Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, 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). This sitcom was not widely distributed outside of North America; in most other countries he is known primarily for his film work. He currently plays Frank Reynolds on the FX show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
DeVito is well known for his height - standing only 4'11". Some of his movies make in-jokes to this fact, such as his pairing up with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins. His short stature also helped him grab one of his most famous roles, The Penguin in Batman Returns. He also played the ringmaster in Big Fish to make Karl the Giant seem even larger, and had a cameo in Austin Powers in Goldmember as a film-within-a-film version of Mini-Me. Additionally, in the film Get Shorty, DeVito plays an actor who is cast as Napoleon in the...
Created by dipity on Jan 24, 2008
Last updated: 03/11/10 at 05:18 PM
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Big Fish is a 2003 fantasy drama film, directed by Tim Burton and written by John August. It is loosely based on the novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace, and starred Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny DeVito, amongst others.
Will Bloom (Crudup) returns to his family home in Alabama, having spent the past three years not talking to his father Edward (Finney). Dying, Edward recounts his life story in his own unique, exaggerated way, full of fantastic events (portrayed in these flashbacks by McGregor). Will tries to get to know his father and find the truth, discovering that his father did lead an extraordinary life and that storytelling is who he is.
The film was initially planned to be directed by Steven Spielberg before Burton took on the project, following the death of his own father. The film was mostly shot in Alabama, and had a much less gothic tone than Burton's other...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319061
Death to Smoochy is a 2002 dark comedy film starring Robin Williams, Edward Norton, and Catherine Keener. It also features Jon Stewart and Danny DeVito, who is also the film's director. Death to Smoochy is known for its mostly vulgar humor, particularly Williams' occasional cursing outbursts. This film also shows him playing a role very against type, as a corrupted, nearly psychopathic children's TV host.
Rainbow Randolph (Williams) enjoys his life and career as a happy, although corrupt, children's television show host, but after being caught by a federal sting for accepting bribes from a mother who wants her child to appear on the show, he is fired in disgrace. His timeslot is filled by squeaky clean, but sappy, Sheldon Mopes, and his character, Smoochy the Rhino (Norton). Randolph finds himself unemployed and homeless, virtually outcast from television by his two-faced associate Marion Stokes (Stewart), a slimy TV executive. In an effort to return to his life in the spotlight,...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266452
What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001) is a comedy starring Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito, loosely based off of the book of the same title written by Donald Westlake, part of the Dortmunder series. The film was directed by Sam Weisman who has directed several other films including for George of the Jungle and D2:The Mighty Ducks. In addition to Lawrence and DeVito, What's the Worst That Could Happen? boasts an additional cast of John Leguizamo, Bernie Mac, Larry Miller, Nora Dunn, GQ, William Fichtner, and others.The film was released in June of 2001 and went on to gross over thirty million dollars at the North American box office. It was considered a moderate success thanks to its worldwide take in box office money.The film was shot at various locations in California and Massachusetts. The locations in Massachusetts include Boston, Concord, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Cambridge and Milton. Filming in California primarily took place in Riverside, California.Both Kevin (played by...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0161083
Drowning Mona is a 2000U.S.crime comedy starring Danny DeVito as Wyatt Rash, a local police chief from Verplanck, New York, who investigates the mysterious death of Mona Dearly (played by Bette Midler), a spiteful, loud-mouthed, cruel and around the town highly unpopular woman, who drove her son's Yugo off the cliff and drowned in the river. "Drowning Mona" should also be called a black comedy, perhaps in the tradition of "Fargo," though really more endearing/charming overall.
Many of the movie's scenes are flashbacks. Most or all of them depict what somebody tells somebody else and are therefore not necessarily representative of what really happened. In fact, some of them directly contradict each other.
The movie's first scene shows Mona Dearly leaving her home and trying in vain to unlock her car. Her keys fit her son's car, so she takes that and drives off. In a bend, the brakes fail completely and she drives off a cliff into the Hudson River. This is observed by Clarence, who is...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186045
Man on the Moon is a 1999 film based on the unusual life and career of Andy Kaufman.
