Rodney Dangerfield must be counted among the more remarkable figures in contemporary comedy. His standup... (Learn more)
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Rodney Dangerfield’s Milestones
| Began showbiz comeback with a historic appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"; made the normally stone-faced host laugh | |
| Married and left comedy at around age 28 | |
| Worked as a housepainter and aluminum siding salesman in Englewood, NJ; ran own business | |
| 1936 | Began writing jokes around age 15 (date approximate) |
| 1938 | Began appearing in amateur nights by age 17 (date approximate) |
| 1940 | Worked as a singing waiter and comic in Brooklyn by age 19 (date approximate) |
| 1941 - 1951 | Performed standup in nightclubs under pseudonym Jack Roy |
| 1971 | Screen acting debut in "The Projectionist", a cult low-budget comedy feature starring Chuck McCann |
| 1977 | Opened his own comedy nightclub, Dangerfield's, in NYC; founder and owner |
| 1977 | TV-movie debut in pilot "Benny & Barney: Las Vegas Undercover" (NBC) |
| 1980 | First starring vehicle, "Caddyshack" |
| 1982 | Starred in first comedy special, "The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me" (ABC) |
| 1983 | First screenwriting credit for "Easy Money" (also starred) |
| 1985 | TV producing debut, executive produced "Rodney Dangerfield Hosts the 9th Annual Young Comedians Special" for HBO |
| 1986 | Starred in hit comedy "Back to School" |
| 1988 | Broadway debut, "Rodney Dangerfield on Broadway!" at the Mark Hellinger Theatre |
| 1990 | Awarded $725,000 from Caesars Palace by a federal jury after his eyes were burned in a steam bath accident; awarded $225,000 for performances he missed in March 1988; awarded $500,000 for his pain and suffering |
| 1991 | Executive produced and hosted "Rodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show" for the "HBO Comedy Hour" |
| 1991 | Feature producing debut, the animated musical feature "Rover Dangerfield"; also provided voice-over for protagonist |
| 1991 | Had award cut by a federal judge who ruled that he was only entitled to $50,000 for pain and suffering rather than the $500,000 awarded by the jury |
| 1991 | Sued by the entertainment law firm of Lavely and Singer for allegedly not paying his legal bills |
| 1995 | Had his application for membership rejected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |
| 1995 | Reportedly became the first entertainer to personally own his own website on the World Wide Web |
| 1997 | Honored with a tribute at the third US Comedy Arts Festival, held in Aspen, Colorado with HBO as the primary sponsor; a special, "Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast", later aired on HBO |
| 1997 | Wrote and starred in the comedy "Meet Wally Sparks", about a TV talk show host |
| 2000 | Starred as a polygamist in "My 5 Wives" |
| 2001 | Suffered mild heart attack on his 80th birthday |
| 2003 | Underwent arterial brain surgery to improve his body's blood flow in preparation for an upcoming heart valve replacement |
| 2004 | Went on tour to promote his memoirs "It's Not Easy Bein' Me: A Lifetime of No Respect but Plenty of Sex and Drugs" |
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