Rhea Perlman | |
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Perlman in August 2011 |
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Born | Rhea Jo Perlman[1] March 31, 1948 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
Occupation | Actress/Writer |
Years active | 1972–present |
Spouse | Danny DeVito ((January 28, 1982–present) 3 children |
Rhea Jo Perlman (born March 31, 1948) is an American actress, best known for her role as Carla Tortelli on the sitcom Cheers, for which she won four Emmy Awards.
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Perlman was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Philip and Adele Perlman. Her father was an actor, and a doll-and toy-part salesman.[2] Her sister Heide Perlman was a writer, story editor, and producer on the television shows Cheers and Frasier. Rhea Perlman attended Hunter College in New York and is an active Democrat.[3]
Perlman received 10 Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Cheers ran 11 seasons, from 1982–1993; the only year in which Perlman wasn't nominated was 1992). She won the Emmy four times, in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989. In 1986, Perlman starred in an episode of Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories titled "The Wedding Ring," (also starring DeVito) in which she plays a murderous black widow. In 1992, Perlman starred in the made-for-TV-movie, To Grandmother's House We Go, playing Jerry Van Dyke's wife; the couple kidnapped the Olsen Twins' characters, hoping to cash in on ransom before Christmas. She later starred in the 1996 sitcom Pearl as the title character and was featured on the 2001 TV drama Kate Brasher. She also appeared in a 2000 television film How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale, in which she played Jacqueline Kennedy.
Perlman had a recurring role on the television show Taxi as Zena, girlfriend of Louie DePalma (played by Danny DeVito). Perlman also played the role of Honey in the film Canadian Bacon and she appeared in the movie Matilda opposite her husband Danny DeVito (who also served as director), Pam Ferris and Mara Wilson. She also played the grumpy shopkeeper in Packin' It In.
Perlman also played the part of a therapist called Dr. Parella in the 2000 film Secret Cutting, which follows the story of a young girl named Dawn who self injures.
She appeared briefly, with her husband, in the 2006 movie 10 Items or Less.
Perlman is the author of the successful illustrated children's book series Otto Undercover, with six books which are Born to Drive, Canyon Catastrophe, Water Balloon Doom, Toxic Taffy Takeover, Brink of the Ex-stink-tion, and Brain Freeze.
In 2007, Perlman appeared as 'Bertha' in the West End of London in the comedy Boeing Boeing. That same year, she costarred in the film Love Comes Lately. In 2008, she starred in the Hallmark Channel original movie, The Christmas Choir, and appeared in Beethoven's Big Break in 2008 as Patricia Benji. In 2009 she appeared as Tanya's mother on the HBO series Hung. In 2011, Perlman had a guest appearance as Mittens in one episode of Wilfred.
Perlman married actor Danny DeVito on January 28, 1982, and later played his wife in the film Matilda (1996). They have three children: Lucy Chet DeVito (born March 1983), Grace Fan DeVito (born March 1985) and Jacob Daniel DeVito (born October 1987). She and her husband are members of the steering committee of the Friends of the Apollo, along with filmmaker Jonathan Demme.[4]
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