 years of marriage and over 40 years together,[30] then reconciled in March 2013.[31] They separated for a second time in March 2017,[32] but remained on amicable terms, and Perlman stated they had no intent of filing for divorce.[33] 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.[34]

DeVito and Perlman resided in a 14,579 square foot (1,354 m²) house in Beverly Hills, California, 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.[35][36]

DeVito and Perlman are members of the steering committee of the Friends of the Apollo, supporting a theater in Oberlin, Ohio, as was filmmaker Jonathan Demme.[37] DeVito co-owned a restaurant called DeVito South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida, which closed in 2011.[38]

In March 2016, DeVito endorsed candidate Bernie Sanders for President.[39][40] In July 2016, he endorsed Jeremy Corbyn's 2016 campaign in the Labour Party leadership election.[41] In May 2017, before the 2017 UK general election, DeVito said of Corbyn: "I like the idea of people telling the truth. I like them to get to the bottom of things, really." He endorsed Corbyn as Prime Minister, saying he was "way better than [David] Cameron" and Tony Blair, whom he called "that sketchy guy that hung out with [George W.] Bush".[42] Prior to the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries and presidential election, DeVito once again expressed his support for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.[43]

Filmography

Main article: Danny DeVito filmography

Selected work:

References

  1. ^ Mondello, Bob (December 7, 2012). "Hollywood Heights: The Ups, Downs And In-Betweens". NPR.
  2. ^ Jenkins, Mark (September 26, 2013). "For Richer And For Poorer, But What Of That Vanishing Middle?". NPR. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  3. ^ Joseph, Pat. "Lights, Camera, Economics Robert Reich brings his message to the big screen". Berkeley. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Biography - Yahoo! Movies". movies.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  5. ^ "Danny DeVito Biography (1944-)". filmreference.com. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  6. ^ a b Barbara Ellen (April 14, 2012). "Danny DeVito: 'It all worked out for me. Life is good'". The Guardian.
  7. ^ Dani Shapiro (June 29, 2010). "My favorite place: Danny DeVito". CNN. Archived from the original on November 11, 2010. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  8. ^ "WTF with Marc Maron Podcast: Episode 1059 - Danny DeVito". wtfpod.libsyn.com. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  9. ^ 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" Archived 2007-04-04 at the Wayback Machine, 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)."
  10. ^ a b Raab, Scott (January 31, 2014). "The Serene Beauty of the Five-Foot Fury of Asbury Park". Esquire.
  11. ^ "The Sunshine Boys - Reviews". What's On Stage. May 18, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  12. ^ Guttarado, Andrew. "Danny DeVito, Never Retire (Bitch)". The Ringer. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (December 6, 2019). "'Reno 911!' Revival Gets Green Light At Quibi". Deadline. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  14. ^ Newman, Melinda (September 13, 2010). "Danny DeVito Reminisces About Growing Up In New Jersey-www.njmonthly.com". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  15. ^ Maslin, Janet (December 1, 1987). "Throw Momma from the Train". The New York Times.
  16. ^ "Danny DeVito Movie Box Office Results". Boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  17. ^ Schneider, Michael (March 9, 2005). "DeVito king of 'Queen B'". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  18. ^ "Danny DeVito lends his voice to 'The Simpsons'". Observer-Reporter. February 11, 1991. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  19. ^ ""The Simpsons" guests stars over the years". CBS. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  20. ^ "Danny DeVito". Emmy Award.
  21. ^ "Danny DeVito gets star on Hollywood Walk". KTAR.com. Bonneville International. Associated Press. August 18, 2011. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  22. ^ "Pokémon Fans Petitioning to Make Danny DeVito the Voice of Pikachu (He'd Be Perfect)". Yahoo!. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  23. ^ "Paley Center on Twitter: "Audience Q:Will Danny DeVito voice the Detective Pikachu videogame? Danny says "No" and asks what it is, "What the F is Pokemon?" #PaleyLive". Twitter. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  24. ^ "One Direction's 'Steal My Girl' Video Features Danny DeVito... What!?". MTV News. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  25. ^ "One Direction's New 'Steal My Girl' Video Will Feature Danny DeVito". Billboard.com. October 11, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  26. ^ "Curmudgeons". Curmudgeons. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016.
  27. ^ Lovece, Frank; with Franco, Jules (1988). Hailing Taxi: The Official Book of the Show. New York: Simon & Schuster / Prentice Hall Press. pp. 53, 286. ISBN 978-0-13-372103-4.
  28. ^ Lovece, pp. 53, 80
  29. ^ Wallace, Carol (December 12, 1983). "Chalk Up a Successful Marriage for TV's Tart-Tongued Twosome, Danny De Vito and Rhea Perlman". People. Archived from the original on November 20, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  30. ^ a b c "Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman Separate". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  31. ^ Leonard, Elizabeth (March 15, 2013). "Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman Are Back Together". People. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  32. ^ Pearce, Tilly (March 27, 2017). "Danny DeVito and wife Rhea Perlman split for good three years after calling off divorce". The Sun. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  33. ^ "Why Rhea Perlman won't divorce Danny DeVito". New York Post. March 8, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  34. ^ Squires, Bethy. "Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito May Be Separated, but They're Still Bros". Vulture. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  35. ^ David, Mark (April 21, 2015). "Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman Quietly List BevHills Estate". Variety.
  36. ^ Beale, Lauren (April 30, 2015). "Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman sell estate in Beverly Hills". LA Times.
  37. ^ "Friends of the Apollo". Oberlin College. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  38. ^ "DeVito South Beach". Ocean Drive Miami Beach. October 20, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  39. ^ Segal, Cheryl (March 14, 2016). "Danny DeVito endorses Sanders".
  40. ^ "Is Socialism Here To Stay In 2016, Or Is Bernie Sanders Just Another Howard Dean?". Forbes. September 11, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  41. ^ Saul, Heather (July 30, 2016). "Danny Devito thinks Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders 'are the only shining lights we have now'". The Independent.
  42. ^ Mortimer, Caroline (May 19, 2017). "Danny DeVito endorses Jeremy Corbyn for Prime Minister using the hashtag #grime4Corbyn". The Independent. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  43. ^ "Bernie Sanders gets Danny DeVito endorsement in 2020 presidential race". February 21, 2019.

External links

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