Rodney Dangerfield
After years of struggle and a stint selling aluminum siding, Dangerfield reinvented himself in the late 1960s with the self-deprecating catchphrase 'I don't get no respect.' The persona made him a 'Tonight Show' staple and, by the 1980s, a hit film comedian in 'Caddyshack' and 'Back to School.'
Twice-Failed, Then Famous
Born Jacob Cohen in 1921, the comedian struggled for years, even quitting to sell aluminum siding. He returned in the late 1960s with a new act built on the line 'I don't get no respect,' finally finding stardom in middle age.
The No-Respect Empire
Dangerfield became a 'Tonight Show' favorite and opened his own Manhattan club. His 1980 album 'No Respect' won a Grammy, and films like 'Caddyshack' and 'Back to School' made him a movie-comedy draw.
A Late, Lasting Legacy
Honored with a Walk of Fame star in 2002, Dangerfield kept performing into his eighties. He died in 2004 following heart-valve surgery, remembered as a master of the self-deprecating one-liner.
Career Timeline
- 1921Born Jacob Cohen in Babylon, New York
- 1940Legally changes his name to Jack Roy
- 1969Reinvents act with 'no respect' persona
- 1969Opens his Manhattan comedy club, Dangerfield's
- 1980Scene-stealing role in 'Caddyshack'
- 1980Wins Grammy for album 'No Respect'
- 1983Stars in 'Easy Money'
- 1986Headlines hit comedy 'Back to School'
- 2002Receives a Hollywood Walk of Fame star
- 2004Dies in Los Angeles at age 82
Biggest Hits
- He was born Jacob Cohen and performed for years as Jack Roy before adopting the stage name Rodney Dangerfield.
- His Manhattan club, Dangerfield's, became a launching pad for comedians like Jim Carrey, Sam Kinison, and Roseanne Barr.
Portrait: Jim Accordino · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons