Rodney Dangerfield
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Jacob Cohen
Born Date: November 22, 1921
Born Place: Babylon, New York
Died Date: October 5, 2004
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer
Brief Biography: Rodney Dangerfield famous for his self-deprecating humor and his signature catchphrase, "I don’t get no respect!". After a difficult childhood marked by an absent father and an emotionally distant mother, he began performing comedy as a teenager under the name Jack Roy. Struggling to find success, he quit show business for twelve years to sell aluminum siding and support his family, only making a "second act" comeback in his 40s.
Early Life and "No Respect" Origins:
Born in Babylon, New York, to Jewish parents, Dangerfield had a rocky start. He later claimed his mother was "coldhearted" and his father, a vaudevillian, was rarely home.
The "Rodney" Name: Seeking a fresh start for his comeback in the early 1960s, he adopted the name Rodney Dangerfield, which was reportedly taken from a character on Jack Benny's radio show.
Breakthrough: His national prominence skyrocketed after a successful appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967.
Career Highlights:
Film Career: He became a major film star in the 1980s, known for boorish yet lovable characters in classics like Caddyshack (1980), Easy Money (1983), and Back to School (1986).
Comedy Club: He opened his own legendary Manhattan club, Dangerfield’s, in 1969 to stay close to home while providing a platform for rising stars like Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, and Tim Allen.
Accolades: He won a Grammy Award for his 1980 comedy album No Respect and was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, appearing over 70 times.
Autobiography: Shortly before his death, he published his memoir, It's Not Easy Bein' Me: A Lifetime of No Respect but Plenty of Sex and Drugs.
Born Date: November 22, 1921
Born Place: Babylon, New York
Died Date: October 5, 2004
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer
Brief Biography: Rodney Dangerfield famous for his self-deprecating humor and his signature catchphrase, "I don’t get no respect!". After a difficult childhood marked by an absent father and an emotionally distant mother, he began performing comedy as a teenager under the name Jack Roy. Struggling to find success, he quit show business for twelve years to sell aluminum siding and support his family, only making a "second act" comeback in his 40s.
Early Life and "No Respect" Origins:
Born in Babylon, New York, to Jewish parents, Dangerfield had a rocky start. He later claimed his mother was "coldhearted" and his father, a vaudevillian, was rarely home.
The "Rodney" Name: Seeking a fresh start for his comeback in the early 1960s, he adopted the name Rodney Dangerfield, which was reportedly taken from a character on Jack Benny's radio show.
Breakthrough: His national prominence skyrocketed after a successful appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967.
Career Highlights:
Film Career: He became a major film star in the 1980s, known for boorish yet lovable characters in classics like Caddyshack (1980), Easy Money (1983), and Back to School (1986).
Comedy Club: He opened his own legendary Manhattan club, Dangerfield’s, in 1969 to stay close to home while providing a platform for rising stars like Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, and Tim Allen.
Accolades: He won a Grammy Award for his 1980 comedy album No Respect and was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, appearing over 70 times.
Autobiography: Shortly before his death, he published his memoir, It's Not Easy Bein' Me: A Lifetime of No Respect but Plenty of Sex and Drugs.