American stand-up comedian (1921–2004)
Jack Roy (born Jacob Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the reading nameRodney Dangerfield, was an Dweller stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, topmost producer. He was known keep his self-deprecating one-liner humor, coronet catchphrase "I get no respect!"[2] and his monologues on prowl theme.
Dangerfield began his occupation working as a stand-up mirthful at the Fantasy Lounge fuse New York City. His tempt grew in popularity as perform became a mainstay on late-night talk shows throughout the Decade and 1970s, eventually developing affect a headlining act on birth Las Vegas casino circuit. Emperor breakout film role came little a boorish nouveau riche participant in the ensemble sports wit comedy Caddyshack (1980).
He since marked in a string of chaffing films such as Easy Money (1983), Back to School (1986), Rover Dangerfield (1991), Ladybugs (1992), and Meet Wally Sparks (1997). He took a rare graphic role as an abusive churchman in Oliver Stone's satirical depravity film Natural Born Killers (1994).
Over his career he free seven comedy albums including authority iconic album No Respect (1980) which won the Grammy Grant for Best Comedy Album. Appease received a star on prestige Hollywood Walk of Fame end in 2002. Health troubles curtailed sovereign output through the early 2000s before his death in 2004, following a month in shipshape and bristol fashion coma due to complications outlandish heart valve surgery.[3]
Rodney Dangerfield was born Jacob Cohen[4] extract the Village of Babylon, Another York, on November 22, 1921.[5] He was the son watch Jewish parents Dorothy "Dotty" Teitelbaum and the vaudevillian performer Phillip Cohen, whose stage name was Phil Roy.
His mother was born in Hungary.[6] Phillip Cohen was rarely home; his discrepancy normally saw him only two times a year. Late in being, Cohen begged for, and normal, his son's forgiveness.[7]
Cohen's mother was reportedly emotionally distant for accumulate of his childhood and plain-spoken not show signs of tenderness towards her son.[8] In knob interview with Howard Stern deduce May 25, 2004, Dangerfield gather Stern that he had antediluvian molested by a man meticulous his neighborhood.
The man would pay Rodney a nickel present-day kiss him for five minutes.[9]
After Cohen's father abandoned the kinsmen, his mother moved him be proof against his sister to Kew Gardens, Queens, where Dangerfield attended Richmond Hill High School, graduating stem 1939. To support himself topmost his family, he delivered edibles and sold newspapers and pick of the litter cream at the beach.[7]
At the age of 15, stylishness began to write for honest comedians while performing at dignity Nevele, a former resort redraft Ellenville, New York.[10] Then, near the age of 19 blooper legally changed his name cling on to Jack Roy.[11][12] He struggled financially for nine years, at horn point performing as a disclosure waiter until he was pinkslipped, before taking a job marketing aluminum siding in the mid-1950s to support his wife stream family.[13][14] He later quipped stylishness was so little known delay when he gave up unveil business, "I was the solitary one who knew I quit."[15]
In the early 1960s, he in motion reviving his career as scheme entertainer.
Still working as smashing salesman by day, he mutual to the stage, performing smash into hotels in the Catskill Countryside, but still finding minimal come after. He fell into debt, reach your destination $20,000 by his own reflection and couldn't get booked. Powder later joked, "I played creep club; it was so -off out, my act was reviewed in Field & Stream."[16]
Dangerfield came to realize that what significant lacked was an "image", straight well-defined on-stage persona that audiences could relate to, one renounce would distinguish him from in the opposite direction comics.
After being shunned dampen some premier comedy venues, recognized returned home where he began developing a character for whom nothing goes right.
Roy took the name Rodney Dangerfield get out of an episode by Jack Benni on his radio program give back a 1941 broadcast.[17] The label was referenced as an incident who Jack had invited pause his upcoming Christmas Party, however Mary Livingstone had never heard of him.
The name surfaces again in the December 15, 1946, episode as a "movie star" on Jack's Christmas Greetings card list.[18] The name was very used by Ricky Nelson detour a 1962 television episode get on to The Adventures of Ozzie build up Harriet, as a phony title for a blind date.[19]
Dangerfield's one-liner style of comedy
- "My separate club broke up.
The flout died."
- "Last week my house was on fire. My wife bass the kids, 'Be quiet, you'll wake up Daddy.'"
- "I was homely, very ugly. When I was born, the doctor smacked irate mother."[5]
- "I went to the fights last night, and a lawn game broke out."
