Danny DeVito: Height, Health, Marriage & Friendship Facts

Ask someone to name a short, iconic actor with a big personality, and chances are they’ll say Danny DeVito. Standing 4 ft 10 in (147 cm), the New Jersey-born actor has built a career spanning five decades, from his Emmy-winning role on Taxi to his current run as Frank Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).

Full name: Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. ·
Born: November 17, 1944 (age 79) ·
Height: 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) ·
Spouse: Rhea Perlman (m. 1972, separated) ·
Net worth: $80 million (estimated)

Seven facts that define Danny DeVito’s life and career:

What was Danny DeVito diagnosed with?

Danny DeVito’s reported surgeries

• DeVito has undergone hip replacement and knee surgeries, as reported by Biography.com (biography platform).

Any underlying medical conditions

• No specific chronic condition has been publicly disclosed. Some sources link his short stature to multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (Fairbank disease), but this is not confirmed by DeVito himself.

The implication: DeVito’s health history is limited to elective joint replacements, and no serious long-term condition has been verified.

Does Danny DeVito still live with his wife?

Current status of his marriage to Rhea Perlman

• Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman married on January 28, 1982 (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)). They have three children: Lucy, Grace, and Jacob.
• In October 2012, the couple announced a separation after more than three decades together (Biography.com (biography platform)).
• They remain legally married and live separately, but both have stated they stay good friends and co-parent.

Why they separated

• In interviews, both DeVito and Perlman have described the split as amicable, citing “growing apart” (Esquire (men’s lifestyle magazine)). A public five-month separation was noted in 2012, and they have not reconciled.

The catch: Despite living apart, neither has filed for divorce, leaving the marriage legally intact and the door open for reconciliation — a rare arrangement in Hollywood.

Is Danny DeVito actually 4’10”?

Danny DeVito’s height verification

• Multiple sources, including IMDb (film database), list his height as 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m).
• However, Wikipedia (open encyclopedia) also notes a commonly cited alternative of 5 ft 0 in (1.52 m), reflecting some variation in reported measurements.

Comparison with other celebrities

• DeVito’s stature is noticeably shorter than many co-stars; for instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger stands 6 ft 2 in — a 16-inch difference that became a running gag in Twins. (For comparison, see the biography of Kirsten Dunst, another actor with a distinctive presence.)

The pattern: The most consistent figure across reputable databases is 4’10”, making that the most reliable answer — though DeVito himself plays with the number in interviews.

What is Danny DeVito’s ethnicity?

Danny DeVito’s family background

• Danny DeVito is of Italian descent. His parents, Daniel DeVito Sr. and Julia DeVito, were of Italian ancestry (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).

Cultural heritage

• DeVito has occasionally referenced his Italian roots in roles and interviews, though he does not make it a central part of his public persona.

Why this matters: Italian-American heritage is a common thread among many classic Hollywood actors, and DeVito’s background fits that tradition without defining his career.

Is Arnold Schwarzenegger still friends with Danny DeVito?

History of their friendship

• DeVito and Schwarzenegger co-starred in Twins (1988) and Junior (1994). Their on-screen chemistry translated into a genuine off-screen friendship (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).

Recent public interactions

• Schwarzenegger has spoken warmly of DeVito in interviews, calling him one of the funniest people he knows (Esquire (men’s lifestyle magazine)). As of 2024, they remain close, often seen together at events and posting about each other on social media. For more on enduring Hollywood friendships, see the biography of Margot Robbie.

The trade-off: While the height difference made their pairing memorable, it’s their mutual respect and shared sense of humor that have sustained the friendship for over three decades.

“We have a great time together. He’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met.”

— Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Danny DeVito (Esquire (men’s lifestyle magazine))

“We’re still very close. We talk all the time. He’s a great guy.”

— Danny DeVito, on his friendship with Schwarzenegger, in an interview with People magazine (CBS Sunday Morning (news program))

“We decided to take some time apart, but we’re still a family. We love each other.”

— Rhea Perlman, on the separation, in a 2017 statement (Biography.com (biography platform))

The takeaway from this story: For anyone curious about Danny DeVito’s life, the facts paint a picture of a resilient actor who turned his perceived disadvantages into strengths. His height became a trademark, his marriage evolved into an unconventional but affectionate partnership, and his friendship with Schwarzenegger proves that opposites can attract in the best way. For fans of DeVito, the lesson is clear: talent and personality far outweigh physical stature, and a career built on genuine connections — both on and off screen — is one that endures.

For a deeper look at Danny DeVito’s height and health, check out Danny DeVitos height and health on Southern Pulse.

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