Danny DeVito Biography (1944-)

Full name, Daniel Michael DeVito; born November 17, 1944, in Neptune, NJ; sonof Daniel (a small business owner) and Julia DeVito; married Rhea Perlman (an actress), January 8, 1982; children: Lucy Chet, Gracie Fan, Jacob "Jake" Daniel Sebastian. Addresses: Office: Jersey Films, 10351 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025.; Agent: Creative Artists Agency, Inc.,9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-1804.; Publicist: Stan Rosenfield, Stan Rosenfield and Associates Ltd., 2029 Century Park E., Suite 1190, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, director, producer
Birth Details: November 17, 1944; Neptune, New Jersey, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Thug, Dreams of Glass, Universal, 1969
Adrian, Hot Dogs for Gaugin (short film), 1971
Man sitting in honeymoon suite, Bananas, 1971
Fred Mancuso, Lady Liberty (also known as The Sausage and La mortadella), United Artists, 1972
Fly Speck, Scalawag (also known as Un magnifico ceffo di galera and Protuva), Paramount, 1973
Petey, Hurry Up, or I'll Be Thirty, Avco Embassy, 1973
Martini, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, United Artists, 1975
Bartender, The Money, 1975
Deadly Hero, 1976
Andy, The Van (also known as Chevy Van), Crown, 1977
The assistant director, The World's Greatest Lover, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
Minestrone (short film), 1977
Hog/Clyde, Goin' South, Paramount, 1978
Max, Swap Meet, 1979
Lazlo, Going Ape!, Paramount, 1981
Vernon Dahlart, Terms of Endearment, Paramount, 1983
Ralph, Romancing the Stone (also known as 2 bribones tras la esmeralda perdida), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
Burr, Johnny Dangerously, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
Ralph, Jewel of the Nile, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
Harry Valentini, Wise Guys, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1986
Sam Stone, Ruthless People, Buena Vista, 1986
Frank Stedman, Head Office, TriStar, 1986
Voice of Grundle King, My Little Pony (animated), De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, 1986
Ernest Tilley, Tin Men, Buena Vista, 1987
Owen/Ned "Little Ned" Lift, Throw Momma from the Train, Orion, 1987
Vincent Benedict, Twins, Universal, 1988
Gavin D'Amato, The War of the Roses, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1989
Lawrence Garfield, Other People's Money, Warner Bros., 1991
The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot, Batman Returns, Warner Bros., 1992
Bobby Ciaro, Hoffa, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992
Voice of Whiskers, Last Action Hero, Columbia, 1993
Voice of Rocks, Look Who's Talking Now (also known as Look Who's Talking 3), TriStar, 1993
John Leary, Jack the Bear, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1993
Bill Rago, Renaissance Man (also known as Army Intelligenceand By the Book), Buena Vista, 1994
Dr. Larry Arbogast, Junior, Universal, 1995
Extra, Felony, New Line Cinema, 1995
Martin Weir, Get Shorty, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1995
Harry Wormwood and narrator, Matilda (also known as Roald Dahl's Matilda), TriStar, 1996
Voice of Swackhammer, Space Jam (animated), Warner Bros., 1996
Rude gambler, Mars Attacks!, Warner Bros., 1996
Voice of Philoctetes, Hercules (animated), Buena Vista, 1997
Sid Hudgens, L.A. Confidential, Warner Bros., 1997
Deck Shifflet, The Rainmaker (also known as John Grisham's TheRainmaker), Paramount, 1997
Pat "Pattie" Francato, Living Out Loud, New Line Cinema, 1998
George Shapiro, Man on the Moon (also known as Der Mondmann), MCA/Universal, 1999
Grover Cleaver, Screwed (also known as Pittsburgh), MCA/Universal, 1999
Dr. Hornicker, The Virgin Suicides (also known as Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides), Paramount, 2000
Phil Cooper, The Big Kahuna, Lions Gate Films, 2000
Chief Wyatt Rash, Drowning Mona, Destination Films, 2000
Max Fairbanks, What's the Worst That Could Happen?, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2001
Mickey Bergman, Heist, Warner Bros., 2001
Burke Bennett, Death to Smoochy, Warner Bros., 2002
Himself, Austin Powers in Goldmember, New Line Cinema, 2002
Anything Else, DreamWorks, 2003
Amos, Big Fish, Columbia, 2003
Film Executive Producer
Eight Seconds (also known as Eight Seconds to Glory and The Lane Frost Story), New Line Cinema, 1994
Pulp Fiction, Miramax, 1994
Drowning Mona, Destination Films, 2000
S1m0ne, New Line Cinema, 2002
Film Producer
Minestrone (short film), 1975
(With Rhea Perlman) The Sound Sleeper (short film), 1977
(With Edward R. Pressman and Caldecott Chubb; and director) Hoffa,Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992
Reality Bites, Universal, 1994
Sunset Park, TriStar, 1995
Get Shorty, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1995
(And director) Matilda (also known as Roald Dahl's Matilda), TriStar, 1996
Feeling Minnesota, Fine Line, 1996
Sunset Park, 1996
Gattaca, Columbia, 1997
Out of Sight, MCA/Universal, 1998
Living Out Loud, New Line Cinema, 1998
Man on the Moon (also known as Der Mondmann), MCA/Universal, 1999
Erin Brockovich, MCA/Universal, 2000
The Caveman's Valentine, MCA/Universal, 2001
How High, MCA/Universal, 2001
Camp, 2003