The movie, starring Jim Carrey and directed by Miloš Forman, begins at Kaufman's childhood, where he is seen performing imaginary television programs for stuffed animals. The story traces Kaufman's steps through the numerous comedy clubs, and television appearances that made him famous, including his memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live, Late Night with David Letterman, Fridays, and his role as the lovable "Latka Gravas" on the television sitcom, Taxi. The film pays particular attention to the various inside jokes, scams, put-ons and happenings that Kaufman was famous for, most significantly his long-running "feud" with wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler and his portrayal of the bawdy lounge singer Tony Clifton.
Carrey won a Golden Globe for his performance - his second win in a row after receiving an award for The Truman Show previously. He was nominated in the Musical/Comedy category for Man...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125664
The Rainmaker is also a 1995 novel by John Grisham that was made into a 1997 motion picture starring Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes, Jon Voight, Mary Kay Place and Red West.
Matt Damon plays Rudy Baylor, a law graduate from the University of Memphis Law School. Unlike most of his fellow graduates, he has no well-paying job lined up and is forced to apply for part-time and poorly-paid law positions.
Desperate for a job, he reluctantly allows "Prince" Thomas, the crooked owner of a sleazy bar where he's been working part-time, to introduce him to J. Lyman "Bruiser" Stone (Mickey Rourke), a ruthless but successful ambulance-chasing lawyer, who makes him an associate. But to earn his fee, Rudy is required to hunt for potential clients at the local hospital where he must pick up injury cases and sign them up. He is introduced to Deck Shifflet (Danny deVito), a less-than-ethical former insurance assessor and now paralegal, who has failed the Bar exam six times. However, Deck is...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119978
L.A. Confidential is a 1997 feature film based on the 1990 crime fiction novel of the same title by James Ellroy, the third in his L.A. Quartet novel cycle. Both book and film tell the story about a group of Los Angeles police in the 1950s, and police corruption bumping up against Hollywood celebrity. The film adaptation was written, produced and directed by Curtis Hanson, co-written by Brian Helgeland and Hanson with an ensemble cast including Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, David Strathairn and Danny DeVito.
Set against the backdrop of the glitz, glamour, grit and noir of early 1950s Los Angeles the film revolves around three LAPD officers who are caught up in a mix of corruption, sex, lies, and murder following a mass killing at the Nite Owl coffee shop. The story eventually encompasses organized crime, political corruption, heroin, pornography, prostitution, tabloid journalism, institutional racism, plastic surgery and Hollywood. The novel...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119488
Hercules is a 1997 animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 14, 1997. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, and stars the voices of Tate Donovan, Rip Torn, Susan Egan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Bobcat Goldthwait, Matt Frewer, Samantha Eggar, Josh Keaton, Lillias White, Paul Shaffer and Charlton Heston. The movie depicts the adventures of Heracles (known in the movie by his Roman name, Hercules), the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology. The storyline also draws much of its inspiration from Superman: The Movie, as well as The Karate Kid and Rocky. Though Hercules did not match its predecessors, it still took over $99 million in domestic revenues[1] and over $252,700,000 worldwide. The movie was later followed by Hercules: The Animated Series, focusing on Hercules during his time at the Prometheus academy and Hercules: Zero to Hero, a...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119282
Mars Attacks! is a comedy and science fiction film by Tim Burton based on the popular card series Mars Attacks. It was released in 1996 by Warner Bros.The film combines the storyline and tone of a B-movie (or B-movie spoof) with the budget of a blockbuster movie. It features an ensemble cast. The film is highly dependent upon special effects. The soundtrack by Danny Elfman makes extensive use of the theremin.The film received mixed reviews from critics (though it was more popular in Europe), and although it grossed some $101,371,017 worldwide, it was considered a moderate box office success because of its cost ($70 million).As with other Burton movies, the subject under scrutiny is not only the present, but the mass culture of his own suburban childhood. Although nominally set in the present day, the film contains numerous anachronistic references to the style of the 1950s science fiction B-movies of which it is a parody. The film's tone is similar to that of the trading card series,...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116996
Matilda is a 1996 film directed by Danny DeVito. It is based on Roald Dahl's children's novel. The film was released by TriStar Pictures.
Matilda is an intelligent girl with idiotic parents who pay no attention to her. When Matilda goes to school, she meets her teacher, the kind Miss Honey and the abusive principal Miss Trunchbull. Over time, she discovers that she has telekinesis. Matilda must then use her special powers to triumph over Miss Trunchbull.
One major difference between the novel and the film is the setting. In the novel, Matilda lives in England where Roald Dahl lived (although his parents were Norwegian and he grew up in Wales). In the movie, Matilda lives in the USA and most of the film was shot in the East Whittier district of Los Angeles, California. The only character to remain British in the film is Agatha Trunchbull (the antagonist) played by Pam Ferris.
Considering the original work was a short, fairly thin story, much was added to bring it up to feature length,...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117008
Get Shorty is a novel by American novelist Elmore Leonard, first published in 1990, and a movie adaptation of the same name, released in 1995.
The book's story centres around Chili Palmer, a small-time loanshark based in Miami, who is sent after one Leo Devoe, who has scammed an airline out of $300,000 by faking his own death. Leo's trail takes him to Las Vegas, where he finds a more interesting assignment: the casino is looking to collect from Harry Zimm, a horror film producer based in Los Angeles. Palmer, himself interested in the movie industry, takes the extra assignment and heads for Los Angeles.
Palmer lets his interest in the movie industry overshadow his collection job. He sneaks into the house of Karen Flores (Zimm's girlfriend) in the middle of the night, startling both Zimm and Flores, and explains that he has a "great idea" for a movie. Zimm is immediately taken in by Palmer's charm, although Flores is still skeptical, as Palmer recounts Leo Devoe's story and his story...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113161
Renaissance Man aka By the Book aka Army Intelligence is the title of a 1994 movie starring Danny DeVito. The film was written by Jim Burnstein and directed by Penny Marshall.
Danny DeVito plays Bill Rago, a divorced advertising executive down on his luck. When he loses his job in Detroit, the unemployment agency finds him a temporary job; teaching in the U.S. Army training base, Fort McClane.
Initially unenthusiastic about this assignment, Rago finds that he has only six weeks to teach a group of "squeakers," who are especially low achievers, the basics of comprehension and use of English language. Most of the soldiers are only semi-literate and equally unenthusiastic.
Unable to connect with his pupils and desperate to spark their interest, Rago quotes from his favorite play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, which they have never heard of. A small initial spark of interest is generated.
Rago further introduces them to Henry V, which generates further interest. Despite the disapproval...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110971
Jack the Bear is a 1993 film starring Danny DeVito. Two boys and their quirky father start over in 1972 Oakland, California, with a sinister presence nearby....,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107247
Batman Returns is a 1992 superhero thriller film based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It is the second Batman film, and the last in the series to be directed by Tim Burton and to star Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The departure of Burton and Keaton paved the way for the Joel Schumacher films. It was also the first film to feature Dolby Digital technology when it debuted in the summer of 1992.The story begins 33 years ago at Christmas time in a mansion in Gotham. The wealthy Cobblepots have just given birth to a child but it is shown that there is something horribly wrong with the child. They soon decide to abandon the child by dropping it into the sewers. As the baby's basket rushes through the sewers, the credits roll, and eventually the child comes to rest at the feet of a group of Emperor Penguins from the zoo.Thirty-three years later, it is Christmas time again in Gotham, as the ambitious but ruthless business tycoon Max Shreck gives a speech...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103776
Other People's Money is a 1991 "drama/romantic comedy" film starring
Danny DeVito, Penelope Ann Miller and Gregory Peck. It is based on a play (Riqueza ajena) by Jerry Sterner. The director was Norman Jewison and the screenplay was credited to Alvin Sargent.
