Daniel Michael "Danny" DeVito, Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an 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.

Early life

DeVito 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. He is of Italian ancestry and was raised as a Catholic[http://reel.com/reel.asp?node=features/interviews/kahuna Reel.com: Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito ] and grew up in Asbury Park. He boarded at Oratory Preparatory School, in Summit, New Jersey, graduating in 1961. He married actress Rhea Perlman on January 28, 1982.

Career

main: Danny DeVito filmography 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.

Other notable work during this time includes Other People's Money with legend Gregory Peck, director Barry Levinson's Tin Men as a competitive salesman to Richard Dreyfuss, two co-starring vehicles with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the comedies Twins and Junior, and the villain The Penguin in director Tim Burton's Batman Returns (1992). It is said that Jack Nicholson convinced DeVito to play The Penguin since Nicholson enjoyed great success as The Joker in the original Batman from 1989. Rather than portraying The Penguin as a suave and sophisticated gangster as he was in the comics, DeVito portrayed the Penguin as a deformed psychopath.

Although generally a comic actor, DeVito expanded into drama with such movies as Renaissance Man (1994) as Army Professor Bill Rago; The Rainmaker, (1997) as Deck Shifflet, a former insurance assessor; Hoffa (1992), which he directed and in which he co-starred with Jack Nicholson; L.A. Confidential as a sleazy reporter (1997); The Big Kahuna as compassionate salesman Phil Cooper (1999); and Heist (2001), as a gangster nemesis to Gene Hackman. In 1999, DeVito hosted the last Saturday Night Live episode before the year 2000.