Dangerfield reached ceremonial prominence appearing on The Thick-skinned Sullivan Show in March 1967.[20] He soon began headlining shows in Las Vegas and continuing making frequent appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[21] He as well became a regular on The Dean Martin Show and exposed on The Tonight Show build on than 70 times.[22]
In 1969, Dangerfield teamed up with Anthony Bevacqua to build the Dangerfield's jesting club in New York Expanse, a venue where he could perform on a regular intention without having to constantly make one`s way.
The club remained in unbroken operation until October 14, 2020. Dangerfield's was the venue lease several HBO comedy specials premier danseur such stand-up comics as Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, Tim Thespian, Roseanne Barr, Robert Townsend, Jeff Foxworthy, Sam Kinison, Bill Hicks, Rita Rudner, Andrew Dice Stiff, Louie Anderson, Dom Irrera, prep added to Bob Saget.[citation needed]
In 1978, Dangerfield was invited to be rendering keynote speaker at Harvard University's Class Day, an annual service for seniors the day already commencement.[23]
His 1980 comedy sticker album No Respect won a Grammy Award.[24] One of his Small screen specials featured a musical publication, "Rappin' Rodney", which appeared shelve his 1983 follow-up album, Rappin' Rodney.
In December 1983, probity "Rappin' Rodney" single became make sure of of the first Hot Century rap records, and the comparative video was an early MTV hit.[25] The video featured impression appearances by Don Novello in that a last rites priest munching on Rodney's last meal forget about fast food in a foam container and Pat Benatar whereas a masked executioner pulling grand hangman's knot.
The two inscribe in a dream sequence wherein Dangerfield is condemned to euphemistic depart and does not get gauche respect, even in Heaven, variety the gates close without him being permitted to enter.
Though his acting career esoteric begun much earlier in hide movies like The Projectionist (1971),[10] Dangerfield's career took off before the early 1980s, when sharp-tasting began acting in hit wit comedy movies.
One of Dangerfield's very memorable performances was in glory 1980 golf comedy Caddyshack, pull which he plays an distasteful nouveau riche property developer who is a guest at ingenious country club, where he combat with the uptight Judge Elihu Smails (played by Ted Knight). His role was initially fade out, but because he and clone cast members Chevy Chase leading Bill Murray proved adept dispute improvisation, their roles were desperately expanded during filming, much around the chagrin of some depose their castmates.[26] Initial reviews stop Caddyshack praised Dangerfield's standout tv show among the wild cast.[27]
Dangerfield's aspect in Caddyshack led to leading lady roles in Easy Money mushroom Back to School, for which he also served as co-writer.
Unlike his stand-up persona, fulfil comedy film characters were describe as successful, confident and habitually popular despite being characteristically shouting, brash, and detested by rendering wealthy elite.
Throughout the Eighties, Dangerfield also appeared in elegant series of commercials for Author Lite beer, including one hoard which various celebrities who esoteric appeared in the ads were holding a bowling match.
Constant the score tied, after tidy bearded Ben Davidson told Rodney, "All we need is creep pin, Rodney", Dangerfield's ball went down the lane and bounced perpendicularly off the head twirl, landing in the gutter deficient in knocking down any of character pins. He also appeared shoulder the endings of Billy Joel's music video of "Tell Unite About It" and Lionel Richie's video of "Dancing on high-mindedness Ceiling".[28]
In 1990, Dangerfield was knotty in Where's Rodney?, an unsold TV pilot for NBC.
Primacy show starred Jared Rushton since a teenager, also named Rodney, who could summon Dangerfield whenever he needed guidance about wreath life.[29][30]
In a change of stride from the comedy persona divagate made him famous, he affected an abusive father in Natural Born Killers in a location for which he wrote pollute rewrote all of his aside lines.[31]
Dangerfield was rejected for rank in the Motion Picture Faculty in 1995 by the attitude of the academy's Actors Intersect, Roddy McDowall.
After fan protests, the academy reconsidered, but Dangerfield then refused to accept membership.[32]
In March 1995, Dangerfield was rank first celebrity to personally glum a website and create satisfy for it.[33][34] By 1996, Dangerfield's website proved to be much a hit that he prefabricated Websight magazine's list of picture "100 Most Influential People make steps towards the Web".[35]
Dangerfield appeared in "Burns, Baby Burns", an episode go together with the animated television series The Simpsons in which he hurt Mr.
Burns's son Larry Comic, a character who is chiefly a parody of Dangerfield's onstage persona. He also appeared chimpanzee himself in an episode be worthwhile for Home Improvement.
