Rhea Perlman American actress Date of Birth: 31.03.1948 Country: USA

1. Biography of Rhea Perlman
2. Early Life and Career
3. Meeting Danny DeVito and Early Career
4. Career Breakthrough and Personal Life
5. Later Career and Recent Projects

Biography of Rhea Perlman

Rhea Perlman is an American actress known for portraying women with unforgettable, formidable, and strong-willed characters on screen, despite her small stature of 1.56 meters. It was her role as the brash cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli in the sitcom "Cheers" that brought her the greatest fame. She worked on the popular series for a total of 11 seasons.

Early Life and Career

Rhea Perlman was born on March 31, 1948, in the Cony Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, USA. She grew up with her younger sister Heidi in the Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn. Inspired by musicals like "Peter Pan," Perlman developed a passion for becoming a Broadway actress. After graduating from Lafayette High School, she studied drama at Hunter College in Manhattan until 1968. During this time, she went through numerous auditions while working various jobs, including a position as a waitress at the luxurious Rainbow Room hotel in Manhattan.

Meeting Danny DeVito and Early Career

Although Perlman appeared in several off-Broadway plays, her personal life was most influenced by her status as a regular audience member. In 1970, she watched her friend perform in the play "The Shrinking Bride" and became acquainted with one of its stars, her future husband Danny DeVito. Perlman made her first appearance in film in 1972, in Martin Brest's short film "Hot Dogs for Gauguin." This was the first of many projects in which she worked alongside DeVito. Ultimately, the two ambitious actors with small statures decided to leave New York for Los Angeles in 1976. Perlman quickly landed several roles in television films such as "Stalk the Wild Child" and "I Want to Keep My Baby." Her career began to take off, and in the following year, she achieved even greater success with television films such as "Having Babies II," "Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night," and "The Ratings Game."

Career Breakthrough and Personal Life

In 1978, Danny DeVito secured a role that turned him into a star in the hit sitcom "Taxi." A year later, Perlman joined the show as his girlfriend, Zena Sherman. The actress also appeared in television films such as "Like Normal People" and the comedy "Trading Places," alongside DeVito. On January 28, 1982, Rhea and Danny got married, but this didn't hinder her from continuing her career in film and television. It was during this time that Perlman embraced her most successful role as the sharp-tongued Carla Tortelli in the sitcom "Cheers." Producer James Burrows specifically tailored this role for her, and it proved to be a great success. In 1983, DeVito and Perlman celebrated the birth of their first child, Gracie. The following year, Perlman won her first of three consecutive Emmy Awards (out of a total of six nominations) for her role in "Cheers" and gave birth to their second child, Lucy.

Later Career and Recent Projects

In 1986, Perlman ventured into voice acting with family movies like "Happily Ever After" and "My Little Pony." After portraying Claudia in the television thriller "Stamp of a Killer" in late 1987, Perlman gave birth to their third child, Jake. In 1989, the actress won her final Emmy Award for her role in "Cheers." She also appeared in the film "Coupe de Ville" in 1990 and played Grace in Burt Reynolds' comedy "The Man Who Loved Women" in 1991. After 11 years on "Cheers" and appearing in every episode, the final episode of the beloved sitcom aired in 1993. Perlman continued her television career, appearing in the family drama "Trophy Wife," lending her voice to a character in an episode of "The Simpsons," and starring in the series "Kinokritic." In 1995, she agreed to play a role in Michael Moore's political satire comedy "Canadian Bacon" and, a year later, took on leading roles in the sports drama "Sunset Park" and the comedy "Car Park." In 1996, Perlman starred alongside young actress Mara Wilson and her husband in the family comedy fantasy "Matilda." She then returned to the small screen with the sitcom "Pearl," which only lasted for one season. Perlman continues to maintain her career as a guest actress on television, appearing in multi-episode projects such as "Union Square" and "Mad About You," as well as in movies like "In the Doghouse," "Houdini," and "Lucky Stiff." Alongside former "Taxi" star Marilu Henner, Perlman took on the lead role in the television comedy "A Tale of Two" and portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the Christmas film "How to Marry a Billionaire." Perlman's recent acting endeavors include starring in the family comedy "Beethoven's Big Break" in 2008 and the series "The Horse" in 2009. Perlman and her husband Danny DeVito are members of the coordination committee "Friends of the Apollo" alongside film director Jonathan Demme.