Before Taxi, Danny DeVito only had small roles on television. Therefore, he did not know the big named producers who were attached to the sitcom.
When the actor got the script, he told Larry King on his Ora TV show that he “loved it”. Thus, he really wanted to make sure he left an impression with them.
He walked in, the casting director introduced him to producers so now it was time for him to sit down and audition in the hot seat. Before he sat down, he said them. “There is one thing I want to know before I start, ‘Who wrote this 💩,'” as he threw the script down on the table. With that Louis De Palma, one of television’s all-time greatest characters on television’s all-time greatest show, was born.
If you have never seen the brilliance of Taxi, watch it on Hulu or Tubi TV, the latter for free. You will understand why this will always be my favorite program. To get a glimpse of what it made it so wonderful, then
This scene is long, but the payout is well worth it. DeVito created a character that was such a lovable 💩, you cannot help but to fall madly in love with him. I know I did as a kid and adore him just as much today.