Corporate raider Lawrence Garfield a.k.a. "Larry the Liquidator" (Danny DeVito), always looking for the next big score, puts his sights on New England Wire and Cable, a family-owned business run by old codger "Jorgy" Jorgenson (Gregory Peck). Trying to stave off the takeover, Jorgy hires Kate (Penelope Ann Miller), his stepdaughter, to stall Larry. Before long, Larry becomes involved in a complicated game of cat-and-mouse (and mutual attraction) in which he and Kate each struggle to maintain the upper hand. As he closes in on his goal - taking over New England Wire and Cable - Larry has to decide which he loves more: money, or Kate.
...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102609
The War of the Roses is a 1989 American motion picture based upon the 1981 novel The War of the Roses by Warren Adler. It is a dark comedy about a wealthy couple with a seemingly perfect marriage. He is a successful lawyer and his wife is building her own catering business. When their marriage begins to fall apart, material possessions become the center of an outrageous and bitter divorce battle.
In both the novel and the movie, the married couple's family name is Rose. At the same time, the title of the book/film alludes to the battles between the Houses of York and Lancaster at the end of the Middle Ages (see Wars of the Roses). In the German-speaking world, since the release of the movie, the word Rosenkrieg (meaning "Roses war", or less literally, "War of the Roses") has come to denote such a bitter fight for material possessions (and maybe also for custody of the children) as depicted in the film, with most speakers completely unaware of the word's origins.
The film begins with...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098621
Twins is a 1988 comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman about unlikely twins (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito) that were separated at birth. The core of the film is the relationship between DeVito's streetwise character and Arnold's Ingenue persona. The original music score was composed by Georges Delerue and Randy Edelman.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, and Hulk Hogan have all revealed in interviews that Schwarzenegger and DeVito were given the option of doing this movie or Suburban Commando. Had DeVito and Schwarzenegger made Suburban Commando, Hulk Hogan and Christopher Lloyd would have made this movie. Only Hogan and DeVito state that Vincent would have been hassled by horse racing bookies instead of loan sharks. The film is marketed with the tagline "Only their mother can tell them apart."
Julius and Vincent Benedict are fraternal twins; the results of a secret experiment carried out at a genetics laboratory to produce the perfect child, using sperm donated by...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096320
Throw Momma from the Train is a dark comedy film released in 1987. The movie was inspired by the 1951 Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train, which also plays a role in the movie.
It stars Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito (who also directed), Anne Ramsey, Kim Greist, Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, and Kate Mulgrew. It has been released for television and video/DVD.
The film received mixed reviews but was a major commercial success. Actress Anne Ramsey was singled out for praise and her portrayal of the maniacal and overbearing Mrs. Lift won her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
The movie follows the interaction of the two main characters, Larry Donner (played by Billy Crystal), and Owen Lift (DeVito). At one time Devito was going to play the role of Larry and Crystal would play the role of Owen.
Larry Donner is a struggling writer who teaches a creative writing class at a community college. Donner blames his ex-wife Margaret (Mulgrew) for stealing the...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094142
Tin Men is a 1987 comedy film directed by Barry Levinson and produced by Mark Johnson. It is part of Levinson's series of "Baltimore Films," set in his hometown during the 40's through the 60's. The series, in order, is Diner, Tin Men, Avalon, and Liberty Heights.
