Danny DeVito facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Danny DeVito
DeVito in 2013
Born	Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (1944-11-17) November 17, 1944 (age 80) Neptune, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AOS)
Occupation	Actor comedian filmmaker
Years active	1969–present
Works	Full list
Height	5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
Spouse(s)	Rhea Perlman ​ ​ (m. 1982; sep. 2012)​
Children	3, including Lucy
Signature

Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is famous for playing the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the TV show Taxi (1978–1983). This role won him a Golden Globe Award and an Primetime Emmy Award. He also plays Frank Reynolds on the FXX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2006–present).

DeVito has been in many movies. Some of his well-known film roles include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Terms of Endearment (1983), Twins (1988), The War of the Roses (1989), and Batman Returns (1992). He also starred in and directed Matilda (1996). He has lent his voice to characters in films like Hercules (1997) and The Lorax (2012).

DeVito co-founded Jersey Films, a production company. This company has produced popular movies such as Pulp Fiction (1994) and Erin Brockovich (2000). For Erin Brockovich, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. He also owned Jersey Television, which produced the TV series Reno 911!.

In theater, DeVito played Willie Clark in the play The Sunshine Boys in London from 2012 to 2013. He made his Broadway debut in The Price (2017). For this role, he received a Tony Award nomination. He returned to Broadway in the play I Need That in 2023.

Early Life and Education

Danny DeVito at Oratory Preparatory School in 1962.

Danny DeVito was born on November 17, 1944, in Neptune Township, New Jersey. His father, Daniel DeVito Sr., owned a small business. His mother was Julia DeVito. He grew up with his parents and two older sisters. His family comes from Italy and Albania. He was raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

When he was 14, DeVito asked his father to send him to boarding school. He graduated from Oratory Preparatory School in Summit, New Jersey, in 1962. He later worked as a beautician at his sister's salon. This led him to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he graduated in 1966. In his early acting days, he performed in plays with his future wife, Rhea Perlman.

Acting Career

Danny DeVito started acting in off-Broadway plays in 1969. He played Martini in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. He had first played this role in a play in 1971. His first feature film was Dreams of Glass in 1970.

In 1978, DeVito became very famous as Louie De Palma in the TV show Taxi. Louie was a short but bossy dispatcher. For this role, DeVito won an Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. He got the role by surprising the show's creators during his audition.

After Taxi, DeVito focused more on movies. He had a supporting role in the comedy-drama Terms of Endearment (1983). This film won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He also starred in the adventure films Romancing the Stone (1984) and its sequel, The Jewel of the Nile (1985).

In 1986, DeVito starred in Ruthless People. He also voiced the Grundle King in My Little Pony: The Movie. In 1992, he played the villain The Penguin in Batman Returns. He also acted with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the comedies Twins (1988) and Junior (1994).

Danny DeVito at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2010.

In 1996, he was in the sports comedy Space Jam and the science fiction comedy Mars Attacks!. In 1997, he voiced Phil in the Walt Disney Animated film Hercules. Critics praised his voice performance.

He continued to act in many comedy films. He also appeared in the drama films Heist (2001) and Big Fish (2004). In 2004, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his guest role in the sitcom Friends.

Danny DeVito with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast mates Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney in August 2011.

In 2006, DeVito joined the cast of the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He plays Frank Reynolds. He was nominated for a Satellite Award for this role. DeVito said he loved the show because it was "outrageous."

In 2011, DeVito received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his TV work. In 2012, he voiced the main character in the animated movie The Lorax. In 2019, he reunited with director Tim Burton for the live-action film Dumbo. He also played Eddie Gilpin in Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). In 2023, he was in the Disney horror comedy Haunted Mansion and the animated film Migration.

Directing Films

DeVito started directing in 1984 with The Ratings Game. In 1986, he directed an episode of Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories. His first feature film as a director was the comedy Throw Momma from the Train (1987). He also starred in this movie.

In 1989, he directed and starred in The War of the Roses. In 1996, he directed Matilda, based on Roald Dahl's children's book. He also narrated the film and played Harry Wormwood, Matilda's father. Critics praised his direction.

DeVito has directed several short films. These include The Sound Sleeper (1973) and Curmudgeons (2016).

Producing Movies

DeVito founded Jersey Films in 1991. This company has produced many successful movies. These include Pulp Fiction (1994), Get Shorty (1995), and Erin Brockovich (2000). He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture for Erin Brockovich.

His company also produced the TV series Reno 911! for Comedy Central. They also produced its film spin-off, Reno 911!: Miami.

Personal Life

DeVito is 5 feet tall. His short height is due to a rare genetic condition called multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. This condition affects bone growth.

Danny DeVito with Rhea Perlman in 2006.

On January 17, 1971, DeVito met Rhea Perlman at a play. They moved in together two weeks later. They married on January 28, 1982. They have three children: Lucy Chet DeVito (born 1983), Grace Fan DeVito (born 1985), and Jacob Daniel DeVito (born 1987).

Perlman and DeVito have acted together many times. They were both in the TV show Taxi. They also played Matilda's parents in the film Matilda. They separated in October 2012 but got back together in March 2013. They separated again in March 2017. However, they remain good friends and have no plans to divorce.

DeVito and Perlman used to live in a large house in Beverly Hills, California. They sold it in 2015. They also own other properties in California and New Jersey.

DeVito is a big fan of singer Mike Patton's music. He has worked with Patton on a music video. He has also attended many of his concerts.

Acting Credits and Awards

Danny DeVito has had a long and successful career in film and television.

Selected work:

See also

In Spanish: Danny DeVito para niños