What Is Danny DeVito's Net Worth and Salary?
Danny DeVito is an award-winning American actor, comedian, film director, and producer who has a net worth of $80 million. Danny DeVito first gained widespread recognition as Louie De Palma in the TV series "Taxi" (1978-1983), winning both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the abrasive dispatcher. Prior to this breakthrough, he had worked in theater and appeared in several films including "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975).
The 1980s and 1990s saw DeVito establish himself as both an accomplished actor and director. He starred in successful films like "Terms of Endearment" (1983), "Romancing the Stone" (1984), and "Twins" (1988) alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. As a director, he helmed dark comedies such as "Throw Momma from the Train" (1987), "The War of the Roses" (1989), and "Matilda" (1996), in which he also starred. One of his most iconic roles came as the Penguin in Tim Burton's "Batman Returns" (1992). DeVito continued to showcase his versatility in films like "L.A. Confidential" (1997) and "Big Fish" (2003). In 2006, he joined the cast of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" as Frank Reynolds, introducing him to a new generation of fans and adding another memorable character to his repertoire.
Throughout his career, DeVito has also been active as a producer through his company Jersey Films, which has been behind successful projects like "Pulp Fiction" (1994), "Erin Brockovich" (2000), and "Garden State" (2004). His distinctive voice has been featured in animated works such as "Hercules" (1997) and "The Lorax" (2012). DeVito continues to work across multiple aspects of entertainment, maintaining his status as one of Hollywood's most versatile and enduring talents.
Early Life
Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. was born on November 17, 1944, in Neptune Township, New Jersey. He has multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (Fairbank's disease), a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth, which accounts for his short stature (he is 4 feet, 10 inches tall). He has two older sisters and was raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey. DeVito is of Italian descent and was raised as a Catholic.
Career Beginnings
Danny attended boarding school, graduating from Oratory Preparatory School in Summit, New Jersey, in 1962. There, he first began acting, appearing in school productions of "St. Francis of Assisi" and "The Billion Dollar Saint." After graduating from high school, he began working at his sister's salon, which he thought was a good way to meet girls. After working there for 18 months, he decided to switch to the cosmetics profession, which was more lucrative. While searching for a professional makeup instructor, DeVito discovered the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He ended up applying to the school, and he was required to perform a monologue as part of his application. Following the positive feedback he received for his monologue, Danny quickly switched to studying acting at the school instead and graduated from the academy in 1966.
During his early acting days, DeVito performed with the Colonnades Theater Lab at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut. He also appeared in plays produced by the Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective.
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Acting Career
From theater, DeVito made the transition to working on screen with the 1975 film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." He had initially starred in an off-Broadway production of the novel in 1971, which helped him land the film role. The 1975 film version was highly successful, winning the five major Academy Awards in 1976 (Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, and Screenplay). DeVito was launched into stardom and maintained his prominence and popularity through his role on the television series "Taxi" (1978–1983), on which he played the character of taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma. His work on "Taxi" earned him a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1981. Following the end of "Taxi," DeVito returned to film, appearing in movies such as "Terms of Endearment" (1983), "Romancing the Stone" (1984), "Ruthless People" (1986), "Twins" (1988) with Arnold Schwarzenegger, "Other People's Money" (1991) and Tim Burton's "Batman Returns" (1992).
Danny returned to television in 2006 when he joined the cast of the popular FX sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Films he has worked on during the latter part of his career include "Solitary Man" (2009) with Susan Sarandon and long-time friend Michael Douglas, "When in Rome" (2010) with Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, and Tim Burton's 2019 live-action adaptation of "Dumbo."
Generally speaking, DeVito is widely considered to be a comic actor. However, he has also appeared in several dramatic roles over the years, including in "The Rainmaker" (1997), "Jack the Bear" (1993), "L.A. Confidential" (1997), "The Big Kahuna" (1999), and "Heist" (2001). He also has an impressive list of voiceover projects under his belt. He has voiced characters in everything from "My Little Pony: The Movie" (1986), "Hercules" (1997), "Space Jam" (1996), and "The Lorax" (2012) to multiple episodes of the television show "The Simpsons" as the character Herb Powell. Additionally, he has appeared in television ads for QuickBooks and m&m's and also played a fictionalized version of himself in the "Steal My Girl" music video for British boy band One Direction.
In 2017, DeVito earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the Broadway revival of "The Price." In 2018, he voiced Dorgle in "Smallfoot." Danny portrayed Eddie Gilpin in 2019's "Jumanji: The Next Level" and Bruce in 2023's "Haunted Mansion." He also voiced Merv Stampington in 2023's "Big City Greens" in the episode "Long Goodbye."
In recognition of his work on television, DeVito received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.
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Production Ventures and Directing
DeVito made his directorial debut in 1984 with the film "The Ratings Game." He went on to direct numerous films, such as "Throw Momma from the Train" (1987), "The War of the Roses" (1989), "Hoffa" (1992), "Death to Smoochy" (2002) and "Duplex" (2003). Additionally, he also directed eight different short films between 1973 and 2016.
Danny founded the production company Jersey Films with partner Michael Shamberg in 1991. Soon afterward, Stacey Sher joined them as an equal partner. The company has produced many films, most notably "Man on the Moon" (1999), "Pulp Fiction" (1994), "Garden State" (2004) and "Freedom Writers" (2007). The company was also behind the Comedy Central series "Reno 911!" (2003-2009). DeVito founded Jersey Films in 1991. Other notable films produced by DeVito include "Matilda" (1996), which he co-produced, directed, and starred in, and "Erin Brockovich" (2000), for which DeVito, Shamberg, and Sher received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
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Personal Life
Danny DeVito's 4-foot-10 stature is the result of Fairbank's disease (multiple epiphyseal dysplasia), a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth.
Danny met actress Rhea Perlman on January 17, 1971, when she went to see a friend performing in the play "The Shrinking Bride," which DeVito was also in. Two weeks later, the couple had moved in with each other. They got married on January 28, 1982. Together, they have three children. After 30 years of marriage, they separated in October 2012 before reconciling in March 2013. They separated amicably for the second time in March 2017 but have stated that they do not intend to file for divorce.
DeVito and Perlman have worked together on many projects, such as the show "Taxi" and the feature film "Matilda."
In 2023, Danny donated $500,000 to the Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center during a visit to his old stomping grounds.
Real Estate
For many years, Danny and Rhea lived in a 14,579-square-foot house in Beverly Hills, California. They purchased the property in 1994 and sold it in April 2015 for $24 million after listing it a few years earlier off-market for more than $30 million. They continue to co-own a home in Malibu's Point Dume neighborhood. In 2022, the couple listed their Mt. Washington perch in Los Angeles for $1.55 million.
