DeVito's 'Philadelphia' character lives on

PHILADELPHIA, June 26 (UPI) -- Danny DeVito, who had been out of TV comedy since "Taxi" in 1983, will keep his role in FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" for the entire season.

"Philadelphia" starts the new season with two episodes Thursday at 10 p.m., the New York Post reported.

DeVito and his wife Rhea Perlman ("Cheers") have been friends with John Landgraf, president of FX, and his wife Ally Walker ("Profiler") for many years, since Landgraf headed DeVito's production company, Jersey Television.

In "Philadelphia," DeVito plays Frank Reynolds who shows up at the bar owned by his son and daughter and their friends, saying he is divorcing their mother and giving all his money to charity.

The comedy is outrageous, far beyond what was ever allowed on "Taxi," DeVito said. But the new show is giving him the opportunity to work with energetic young people, something he'd wanted to do, DeVito added.

The most outrageous thing he'd ever done on "Taxi" in the 1980s was say "Holy crap," DeVito said.