Daniel Michael DeVito (born November 17, 1944) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, a director, and an Oscar-nominated producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal of "Louie De Palma" on the popular ABC and NBC TV series, Taxi (1978–1983). Because this sitcom was not widely distributed abroad, he is known primarily for his movie work in most other countries. He currently plays Frank Reynolds on the FX show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
DeVito was born in Neptune, New Jersey to Italian-American Catholic parents. He boarded at Oratory Preparatory School, in Summit, New Jersey, graduating in 1961. He married actress Rhea Perlman on January 28, 1982. They have three children, Lucie Chet DeVito (born March 1983), Grace Fan DeVito (born March 1985) and Jacob Daniel DeVito (born October 1987), who currently attends Oberlin College in Ohio.
After Taxi, DeVito launched a successful movie career, beginning as the comic rogue in the 1984 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 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 The War of the Roses.
Other notable work during this time includes 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 gained worldwide fame as The Joker in the original Batman from 1989.
Although generally a comic actor, DeVito expanded into drama with such movies as Hoffa (1992), which he directed and in which he co-starred with Jack Nicholson; L.A. Confidential as a nosy reporter (1997); The Big Kahuna as a compassionate salesman (1999); and Heist (2001), as a gangster nemesis to Gene Hackman.
2006 Deck the Halls Danny Banning
One Part Sugar Meryl
The Good Night Mel
Nobel Son Gastner
The OH in Ohio Wayne
Relative Strangers Frank Menure
2005 Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School Booth
Be Cool Martin Weir
2004 Christmas in Love Brad
2003 Big Fish Amos Calloway
2002 Death to Smoochy Burke Bennet Director
2001 What's the Worst That Could Happen? Max Fairbanks
2000 Screwed Grover Cleaver
Erin Brockovich N/A Producer
Drowning Mona Wyatt Rash
1999 The Virgin Suicides Dr. Hornicker
Man On The Moon George Shapiro Producer
The Big Kahuna Phil Cooper
1997 L.A. Confidential Sid Hudgens
Hercules Philoctetes Voice
The Rainmaker Deck Shifflet
1996 Space Jam Mr. Swackhammer Voice
Matilda Harry Wormwood Director
Mars Attacks! Rude Gambler
1995 Get Shorty Martin Weir
1994 Renaissance Man Bill Rago
Pulp Fiction N/A Executive producer
Reality Bites N/A Producer
1993 Jack the Bear John Leary
1992 Hoffa Bobby Ciaro Producer
Batman Returns The Penguin
1991 Other People's Money Larry Garfield
1989 The War of the Roses Gavin D'Amato Director
1988 Twins Vincent Benedict
1987 Tin Men Ernest Tilley
Throw Momma from the Train Owen Lift Director
1986 My Little Pony: The Movie The Grundle King Voice
Ruthless People Sam Stone
Wise Guys Harry Valentini
1985 The Jewel of the Nile Ralph
1984 The Ratings Game Vic De Salvo Showtime cable telefilm
Romancing the Stone Ralph
1983 Terms of Endearment Vernon Dahlart
1977 The Van Andy
1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Martini