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Creator / Danny DeVito

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"It's fun to be on the edge. I think you do your best work when you take chances, when you're not safe, when you're not in the middle of the road, at least for me, anyway."

Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944 in Neptune Township, New Jersey) is an American actor, comedian, director, and producer of Italian descent.

Highly prolific and easily recognizable by his short stature (the result of multiple epiphyseal dysplasia) and strong New Jersey accent, DeVito first gained prominence with his portrayal of caustic taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma on the 1978–83 TV sitcom Taxi, for which he won an Emmy and a Golden Globe. He's since become a major film star with numerous credits to his name. In addition to acting, DeVito is also a director and producer who co-founded Jersey Films, a production company responsible for such films as Pulp Fiction, Garden State, Freedom Writers and its television sister company is responsible for Reno 911!.

DeVito returned to television in 2006, starring as Frank Reynolds in the FX (later FXX) sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He also directs and produces graphic short horror films for his Internet venture The Blood Factory. He has appeared in several of them, as have friends of his and members of his family.

His wife Rhea Perlman (from whom he's now separated) is an actress herself, as is their daughter Lucy DeVito.

As of September 2022, he is the spokesman for Jersey Mike's Subs.


Filmography

    open/close all folders 

    Film roles 

    Television roles 

    As a producer only 


Tropes associated with Danny DeVito!

  • Affably Evil: Most of his characters are slimy, untrustworthy weasels with almost no morals but his boundless charisma, utter confidence and absolute commitment and total lack of shame about how horrible they are make them impossible not to like.
  • Alliterative Name: Danny DeVito.
  • Ascended Meme: Has become an icon online largely due to the popularity of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, among other things.
  • Black Comedy: A constant with his work, from his performances in films like Get Shorty, Batman Returns, and Ruthless People, to directing The War of the Roses, Matildanote  and Death to Smoochy, to his decade-long-plus run on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
  • Card-Carrying Villain: Many of his characters know full well how sleazy, amoral and generally awful they are and are not the least bit ashamed of it. It's part of what makes them so hard to dislike.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: A lot of his characters tend to be rather eccentric, most notably Frank Reynolds.
  • Cool Old Guy: Most of his recent characters qualify by default due to his charisma.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Is frequently cast as characters with an acerbic wit.
  • Depraved Dwarf: Not technically a dwarf, but he is close enough, so it works for many of his sleazier characters.
  • Gonk: His unique appearance allows him to play a variety of roles that utilize this trope, such as The Penguin or Frank Reynolds. It's also contributed in-part to his memetic status.
  • Ink-Suit Actor: Philoctetes, and, to a lesser extent, the Lorax.
  • Jerkass: His characters are usually sleazy, amoral and completely untrustworthy.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Even his good-guy characters - such as Philoctetes from Hercules - are usually rude and abrasive.
  • Joisey: As indicated by his Central New Jersey accent, as well as the fact that he was born in Neptune Township, New Jersey and grew up in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
  • Kavorka Man: His characters seem to have little problem with women despite his appearance and aforementioned terrible personalities. His internet status is also partially based on this trope, given that he is frequently cited as hot.
  • Large Ham: Very loud and expressive in nearly every role.
  • The Napoleon: He is 4'10, which plays into both his roles and his public image.

 
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Video Example(s):

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The Lorax multilanguage

Danny DeVito voiced The Lorax in English, Italian, Spanish (both), Russian and German.

How well does it match the trope?

5 (14 votes)

Example of:

Main / MultipleLanguagesSameVoiceActor

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