Ray Romano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ray Romano |
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Romano at the Voice Awards in 2014
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| Birth name | Raymond Albert Romano |
| Born | December 21, 1957 New York City, U.S. |
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| Spouse |
Anna Scarpulla
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 4 |
Raymond Albert Romano (born December 21, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is famous for his role as Ray Barone on the popular TV show Everybody Loves Raymond. This show, a type of comedy called a sitcom, was on the CBS network from 1996 to 2005. For his work on the show, he won three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Many people also know him as the voice of Manny, the woolly mammoth in the Ice Age movies. Throughout his career, Romano has been nominated for other major awards, including two Grammy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
Later in his career, he starred in the TV show Men of a Certain Age and had a role in the drama series Parenthood. He also appeared in movies like the romantic comedy The Big Sick (2017) and the crime film The Irishman (2019).
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Early Life and School
Ray Romano was born in Queens, a part of New York City. He was the second son of Lucie, a piano teacher, and Albert Romano, who worked in real estate. His family is of Italian heritage.
Romano grew up in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens. He has an older brother, Richard, who became a police sergeant, and a younger brother, Robert, who is a teacher.
He went to Our Lady Queen of Martyrs for elementary and middle school. He graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1975. An interesting fact is that he was in the same high school class as actress Fran Drescher, star of The Nanny. Before becoming an entertainer, Romano studied accounting at Queens College.
Career in Comedy and Acting
Starting Out
Romano began his comedy career in 1989. He entered a comedy competition and started appearing on The Comedy Channel. He was also a guest voice on the cartoon show Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist and competed on the talent show Star Search.
His big break came after he performed his stand-up comedy routine on the Late Show with David Letterman. The people at the CBS television network liked his performance so much that they decided to create a show for him.
Everybody Loves Raymond
The show, Everybody Loves Raymond, was a huge success. It was based on Romano's own life and his style of humor. The show was about his character, Ray Barone, and his funny interactions with his wife, kids, parents, and brother who all lived nearby.
For playing Ray Barone, Romano was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy, winning in 2002. The show itself won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2003 and 2005, and Romano won two more Emmys as one of the show's producers.
In 2004, Romano became the highest-paid actor on television for his role on the show.
Voice of Manny in Ice Age
In 2002, Romano took on a role that made him famous to a whole new audience: kids. He was the voice of Manny, the grumpy but kind-hearted woolly mammoth in the animated movie Ice Age.
The movie was a big hit, and he has voiced Manny in all the sequels, including Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), and Ice Age: Collision Course (2016).
Roles in TV and Movies
After Everybody Loves Raymond ended, Romano continued to act. He co-created and starred in a show called Men of a Certain Age from 2009 to 2011. He also had a recurring role in the TV series Parenthood as a photographer named Hank Rizzoli.
He has appeared in many movies. In 2017, he played a concerned father in the romantic comedy The Big Sick. In 2019, he acted alongside famous stars in the crime movie The Irishman, directed by Martin Scorsese. He also starred in the Netflix movie Paddleton.
Hobbies and Competitions
Besides acting, Romano has a few interesting hobbies. He is a skilled poker player and has competed in the World Series of Poker many times.
He is also a passionate golfer. He appeared on a TV show on The Golf Channel where a famous coach, Hank Haney, tried to help him improve his golf game. Romano is also a regular player at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, a famous golf tournament where celebrities play alongside professional golfers.
Personal Life
Romano married his wife, Anna Scarpulla, in 1987. They met when they were both working at a bank. Together, they have four children: one daughter and three sons (including a set of twins).
His family was a big inspiration for Everybody Loves Raymond. His daughter on the show was named after his real-life daughter, Alexandra. In the first episode, the twin boys were named after his real twin sons, Gregory and Matthew. However, Romano later changed their names on the show to Geoffrey and Michael to make it less confusing.
Some of his real family members even appeared on the show in small roles. His father, Albert, played one of Frank Barone's friends, and his brother, Richard, also appeared in a few episodes.
In 2012, Romano shared that his wife, Anna, had successfully recovered from breast cancer. He said they wanted to share their story to help and encourage other people.