Tin Men Don't Get Mad....They Get Even!Ernest Tilley and Bill "BB" Babowsky are "tin men" — door-to-door aluminum siding salesmen in Baltimore in 1963. Working for different companies, they are prepared to do almost anything — legal or illegal — to close a sale. BB buys a shiny Cadillac to maintain his image of success and almost immediately crashes into another Cadillac driven by Tilley (all "tin men" drive a Cadillac). It is not clear who is at fault for the accident (BB is entering the public way from the dealer, in reverse but very slowly; Tilley has the right of way, however, he was clearly distracted). This generates a spate of road rage and the two rivals vow to do anything to get back at the other....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094155
The 1986 movie Ruthless People is a black comedy loosely based on the O. Henry short story The Ransom of Red Chief, that starred Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. It was directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker.When Ken (Reinhold) and Sandy Kessler (Slater) find themselves in an untenable financial position, they hatch a desperate scheme to get rich by kidnapping Barbara Stone (Midler), the overweight loud-mouthed wife of ruthless businessman Sam Stone (DeVito). This scheme is motivated in no small part by the fact that Sam has stolen successful fashion designs from the couple and is thus largely responsible for their woes. They plan to demand a large ransom from Stone.Things go astray, however, when it becomes obvious that Sam is not only sick of his wife, but is actually overjoyed to find that he doesn't have to go through the trouble of murdering her - all he needs to do is not pay the ransom, and the kidnappers will do his dirty work for...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091877
My Little Pony: The Movie is a 1986 animated film based on the popular My Little Pony toy line. The movie features the voice acting talents of Danny Devito, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Rhea Perlman, and Tony Randall. The movie was succeeded by a television series which ran in late 1986. A 10-part episode from that series, The End of Flutter Valley, was a sequel to the movie.At Dream Castle, the My Little Ponies are preparing a festival to celebrate the first day of Spring. From the Volcano of Gloom, the witch Hydia watches the event via her cauldron and, disgusted by the frivolity, tells her daughters that they must ruin it.Baby Lickety-Split, one of the Baby Pony Dancers, tries to gain attention by inventing an elaborate new dance step, but only succeeds in tripping up the others and ruining the whole performance. When she is scolded by Buttons and the other Baby Ponies, a tearful Lickety-Split runs to the Lullabye Nursery where she packs her things to run away. Spike the baby...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091584
Romancing the Stone is an American 1984 action-adventure film. It also has many elements that might categorize it as a romantic comedy. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, it stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito.
The movie was a respectable hit and earned over USD$114 million worldwide in box-office receipts and $36 million in video rentals. This film also helped launch Turner to stardom and reintroduced Douglas to the public as a capable leading man.
Tagline:She's a girl from the big city. He's a reckless soldier of fortune. For a fabulous treasure, they share an adventure no one could imagine...or survive.The plot of the movie revolves around romance writer Joan Wilder, played by Kathleen Turner, who travels to Colombia to find her kidnapped sister. In time she falls in love with a soldier of fortune and the two become romantically involved as they search for a precious stone which the kidnappers want.
The first few minutes of the movie depict a scene from one of Joan...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088011
Terms of Endearment is a 1983 American drama film and romantic comedy adapted by James L. Brooks from the novel by Larry McMurtry.
Actor Jack Nicholson's character, astronaut Garrett Breedlove, does not appear in the novel. The part was created for Burt Reynolds, but he was already committed to another film, so it was handed to James Garner. Garner quarrelled with the director over differing interpretations. The part then went to Harrison Ford who turned it down because he didn't like the age difference between himself and Shirley MacLaine. The role wound up going to Nicholson. Debra Winger and Sissy Spacek were the original choices for the mother and daughter roles. The film was originally rated R for sexual content and language but re-rated PG on appeal.
The movie tells the story of a mother/daughter relationship and both women's inconclusive search for love.
It opens with the newborn Emma in her cradle, sleeping. Her mother, Aurora, comes in to check on her infant and does not...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086425
The Van is a comedy movie made in the late 1970s which shows stereotypical teenagers in the 70's who try to make it through their social lives by drag racing with each other and trying to score with recent high school graduate girls. The movie features music from Sammy Johns (most notably the song Chevy Van), and is a representative of its time, showing expression's of free sex and people rocking out to 8-track music, the film shows what it was like to be a teenager in the 70's.
The movie has had several taglines presented on the cover of the movie including "Bobby has a new machine...and everyone wants a ride!" and what appears to be the most popular is "Bobby couldn't make it 'till he went...FUN-TRUCKIN'!". The movie has around 8 different covers that were released in North America so the taglines have been changed several times and may vary in foreign releases.
The setting of The Van is down town America and is mostly filmed in and around the beach or at the pub were the protagonist...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075378
Danny DeVito was born
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