Danny DeVito
Actor
About This Interview
In his nearly three-hour Archive interview, Actor/Producer/Director Danny DeVito talks about his early love of television and film, and reminisces about growing up in New Jersey. He speaks of early roles in films such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" and early TV roles on Starsky and Hutch. He discusses landing the role of "Louie De Palma" on Taxi, for which he won an Emmy, and describes his costars - including the comedian Andy Kaufman. DeVito also recalls his wife Rhea Perlman's guest appearance on that show, and recounts his own guest appearances on TV comedies such as Friends and The Simpsons. He touches on his production company, Jersey Films, and some of its projects. He then details his latest role as "Frank Reynolds" on F/X's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, created by Rob McElhenney. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on July 27, 2011 in North Hollywood, CA.
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Highlights
Danny DeVito on getting cast as "Louie DePalma" on Taxi
Clip begins at: 56:08, Duration: 02m 06s
Danny DeVito on the legacy of "Louie De Palma" on Taxi
Clip begins at: 40:58, Duration: 01m 08s
Danny DeVito on his physical type
Clip begins at: 00:23- Danny DeVito on his advice to actors
Clip begins at: 29:42 - Danny DeVito on his proudest career achievement
Clip begins at: 27:32 
Danny DeVito on being fortunate to have spanned generations of fans on TV
Clip begins at: 00:04
Interview
- Part 1
- On his "new look" - blonde hair for a movie he was shooting during this interview; he talks about the new phase of "Television on the internet"; on the state of his hair on his current show It's Always Sunny in Philadephia
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his early family life; on growing up in New Jersey; an early love of movies
Clip begins at: 06:16 - On loving to watch television as a kid; on his education
Clip begins at: 14:43 - On acting in high school; on growing up Italian-American
Clip begins at: 21:23 - On going to beauty school; on trying to enroll in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Clip begins at: 33:16 - On starting a career in television; on appearing on Cuckoo's Nest off-Broadway; on All That Glitters;
Clip begins at: 41:33 - On the value of television and its future on the internet; on being able to watch television on-demand
Clip begins at: 47:27 - On getting cast on Taxi; on his character Louie DePalma
Clip begins at: 53:50 - Part 2
- On his early television work: Starsky & Hutch,
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his Taxi co-stars; Andy Kaufman, Marilu Henner, Christopher Lloyd; on a guest-appearance by his mother and by his wife Rhea Pearlman
Clip begins at: 03:21 - On his Taxi character Louie De Palma; on how much he enjoyed the role
Clip begins at: 14:03 - On why he went back to television with his current sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; on Charlie Day and his Sunny cast; on how his Taxi fans might react to his new character; comparing "Frank" and "Louie"
Clip begins at: 19:45 - On Louie De Palma's special "space" on Taxi; what he kept in that space and how he decorated it; on the legacy of that role; on Taxi being cancelled then picked up again by NBC; on his SNL appearance; on changes with censorship on TV
Clip begins at: 38:40 - On the changing face of television and new media
Clip begins at: 54:15 - Part 3
- On his physical type; on the end of Taxi; on the show's legacy
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On what he watches on TV now;
Clip begins at: 07:00 - On the film "Man on the Moon" about his Taxi co-star Andy Kaufman; on his appearances on Friends as Uncle Herb
Clip begins at: 10:10 - On why It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has tapped into the American psyche
Clip begins at: 20:10 - On what he looks for in a film in order to take a role: five good things
Clip begins at: 25:22 - On his proudest achievements and career advice to actors; on his directing style; on meeting Milton Berle and Red Buttons
Clip begins at: 27:32
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Wow, 'Taxi' and Devito - probably my all time favorite combination. When I was watching 'Taxi' I certainly wasn't watching it on an led tv like I am today but that didn't take away from the greatness of that show. Great interview! Thanks for sharing.
Terrific interview -- and really fun
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