Daniel Michael "Danny" DeVito, Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor, director and producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal of "Louie De Palma" on the ABC and NBC TV series Taxi (1978–1983). Along with wife Rhea Perlman, he founded Jersey Films, a production company famous for producing films such as Pulp Fiction, Garden State, and Freedom Writers, and Jersey Television, most famous for producing the Comedy Central series Reno 911! He also currently stars as Frank Reynolds on the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

DeVito was born in Neptune, New Jersey, the son of Julia, a homemaker, and Daniel Michael DeVito, Sr., who owned several small businesses, including a dry cleaning store, a dairy outlet, a luncheonette, and a pool hall. He is of Italian ancestry and was raised as a Catholic and grew up in Asbury Park. He boarded at Oratory Preparatory School, in Summit, New Jersey, graduating in 1961. Danny got most of his training for acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood California where he graduated in 1966. He married actress Rhea Perlman on January 28, 1982.

DeVito played Martini in the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (reprising his role from the 1971 off-Broadway play). DeVito gained fame in 1978 on the hit TV show Taxi as Louie De Palma, the dispatcher for the fictional Sunshine Cab Company. After Taxi ended, DeVito continued what became a successful movie career, beginning with a role in 1983's Terms of Endearment (in an almost walk-on role) and the comic rogue in the romantic adventure Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. All three reprised their roles in the 1985 sequel, The Jewel of the Nile. In 1986, he was in Ruthless People with Bette Midler and Judge Reinhold. In 1987, DeVito made his feature directing debut on dark comedy Throw Momma from the Train, in which he additionally starred, opposite Billy Crystal and Anne Ramsey. Two years later DeVito reunited with Douglas and Turner to direct and star with them in The War of the Roses.