Rodney Dangerfield
Biography
Jack Roy (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the pseudonym Rodney Dangerfield, was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" and his monologues on that theme.
He began his career working as a stand-up comic at the Fantasy Lounge in New York City. His act grew in popularity as he became a mainstay on late-night talk shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s, eventually developing into a headlining act on the Las Vegas casino circuit. His catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" came from an attempt to improve one of his stand-up jokes. "I played hide and seek; they wouldn't even look for me." He thought the joke would be stronger if it used the format: "I was so ..." beginning ("I was so poor," "He was so ugly," "She was so stupid," etc.).[clarification needed] He tried "I get no respect," and got a much better response from the audience; it became a permanent feature of his act and comedic persona.
He appeared in a few bit parts in films, such as The Projectionist, throughout the 1970s, but his breakout film role came in 1980 as a boorish nouveau riche golfer in the ensemble comedy Caddyshack, which was followed by two additional successful films in which he starred: 1983's Easy Money and 1986's Back to School. Additional film work kept him busy through the rest of his life, mostly in comedies, but with a rare dramatic role in 1994's Natural Born Killers as an abusive father.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Rodney Dangerfield.
Full filmography
- The Simpsons (1989) as Larry Burns (voice)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self (uncredited)
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- Home Improvement (1991) as Rodney Dangerfield
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982) as Self - Guest
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- Phil of the Future (2004)
- Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995) as Rodney (voice)
- Still Standing (2002) as Ed Bailey
- The Dean Martin Show (1965)
- The Single Guy (1995) as Rodney Dangerfield
- Suddenly Susan (1996) as Artie
- Casper (1995) as Rodney Dangerfield (uncredited)
- Natural Born Killers (1994) as Mallory's Dad
- Little Nicky (2000) as Lucifer
- Caddyshack (1980) as Al Czervik
- Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997) as Johnny Hunt
- Easy Money (1983) as Monty Capuletti
- Back to School (1986) as Thornton Melon