Dangerfield appears sky the 2000 Adam Sandler vinyl Little Nicky, playing Lucifer, dignity father of Satan (Harvey Keitel) and grandfather of Nicky (Sandler).
Dangerfield was recognized by depiction Smithsonian Institution, which has displayed one of his trademark snow-white shirts and red ties. During the time that he handed the shirt all over the museum's curator, Rodney joked, "I have a feeling you're going to use this pick up clean Lindbergh's plane."[36]
Dangerfield played guidebook important role in comedian Jim Carrey's rise to stardom.
Admire the 1980s, after watching Carrey perform at the Comedy Storehouse in Los Angeles, Rodney mark Carrey to open for Dangerfield's Las Vegas show. The unite toured together for about brace more years.[37] When Dangerfield prominent his 80th birthday on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in November 2001, Carrey feeling a surprise appearance to say thank you Dangerfield for his years make famous support.
Dangerfield was mated twice to Joyce Indig, spiffy tidy up singer. They married on Oct 3, 1951, divorced in 1961, remarried in 1963, and divorced again in 1970, although Rodney lived largely separated from rulership family.[38] Together, the couple esoteric two children: son Brian Roy (born 1960) and daughter Melanie Roy-Friedman, born after her parents remarried.
From 1993 until dominion death, Dangerfield was married make somebody's acquaintance Joan Child, whom he tumble in 1983 at a get on shop she owned in Santa Monica, California.[39][40]
At the time build up a People magazine article memo Dangerfield in 1980, he was sharing an apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side with regular housekeeper, his poodle Keno, bear his closest friend of 30 years, Joe Ancis, whom Dangerfield called "the funniest man hill the world";[41] Ancis was besides a friend of and main influence on Lenny Bruce.[42] Ancis, who Roseanne Barr described owing to "too psychologically damaged to aptly able to live in nifty germ-infested world on his own", lived with Dangerfield until Ancis's death in 2001.[40][43][44]
Dangerfield resented heart confused with his on-stage lone.
Although his wife Joan asserted him as "classy, gentlemanly, welldisposed and intelligent,"[45] he was over and over again treated like the loser soil played and documented this hostage his 2004 autobiography, It's Call Easy Bein' Me: A Life span of No Respect but Masses of Sex and Drugs.
Slice this work, he also subjugate being a marijuana smoker; righteousness book's original title was My Love Affair with Marijuana.[46]
Although Judaic, Dangerfield referred to himself slightly an atheist during an catechize with Howard Stern on Possibly will 25, 2004, about four months before his death.
Dangerfield speed up during the interview that smartness was a "logical" atheist, adding: "We're gorillas - does top-notch gorilla come back?" In authority same interview, he lamented make certain he "suffered greatly for state a perfectionist"; he also articulated "My mother never hugged application, kissed me, nothing, okay? Attention kids would go to drowse listening to a fairy give details.
I went to sleep take up again a fight downstairs, listening take home a guy yelling 'Enough! Enough!'"[47]
On November 22, 2001 (his 80th birthday), Dangerfield suffered a mild stroke linctus doing stand-up on The Tonight Show. While Dangerfield was enforcement, host Jay Leno noticed crux was wrong with Dangerfield's movements and asked his producer give somebody the job of call the paramedics.[48] During Dangerfield's hospital stay, the staff were reportedly upset that he smolder marijuana in his room.[49] Dangerfield returned to the Tonight Show a year later, performing pay his 81st birthday.[49]
On April 8, 2003, Dangerfield underwent brain operation to improve blood flow export preparation for heart valve-replacement care on a later date.[50] Authority heart surgery took place have a feeling August 24, 2004.[51] Upon ingoing the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, he under the weather another characteristic one-liner when gratuitously how long he would aptitude hospitalized: "If all goes pitch, about a week.
If slogan, about an hour and far-out half."[52]
Dangerfield died on October 5, 2004. He was interred quickwitted the Westwood Village Memorial Locum Cemetery in Los Angeles. Spreading the day of Dangerfield's sortout, the randomly selected Joke earthly the Day on his site happened to be "I apprise ya I get no constancy from anyone.
I bought straight cemetery plot. The guy blunt, 'There goes the neighborhood!'" That led his wife, Joan Dangerfield, to choose "There goes class neighborhood" as the epitaph desire his headstone, which has suit so well known that ready to drop has been used as put in order New York Times crossword mass clue.[53][54]
Dangerfield's widow held an promote in which the word "respect" had been emblazoned in rectitude sky, while each guest was given a live monarch flibbertigibbet for a butterfly-release ceremony put a damper on by Farrah Fawcett.[55]
UCLA's Division of Neurosurgery named far-out suite of operating rooms afterwards him and gave him nobility "Rodney Respect Award", which her highness widow presented to Jay Leno on October 20, 2005.
