He is known for his film roles in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Terms of Endearment (1983), Head Office (1985), Ruthless People (1986), Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Twins (1988), The War of the Roses (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Jack the Bear (1993), Junior (1994), Matilda (1996), L.A.

He made his Broadway debut as Gregory Solomon in the revival of Arthur Miller's The Price (2017), earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance.

He lived a few miles away from the original Jersey Mike's location and would eat there frequently, which would inspire him to become the sub shop's first celebrity spokesman in a line of commercials that began to air in September 2022.

While working as a beautician at his sister's salon, his search for a professional makeup instructor led him to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts,[10] where he graduated in 1966.

[11] DeVito gained fame in 1978 playing Louie De Palma, the short but domineering dispatcher for the fictional Sunshine Cab Company, on the hit TV show Taxi.

He took a supporting role as Vernon Dalhart in the James L. Brooks directed comedy-drama Terms of Endearment (1983) acting alongside Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger and Jack Nicholson.

The following year he acted in the crime comedy Johnny Dangerously (1984) and took the role as the comic rogue Ralph in the romantic adventure Romancing the Stone (1984), starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner; and its sequel, The Jewel of the Nile (1985).

In 1986, DeVito starred in Ruthless People with Bette Midler and Judge Reinhold and also voiced the character Grundle King in My Little Pony: The Movie.

[12][13] In 1992 he portrayed the villain Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin in director Tim Burton's Batman Returns (1992) acting opposite Michael Keaton, Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken.

starring Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Martin Short and Natalie Portman.

These are The Sound Sleeper (1973), Minestrone (1975), Oh Those Lips (2010), Evil Eye (2010), Poison Tongue (2011), Skin Deep (2011), Nest of Vipers (2011) and Curmudgeons (2016).

Following the Japanese release of the Nintendo 3DS game Detective Pikachu, dedicated Pokémon fans submitted a 40,000-signature petition requesting that DeVito be the English voice actor for the title character.

[19][20] In April 2012, DeVito made his West End acting debut in a revival of the Neil Simon play The Sunshine Boys as Willie Clark, alongside Richard Griffiths.

[citation needed] DeVito made his Broadway debut in a Roundabout Theatre Company revival of the Arthur Miller play The Price as Gregory Solomon.

In 2018 he had a guest starring role in the Netflix comedy series The Kominsky Method acting opposite Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.

The following year in 2019 he reunited with Tim Burton playing Max Medici in the live action Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Dumbo, a remake of the 1941 animated film.

He also played Eddie Gilpin in the action comedy film Jumanji: The Next Level starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan.

In 1987 he made his feature-directing debut with the dark comedy Throw Momma from the Train, in which he starred with Billy Crystal and Anne Ramsey.

[28] DeVito reunited with Jewel of the Nile co-stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in 1989 when he directed and starred alongside them in The War of the Roses.

"[29] He also served as the Narrator and played the villainous used-car dealer father Harry Wormwood opposite his wife Rhea Perlman.

The following year, he was in talks to direct the crime drama The Little Things with Robert De Niro at that time set to star,[30] and The Crowded Room with Leonardo DiCaprio.

In 1998, he committed to star in and direct both the sci-fi film Barthe for TriStar, about an alien who falls in love,[32][30] and a remake of The Man Who Came to Dinner for DreamWorks.

[33] In 1999, DeVito was attached to star, direct and produce Jason Keller's spec script Sugar's Sweet Science of Bruising for New Line Cinema.

[34][30] For the next two years, DeVito was attached to film Michael Petroni's Revelations, a "supernatural religious thriller" that was to have starred George Clooney.

Before the release of the latter, he agreed to direct a remake of 1942's I Married a Witch for Tom Cruise and Columbia Pictures, announcing to Variety that he hoped to begin production by the end of the year.

Written by Rick Cleveland, the script chronicles business tycoons Donald Trump and Steve Wynn's competition to build a casino in Atlantic City.

[44] DeVito has written a film adaptation of and been, since 2008, attached to direct The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle with Morgan Freeman, Pierce Brosnan and Saoirse Ronan starring.

[46][47] DeVito returned to the subject in February 2013, saying he was looking for another young actress to star in the title role and scouting movie locations in Ireland.

[1] His short stature is the result of multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (Fairbank's disease), a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth.

[65] DeVito has mentioned being a big fan of singer Mike Patton's various musical projects, being introduced to his work though his son Jacob in 2005.