A Walk among the Tombstones, Universal, 2003
The Marx Brothers, MCA/Universal, 2003
Large's Ark, Universal, 2003
Film Director
Throw Momma from the Train, Orion, 1987
The War of the Roses, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1989
Death to Smoochy, Warner Bros., 2002
Duplex, Miramax, 2003
Television Appearances
Series
All That Glitters, syndicated, 1977
Louie De Palma, Taxi, ABC, 1978-1982, then NBC, 1982-1983
Episodic
John DeAppoliso, "The Collector," Starsky and Hutch, ABC, 1977
"Death Game," Police Woman, NBC, 1977
Alan Swathmore, "The Out of Town Trip," The Associates, c. 1979
The Midnight Special, 1981
Host, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1982
Herbert, "The Wedding Ring," Amazing Stories, NBC, 1985
Host, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1987
Voice of Herbert Powell, "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1989
Voice of Herbert Powell, "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1992
Host, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1993
The Full Wax, 1993
Himself, "The Gift Episode," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1994
Late Show with David Letterman, multiple episodes, between 1994 and 2001
Dean Martin, Pearl, CBS, 1996
Clive Anderson All Talk, 1996
Dr. Jack Carmichael, "Human Nature," Ed, NBC, 2002
Appeared in the series Rotten TV and Sesame Street; also made numerous appearances on Saturday Night Live, NBC.
Specials
Ann-Margret: Hollywood Movie Girls, ABC, 1980
The Selling of Vince D'Angelo, Showtime, 1982
Ackroyd, "All the Kids Do It," CBS Schoolbreak Specials, CBS, 1984
Voice of George Johnson, "Happily Ever After," WonderWorks, PBS, 1985
The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special, ABC, 1986
Our Kids and the Best of Everything, ABC, 1987
A Very Special Christmas Party, ABC, 1988
Sesame Street Special (also known as Put Down the Duckie),PBS, 1988
Voice of George Johnson, "Two Daddies?," WonderWorks, PBS, 1989
Premiere Presents: Christmas Movies '89, Fox, 1989
Time Warner Presents the Earth Day Special, ABC, 1990
The Siskel and Ebert Special, CBS, 1990
Sinatra 75: The Best Is Yet to Come (also known as Frank Sinatra: 75th Birthday Celebration), CBS, 1990
First Person with Maria Shriver, NBC, 1991
Rock the Vote, Fox, 1992
Hollywood Hotshots, Fox, 1992
The Bat, the Cat, and the Penguin, CBS, 1992
Back to School '92 (also known as Education First!), CBS, 1992
The 2nd Annual Saturday Night Live Mother's Day Special, NBC, 1993
Movie News Hot Summer Sneak Preview, CBS, 1994
"Worm TV" deejay, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! (also known as All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and StreetForever!), ABC, 1994
Movie Surfers: Go Inside Disney's "Hercules," The Disney Channel,1997
Aliens Invade Hollywood, The Learning Channel, 1997
Take a Moment, The Disney Channel, 1998
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman, NBC, 1998
Winnie Esposito, Saturday Night Live: The Best of Mike Myers, NBC,1998
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniverary Primetime Special, NBC, 1999
Intimate Portrait: Marilu Henner, Lifetime, 1999
Andy Kaufman's Really Big Show, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
America: A Tribute to Heroes, multiple networks, 2001
What Is a Producer?, E! Entertainment Television, 2001
South Park 5th Anniversary Special, 2002
Reel Comedy: Death to Smoochy, Comedy Central, 2002
Also narrator of the special Man on the Moon Marathon, TV Land.
Awards Presentations
Presenter, The 13th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1987
The 40th Annual Emmy Awards, Fox, 1988
The 14th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1988
"Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards," The Magical World of Disney, The Disney Channel, 1990
The 19th Annual American Film Institute Life Achievement Award: A Salute to Kirk Douglas (also known as The American Film Institute Salute to Kirk Douglas), CBS, 1991
Best of Taxi, CBS, 1994
The American Film Institute Salute to Jack Nicholson, CBS, 1994
The American Film Institute Salute to Steven Spielberg (also knownas The AFI Salute to Steven Spielberg), NBC, 1995
Presenter, The 22nd Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1996
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS) 13th Annual Hall ofFame (also known as ATAS Hall of Fame Awards), Showtime, 1998
Presenter, The 40th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1998
Other
Dewey, Valentine (movie), ABC, 1979
Vic DeSalvo, The Ratings Game (movie; also known as The Mogul), The Movie Channel, 1984
Himself, Bette (pilot), CBS, 2000
Television Executive Producer
Series
Kate Brasher, CBS, 2001
UC: Undercover, NBC, 2001
The American Embassy, 2002
The Funkhousers, ABC, 2002
Television Work
Episodic
Director, "The Wedding Ring," Amazing Stories, NBC, 1986
Produced an episode of Likely Stories; directed episodes of Mary, CBS, and Taxi.
Other
Director, The Ratings Game (movie; also known as The Mogul), The Movie Channel, 1984
Director, The Selling of Vince D'Angelo (special), Showtime, 1992
Executive producer, The Pentagon Wars (movie), HBO, 1998
Stage Appearances
The Man with a Flower in His Mouth, Sheridan Square Playhouse, NewYork City, 1969
Richie, The Shrinking Bride, Mercury Theatre, New York City, 1971
Anthony Martini, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Mercer-HansberryTheatre, New York City, 1971
Charley and the Dauphin of France, DuBarry Was a Lady, Master Theatre, New York City, 1972
Ashtoroth, A Phantasmagoria Historia of D. Johann Magister, Ph.D., M.D., D.D., D.L., Etc., Truck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City, 1973
Rugby, The Merry Wives of Windsor, New York Shakespeare Festival,Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1974
Whimsey, Where Do We Go from Here?, Estelle R. Newman Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1974
Call Me Charlie, Performing Garage Theatre, New York City, 1974
Three by Pirandello, Colonnades Theatre, New York City, 1981
Glengarry Glen Ross, Broadway production, 2002
Also appeared in the plays A Comedy of Errors, Down the MorningLine, and The Line of Least Resistance.
RECORDINGS
Videos
Burr, "This Is the Life," "Weird Al" Yankovic: The Videos, 1996
Voice of Philoctetes, Hercules (video game), 1997
Voice of Philoctetes, Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Zero to Hero, 1997
Saturday Night Live Christmas, Trimark Video, 1999
Scene Stealers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists Home Entertainment, 2002
Appeared in the music videos "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr., "Victory"by Puff Daddy, and "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" by BillyOcean.
WRITINGS
Films
Script, The Sound Sleeper (short film), 1977
Song, "The Mymie Mymie Song," Screwed (also known as Pittsburgh), MCA/Universal, 1999

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996

Periodicals

American Film, September, 1989, p. 42
Empire, Issue 46, 1993, p. 47
New York Times, September 8, 1991
People Weekly, May 11, 1998, p. 250; November 16, 1998, p. 31
Playboy, February, 1993, pp. 51-64
Premiere, December, 1997, p. 68
Radio Times, September 28, 2002, p. 56
Starlog, October, 1992

Electronic

Cigar Aficionado, http://www.cigaraficionado.com, October 15, 1998

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