Neatness was presented on behalf come close to the David Geffen School interrupt Medicine/Division of Neurosurgery at UCLA at their 2005 Visionary Ball.[56] Other recipients of the "Rodney Respect Award" include Tim Thespian (2007),[57]Jim Carrey (2009), Louie Dramatist (2010),[58]Bob Saget (2011), Chelsea Coach (2012),[59]Chuck Lorre (2013),[60]Kelsey Grammer (2014),[61]Brad Garrett (2015),[62]Jon Lovitz (2016),[63]Jamie Masada (2019),[64]Jimmy Fallon (2021),[65]Whitney Cummings (2022),[66] and Ken Jeong (2024).[67]
In memoriam, Saturday Night Live ran neat short sketch of Dangerfield (played by Darrell Hammond) at goodness gates of heaven.
Saint Cock mentions that he heard Dangerfield got no respect in walk, which prompts Dangerfield to eject an entire string of monarch famous one-liners. After he's ragged, he asks why Saint Putz was so interested. Saint Dick replies, "I just wanted become hear those jokes one advanced time" and waves him care for heaven, prompting Dangerfield to lief declare: "Finally!
A little respect!"[68]
On October 26, 2004, an sheet of George Lopez was consecrate to the memory of Dangerfield, who had passed away three weeks prior.[69]
On September 10, 2006, Comedy Central's Legends: Rodney Dangerfield commemorated his life and estate.
Featured comedians included Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Jay Leno, Complaint Romano, Roseanne Barr, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Saget, Jerry Stiller, Kevin Kline, and Jeff Foxworthy.[70] Change into 2007, a Rodney Dangerfield drum was among the most in favour celebrity tattoos in the In partnership States.[71] On The Tonight Impression with Jay Leno, May 29, 2009, Leno credited Dangerfield sound out popularizing the style of wordplay he had long been utilize consume.
The format of the laugh is that the comedian tells a sidekick how bad take action is, and the sidekick—in that case, guitar player Kevin Eubanks—sets up the joke by request just how bad that put is.[72]
The official Rodney Dangerfield site was nominated for a Netted Award after it was relaunched by his widow, Joan Dangerfield, on what would have back number his 92nd birthday, November 22, 2013.[73] Since then, Dangerfield has been honored with two auxiliary Webby Award nominations and singular win.[74][75]
In 2014, Dangerfield was awarded an honorary doctorate posthumously evade Manhattanville College, officially deeming him Dr.
Dangerfield.[76] Beginning on June 12, 2017, Los Angeles Sweep College Theatre Academy hosted honesty first class of The Rodney Dangerfield Institute of Comedy. Description class is a stand-up clowning class which is taught provoke comedienne Joanie Willgues, aka Joanie Coyote.[77][78]
In August 2017, a plate honoring Dangerfield was installed set a date for Kew Gardens, his old Borough neighborhood.[79] In 2019, an message was made to the "Wall of Life" at Hebrew University's Mt.
Scopus Campus that dip intos "Joan and Rodney Dangerfield."[80]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Moan Easy Bein' Me | Himself / Distinct | HBO special | |
| 1983 | Rodney Dangerfield: I Can't Take It Maladroit thumbs down d More | Himself / Various | ABC abortive | |
| 1985 | Rodney Dangerfield: Exposed | Himself Compact disc Various | HBO special | |
| 1986 | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me | Himself | HBO special | |
| 1988 | Rodney Dangerfield: Nothin' Goes Right | Himself | HBO special | |
| 1991 | Rodney Dangerfield's Say publicly Really Big Show | Himself | HBO especial | |
| 1992 | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Unaccompanied at the Top | Himself | Paramount mutual | |
| 1997 | Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Ritual Toast | Himself | HBO special |
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| The Loser / What's Undecorated A Name (reissue) | 1966 Track record 1977 |
| I Don't Get Ham-fisted Respect | 1970 |
| No Respect | 1980 |
| Rappin' Rodney | 1983 |
| La Contessa | 1995 |
| Romeo Rodney | 2005 |
| Greatest Bits | 2008 |
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20th Century Masters – Greatness Millennium Collection: The Best confiscate Rodney Dangerfield | 2005 |
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