Danny DeVito

Born: 17th November 1944 Where: Neptune, New Jersey

The diminutive, chunky, balding star made his breakthrough with the Oscar-winning drama One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

The unlikely lead's debut success marked his first collaboration with longtime friend Michael Douglas (who produced)and introduced him to Jack Nicholson.

Utterly believable as the touching and pathetic Martini, he was one of a fine ensemble of mental patients that included future Taxi regular Christopher Lloyd.

De Vito landed the part of tyrannical dispatcher Louie De Palma on the acclaimed TV comedy series and began developing his patented screen persona - the loveable sleazebag.

DeVito's height combined with his million-dollar smile works against the meanness of his characters.

At first glance, you expect him to be adorable, but when he turns out to be a monster, you still don't believe he's bad and laugh at the apparent contradiction.

This explains why a scammer and a scoundrel (Romancing the Stone; The Jewel of the Nile), a husband reticent to ransom his wife (Ruthless People, an insensitive businessman rapaciously gobbling up companies (Other People's Money) and a scandal-mongering tabloid reporter (L.A. Confidential) never entirely lose audience.

After helming episodes of Taxi, DeVito made an acclaimed feature directing debut with Throw Momma from the Train in 1987.

He turned to even darker material for black divorce comedy War of the Roses, with "Romancing" stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.

DeVito had acted in Jack Nicholson's Goin' South and Nicholson returned the favor in DeVito's Hoffa about the Teamsters Union leader.

DeVito has enjoyed notable box office successes in roles falling outside his traditional scope.

These include co-starring opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger with puppyish amiability in the silly comedy Twins and delivering a striking performance as the villainous Penguin in Tim Burton's surefire sequel, Batman Returns.

He enjoyed less success with more sentimental fare like Jack the Bear and Renaissance Man before trying for another hit with the comedy Junior in 1994.

DeVito has found favour as a voice actor in movies like Look Who's Talking Now, Space Jam and Hercules, but has scored best in more typically DeVitoesque roles.

There's the actor who calls the tune in Get Shorty and the rude gambler in lime-green, shooting craps as the Martians blow up the world in Burton's Mars Attacks!.

In 1982, DeVito married actor Rhea Perlman whose character on TV's Cheers was virtually a female Louie De Palma.

They had lived together since 1970 when she moved in to share an apartment her husband had once shared with Michael Douglas.

Matilda, directed and this time produced by DeVito, was a disappointment at the box office, failing to recoup its cost.

Following his critically-acclaimed turn as a sleazy tabloid journalist in LA Confidential, DeVito played a paralegal in the adaptation of John Grisham's The Rainmaker.

Subsequent roles included a very able turn as a vile fence in writer-director David Mamet's serpentine caper drama Heist.

DeVito also cropped up in smaller turns like Dr Horniker in director Sophia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.

After a lengthy hiatus away from the director's chair, DeVito returned (also in a supporting role) for Death to Smoochy, a comedy starring Robin Williams.

Back in front of the camera, DeVito also had a nice comedy turn in the lesser-grade Woody Allen film Anything Else.

Next as a director DeVito put Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore through homeowner hell in the broad comedy Our House.

Returning to acting he played a disenchanted salesman in the three-handed The Big Kahuna with Kevin Spacey and Peter Facinelli.