This youngest son of comic actor Dom DeLuise and his wife Carol Arthur began his career as a child, appearing in his dad's film "Hot Stuff" (1979) and again with Dom in the 1983 CBS TV-movie "Happy". David DeLuise not only proved that comedy was genetic, he also had a tendency to mimic his father's penchant for weight gain. As a youngster, he was the heaviest of the three DeLuise boys (older brothers Michael and Peter are both actors) and was frequently the target of teasing from peers. His problems were further complicated by a diagnosis of dyslexia which he overcame with tutorial assistance. After his brief childhood foray into acting, DeLuise took time off, earning money at odd jobs like house painting and carpentry. After resuming his acting career, his girth limited the available roles, so he undertook a diet and weight loss program in 1992. The newly slimmed down actor found the range of available roles had expanded. Instead of bit parts, he was landing more substantial roles like his recurring role of a student named Bug on the NBC sitcom "3rd Rock From the Sun" (from 1996 to 1998). In the fall of 1998, he was tapped to portray the wheeling-dealing brother of Christina Applegate's title character on the NBC sitcom "Jessie", which allowed him to display his own unique brand of comedy.
- Also Credited As:
David De luise, David DeLuise, David Deluise, David Dominick DeLuise
- Born:
David Dominick DeLuise on November 11, 1971 in Pacific Pallisades, California, USA
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Job Titles:
Actor, Carpenter, House painter, Yogurt salesman
Family
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Brother: Michael DeLuise. Born in 1970; starred on the Fox hit series 21 Jump Street as Officer Joey Penhall, the younger brother of Peter DeLuise s Officer Doug Penhall
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Brother: Peter DeLuise. Born in 1966; starred as Officer Doug Penhall on the Fox series 21 Jump Street
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Daughter: Dylan DeLuise. Born in December 1997
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Daughter: Riley DeLuise. Born in August 1993
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Father: Dom DeLuise. Born in 1933; best known for Smokey and the Bandit II (1977), The Cannonball Run (1981), History of the World, Part I (1981) and Fatso (1980)
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Mother: Carol Arthur. Born in 1935
Education
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Pacific Palisades High School, Pacific Palisades, CA, 1990
Milestones
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1979 Feature acting debut in Hot Stuff directed by his father, Dom DeLuise
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1983 Had a featured role with father in the CBS TV-movie Happy
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1991 Appeared in the film Driving Me Crazy alongside his parents
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1993 Had a small role in Robin Hood: Men in Tights directed by Mel Brooks and featuring his father
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1995 Had bit part in Brooks Dracula: Dead and Loving It
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1996 Played recurring role of the student Bug on the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun
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1997 Acted with his family in Between the Sheets ; scripted by his brother Peter and directed by brother Michael
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1998 Appeared in the first season of the NBC sitcom Jesse as Christina Applegate s brother
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1999 Voiced Sergeant Brutto in the animated series, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (PAX)
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2004 Voiced Coop in the Cartoon Network series, Megas XLR
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2007 Cast in the live-action Disney Channel Original Series Wizards of Waverly Place
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2008 Cast in the indie comedy, Who s Your Monkey?