Rodney Dangerfield

Legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield's signature line, "I don't get no respect," belied a man and a career revered by friends and fans alike. Having started in stand-up comedy prior to his friend and contemporary Lenny Bruce, Dangerfield temporarily set his dreams aside a decade later only to give it another try at the tender age of 40. After years on the New York club circuit and performances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (CBS, 1948-1971), he set up shop with a club of his own, Dangerfield's, where he further honed his act and gave dozens of future stand up stars their early break. Marquee names like Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr and Sam Kinison all owed their funny father-figure a tremendous debt of gratitude. Then, at an age when most professionals begin to contemplate retirement, Dangerfield enjoyed his breakout moment as a member of the madcap cast of the hit comedy "Caddyshack" (1980). Suddenly a superstar at the age of 60, the lovable lout went on to record hit comedy albums, appear in several of his own television specials and star in features films like "Easy Money" (1983) and "Back to School" (1986). Never shying away from edgier material, he shocked audiences with his performance as a vile stepfather in Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" (1994). An unlikely comedic leading man, Dangerfield's downtrodden everyman proved utterly relatable to multitudes of fans, who just like him, only wanted a little respect and a good belly laugh.