Danny DeVito

DeVito met the love of his life Rhea Perlman during the showcase of one of his plays, ‘The Shrinking Bride’. They started an affair and got married in 1982. They have three children together––Lucy, Grace and Jacob.

Danny DeVito was born in Neptune Township, New Jersey to Julian and Daniel DeVito. His father was a small business owner whose various ventures included a dry cleaners, luncheonette, etc. and his mother was a homemaker.

He attended the boarding school on his own request to his father and went to the Oratory Preparatory School in Summit, New Jersey, after which he attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and graduated in 1966.

Right after graduating, DeVito worked at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut and after seeing an advertisement for Hollywood auditions for a movie version of ‘In Cold Blood’, he tried for the audition.

DeVito did not get the part in the movie and started working as a car parker, to earn his living but soon he moved back to New York, where he got parts to play in several off-Broadway plays.

In 1971, DeVito landed the role of ‘Martini’ in the production of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’. Four years later Michael Douglas produced its film version and asked him to revive his stage role.

DeVito auditioned for a new NBC series ‘Taxi’ in 1978 and he landed the part of the endearingly oppressive cab dispatcher ‘Louie DePalma’. The show ran for five years and he won an Emmy Award for best supporting actor.

After ‘Taxi’ was taken off air, DeVito’s Hollywood career started with ‘Terms of Endearment’ in 1983. The movie won 5 Academy awards and starred actors like Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, etc.

The Portrayal of a despotic and yet an endearing taxi driver ‘Louie De Palma’ in the series ‘Taxi’ in 1978, made DeVito what he is today. It gave him the popularity, which was essential for him to get into films.