Ray Romano biography

Synopsis

Actor and comedian Ray Romano is best known for his CBS hit Everybody Loves Raymond in which Raymond plays a father and husband. His offbeat domestic observations struck a chord with both audiences and critics and he won two Emmy awards for his work. He has performed at a White House Correspondents Dinner for President Clinton. He wrote the New York Times bestselling book Everything and a Kite.

Profile

Actor, comedian. Born on December 21, 1957 in Queens, New York. Raised the middle child of three sons in nearby Forest Hills, the aspiring funnyman formed the "No Talent" comedy troupe at age 16. Though Romano always knew he could make his friends laugh, he didn't give stand-up serious consideration until one successful open-mic night at a New York City comedy club in 1984. He was hooked.

Putting his spotlight aspirations on hold, Romano enrolled in Queens College as an accounting major in 1975. After stints at odd jobs, including delivering futon mattresses, he decided to pursue comedy full time in 1987. After nearly a decade, his career finally took off when he won a stand-up comedy competition sponsored by a major New York City radio station.

Following that success, he hired a manager and landed an appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and later with Jay Leno. In 1995, after appearing on Late Night with David Letterman, the host offered him a development deal with his production company, Worldwide Pants. Through that association, the CBS hit Everybody Loves Raymond was born.

Premiering in September 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond starred Romano as a father and husband whose parents live next door. His offbeat domestic observations struck a chord with both audiences and critics, earning him an Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002 and the series an Emmy for Best Comedy in 2003. The show ended in May 2005 after nine seasons.

Romano performed at a White House Correspondents Dinner for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, as well as headlined the Toyota Comedy Festival at Carnegie Hall. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book Everything And a Kite. In 2003, Romano made his film debut with Winona Ryder in Eulogy, a black comedy about three generations who come together to mourn the family patriarch.

In 2009, Romano returned to television with Men of a Certain Age, a "dramedy" he co-wrote and produced. He stars with Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher.

He married his wife, Anna (née Scarpulla), in 1987. They have a daughter Alexandra, twin sons Matthew and Gregory, and a third son, Joseph.