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Danny DeVito as Louie DePalma in "Taxi". Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077089/characters/nm0000362/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Danny DeVito really did get his start in the 1980s on television. Before the end of the decade, he had propelled himself into a movie career that carries on to this day.
Yesterday, I was watching a Notre Dame football game on NBC, when I saw Danny DeVito on a commercial for Jersey Mike’s.
Older now, it still reminded me of “Taxi”, “Romancing the Stone”, and so much more.
The years before
Danny DeVito appeared in a number of movies to start his career including “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1975; “Car Wash” in 1976; “The World’s Greatest Lover” in 1977; “Goin’ South” in 1978; “Going Ape” in 1981; and “Terms of Endearment” in 1983.
Danny DeVito appeared in a number of movies to start his career including “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1975; “Car Wash” in 1976; “The World’s Greatest Lover” in 1977; “Goin’ South” in 1978; “Going Ape” in 1981; and “Terms of Endearment” in 1983.
He was also active on TV, with guest spots in “Delvecchio”, “Starsky and Hutch”, and “Police Woman”, all in 1977.
Everything changed in 1978, when DeVito was cast in a role that would change his life, really launch his career, and bring his face into television sets across Canada and the United States.
Taking a “Taxi”
DeVito was cast to play taxi cab dispatcher Louie DePalma in the sitcom “Taxi”. He would play that role from 1978 until the show went off the air in 1983, for a total of 114 episodes.
DeVito was cast to play taxi cab dispatcher Louie DePalma in the sitcom “Taxi”. He would play that role from 1978 until the show went off the air in 1983, for a total of 114 episodes.
Louie was a crass, wise-cracking, angry, surly, sarcastic dispatcher, who had a bit of a soft side. He was a multi-layered character, who I have a lot of good memories of.
One time, he had to take care of this rich kid. They were in a cab, and the kid was exasperating Louie more and more. At one point the boy tells Louie he can tell him the score of the basketball game between the New York Knickerbockers and the Boston Celtics – for a price.
“You mean to tell me, you can tell me the score of the game between the New York Knickerbockers and te Boston Celtics before it starts?”
“Yes,” the kid responds, so Louie pays up.
“What is it?” Louie asks.
“Zero-zero,” then he cackles in Louie’s face.
It gets progressively worse, culminating in a contest to see who can hold their breath the longest – for a price. They start, then Louie looks more and more distressed. The kid bursts out, “Are you okay”, thus losing the contest.
Louie laughs and says he finally got the kid.
Then the kid just starts to cry, exasperating Louie further.
Danny DeVito was so good in the role, I found myself feeling sorry for Louie DePalma, who was usually detestable. It was classic comedy.
Another time I felt sorry for Louie was when he opened up about his size to someone, Elaine Nardo I think, who was played by Marilu Henner. He talked about having to go to the children’s section to shop for clothes and undergo the humiliation to say, when asked if he was shopping for his children that, no, it was for him.
For all his efforts, Danny DeVito was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1983, winning in 1981. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Television for the same role in 1979, 1980, and 1981, winning in 1980.
I thought, like so many other actors, who found fame in movies, that he left “Taxi” to pursue a film career, especially because I did not see the last season of “Taxi”. It was one of those shows hard to find on the peasant vision dial because Channel 13 slotted it in around other programming at unannounced times. However, when I looked at DeVito’s filmography, he stayed on “Taxi” to the end. Then he continued on with a burgeoning film career that began when he was still acting full time on “Taxi”.
Big breakthrough
Danny DeVito had a part in “Terms of Endearment” in 1983, then hit it big the following year.
Danny DeVito had a part in “Terms of Endearment” in 1983, then hit it big the following year.
In 1984, A still relatively unknown Kathleen Turner played a romance writer who gets involved in a real life drama with an adventurer played by Michael Douglas in “Romancing the Stone”. He is in search of a mythical gem. She becomes embroiled in the search and involved with the man.
Dany DeVito plays a weasly little man also looking for the gem, and he was excellent as one of the antagonists. He even coins the phrase on which the movie is named. When confronting Douglas’ character, DeVito says he is at least honest about wanting the stone. His opponent, on the other hand, is trying to “romance it from under her”.
“Romancing the Stone” is still one of my favourite movies, and it really set Danny DeVito on his way.
“Ruthless People”
In 1984, DeVito also appeared in “Johnny Dangerously”, and in 1985 was in “The Jewel of the Nile”, the sequel to “Romancing the Stone”, a movie I have still not seen.
In 1984, DeVito also appeared in “Johnny Dangerously”, and in 1985 was in “The Jewel of the Nile”, the sequel to “Romancing the Stone”, a movie I have still not seen.
Then, in 1986, he played a man trying to have his wife killed. While that unfolds, the wife, played by Bette Midler, is kidnapped by two people who really are not kidnappers. They in turn befriend the woman they kidnapped when they realize he is really a bad guy, and she is an incredible woman. Together they all turn the tables on DeVito’s character.
It is an amazing comedy I saw in the theatre.
Rest of the decade
DeVito made his name in the 1980s in a series of comedies. In 1987, he played a door-to-door aluminum siding salesman in “Tin Men” and a tortured son in “Throw Momma From the Train”. The next year, 1988, he was a twin separated at birth from his brother, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, in “Twins”. He closed out the decade in 1989 appearing in “The War of the Roses”, again with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, about an acrimonious divorce.
DeVito made his name in the 1980s in a series of comedies. In 1987, he played a door-to-door aluminum siding salesman in “Tin Men” and a tortured son in “Throw Momma From the Train”. The next year, 1988, he was a twin separated at birth from his brother, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, in “Twins”. He closed out the decade in 1989 appearing in “The War of the Roses”, again with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, about an acrimonious divorce.
The years after
DeVito just kept on making movies including ”Other People’s Money”; “Batman Returns” as The Penguin; “Hoffa”; “Last Action Hero”; “Junior”; "Get Shorty”; “Matilda”; “Space Jam”; “Mars Attacks!”; “The Rainmaker”; “L.A. Confidential”; “Man on the Moon”; “Austin Powers in Goldmember”; and much, much more.
DeVito just kept on making movies including ”Other People’s Money”; “Batman Returns” as The Penguin; “Hoffa”; “Last Action Hero”; “Junior”; "Get Shorty”; “Matilda”; “Space Jam”; “Mars Attacks!”; “The Rainmaker”; “L.A. Confidential”; “Man on the Moon”; “Austin Powers in Goldmember”; and much, much more.
In 1994, he starred in my favourite of all Danny DeVito movies, “Renaissance Man”. In it, he plays a down-on-his luck advertising executive who finds a job teaching literature to army cadets. I have always loved movies about teachers getting through to their students in unlikely ways.
On TV, he has been appearing in the comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” since it began in 2006, for 155 episodes so far.
Married man
Danny DeVito was also married to Rhea Perlman all through the ‘80s, from 1982 when they got married, through the 1990s, and up to 2017 when they separated but have not divorced. She was best known as Carla Tortelli, the smart-talking barmaid on “Cheers”. She also guest starred in “Taxi” as Vera, the love of Louie DePalma’s life.
Married man
Danny DeVito was also married to Rhea Perlman all through the ‘80s, from 1982 when they got married, through the 1990s, and up to 2017 when they separated but have not divorced. She was best known as Carla Tortelli, the smart-talking barmaid on “Cheers”. She also guest starred in “Taxi” as Vera, the love of Louie DePalma’s life.
Parting thoughts
It is funny how a particular role can stick with an actor. For me, when I hear the name Danny DeVito, the role of Louie DePalma will always come to mind. That's despite the wide variety of characters he has played since then, who have eclipsed his time on “Taxi”.
It is funny how a particular role can stick with an actor. For me, when I hear the name Danny DeVito, the role of Louie DePalma will always come to mind. That's despite the wide variety of characters he has played since then, who have eclipsed his time on “Taxi”.
I chalk it up to the power of first impressions.
Yet, he is so much more than Louie DePalma, and has put together a wide and varied career in the movies. That is why I like him in “Renaissance Man” so much. It is such a departure from Louie DePalma.
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