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.

Most Known For

The Simpsons

as Larry Burns (voice)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

Saturday Night Live

as Self - Host

Saturday Night Live

as Self - Cameo (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

as Self (uncredited)

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

Home Improvement

as Rodney Dangerfield

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Merv Griffin Show

as Self

The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

Late Night with David Letterman

as Self

Still Standing

as Ed Bailey

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

Phil of the Future

Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist

as Rodney (voice)

Casper

as Rodney Dangerfield (uncredited)

Natural Born Killers

as Mallory's Dad

The Single Guy

as Rodney Dangerfield

Suddenly Susan

as Artie

Ladybugs

as Chester Lee