[1] Growing up in Overbrook, Philadelphia, De Salvo studied art at Temple University and became involved with theater in Boston, where she was working as an art teacher.
[2] She had her breakout with the role of Lucille Pompi in the Albert Innaurato's drama play Gemini, which got her an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress in 1977.
[5] Often playing "wise-cracking New York characters",[2] among De Salvo's best known roles are Woody Allen's sister in Stardust Memories, and Vicky DeStefano, Tony Danza's fiancée in Taxi.
[6] In 1991, she co-starred alongside Ray Sharkey in the ABC sitcom The Man in the Family.
[8] In 2001, De Salvo made her screenwriting and directorial debut with The Amati Girls.