Dominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer,
chef, and author.
He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of
actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise, actor David DeLuise, and actor Michael
DeLuise.
He starred in a number of movies directed by Mel Brooks, in a series of films with career-long
best friend Burt Reynolds, and as a voice actor in various animated films by Don Bluth.
Early life DeLuise was born in Brooklyn, New York, to
Italian American parents Vincenza "Jennie", a homemaker, and John DeLuise, a public employee.
He was the youngest of three children, having an older brother, Nicholas "Nick" DeLuise,
and an older sister, Antoinette DeLuise-Daurio.
DeLuise graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts and later attended Tufts
University in Medford, Massachusetts.
DeLuise was Roman Catholic and had a particular affinity for the Virgin Mary.
Career In 1961 DeLuise played in the Off Broadway
musical revue "Another Evening with Harry Stoons" that lasted nine previews and one
performance.
Another member of the cast was 19-year-old Barbra Streisand.
DeLuise generally appeared in comedic parts, although an early appearance in the movie
Fail-Safe as a nervous USAF technical sergeant showed a possible broader range.
His first acting credit was as a regular performer in the television show The Entertainers in
1964.
He gained early notice for his supporting turn in the Doris Day film The Glass Bottom
Boat.
In his New York Times review, Vincent Canby panned the film but singled out the actor,
stating, "[T]he best of the lot, however, is a newcomer, Dom DeLuise, as a portly, bird-brained
spy."
In the 1970s and '80s he often co-starred with Burt Reynolds.
Together they appeared in the films The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II, Smokey and the
Bandit II, The End, All Dogs Go to Heaven and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
DeLuise was the host of the television show Candid Camera from 1991-92.
DeLuise also lent his distinct voice to various animated films and was a particular staple
of Don Bluth's features, playing major roles in The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, A
Troll in Central Park and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
All Dogs Go to Heaven also featured Reynolds' voice as Charlie B. Barkin, the at-first reluctant
hero, and DeLuise voiced Itchy Itchiford, Charlie's best friend, sidekick and later
partner in business.
Unlike DeLuise, however, Reynolds did not voice Charlie in any of the eventual film
sequels, TV episodes, TV-episode sequels, or TV series.
DeLuise also voiced the legendary character of Charles Dickens' Fagin in the Walt Disney
film Oliver & Company and made voice guest appearances on several animated TV series.
TV producer Greg Garrison hired DeLuise to appear as a specialty act on The Dean Martin
Show.
DeLuise ran through his "Dominick the Great" routine, a riotous example of a magic act
gone wrong, with host Martin as a bemused volunteer from the audience.
Dom's catch phrase, with an Italian accent, was "No Applause Please, Save-a to the End."
The show went so well that DeLuise was soon a regular on Martin's program, participating
in both songs and sketches.
Garrison also featured DeLuise in his own hour-long comedy specials for ABC.
DeLuise was probably best known as a regular in Mel Brooks' films.
He appeared in The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Silent Movie, History of the World,
Part I, Spaceballs, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Brooks' late wife, actress Anne Bancroft, directed Dom in Fatso.
He also had a cameo in Johnny Dangerously as the Pope and in Jim Henson's The Muppet
Movie as a wayward Hollywood talent agent who comes across Kermit the Frog singing "The
Rainbow Connection" in the film's opening scene.
He also appeared with fellow Brooks regulars Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Madeline Kahn
in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, as well as alongside Wilder and Gilda
Radner in a later Gene Wilder-directed film, Haunted Honeymoon.
He also appeared in Stargate SG-1 as Urgo.
DeLuise exhibited his comedic talents while playing the speaking part of the jailer Frosch
in the comedic operetta Die Fledermaus at the Metropolitan Opera, playing the role in
four separate revivals of the work at the Met between December 1989 and January 1996.
In the production, while the singing was in German, the spoken parts were in English.
A lifelong opera fan, he also portrayed the role of L'Opinion Publique in drag for the
Los Angeles Opera's production of Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld.
An avid cook and author of several books on cooking, he appeared as a regular contributor
to a syndicated home improvement radio show, On The House with The Carey Brothers, giving
listeners tips on culinary topics.
He was also a friend and self-proclaimed "look-alike" of famous Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme and author
of seven children's books.
Personal life In 1964, while working in summer theater in
Provincetown, Massachusetts, Dom met his wife, actress Carol Arthur.
Death DeLuise died on May 4, 2009, at Saint John's
Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
He was hospitalized at the time, suffering from kidney failure and respiratory problems
due to complications from diabetes and high blood pressure.
He suffered from cancer for more than a year prior to his death.
His family was by his side at the time of his death.
His good friend Burt Reynolds made a statement to the Los Angeles Times, saying: "As you
get older and start to lose people you love, you think about it more, and I was dreading
this moment.
Dom always made you feel better when he was around, and there will never be another like
him."
Mel Brooks also made a statement to the same paper, telling them that DeLuise "created
so much joy and laughter on the set that you couldn’t get your work done.
So every time I made a movie with Dom, I would plan another two days on the schedule just
for laughter.
It's a sad day.
It's hard to think of this life and this world without him."
Filmography Film
Television
Video games Toonstruck
Bibliography Writings for children
Charlie the Caterpillar, illustrated by Christopher Santoro, Simon & Schuster, 1990
Goldilocks, illustrated by Santoro, Simon & Schuster, 1992
Hansel & Gretel, by Santoro, Simon & Schuster,1997 The Nightingale, illustrated by Santoro, Simon
& Schuster, 1998 King Bob's New Clothes, illustrated by Santoro,
Simon & Schuster, 1999 The Pouch Potato, illustrated by Derek Carter,
Bacchus Books, 2001 There's No Place Like Home, illustrated by
Tim Brown Cookbooks
Eat This ... It Will Make You Feel Better: Mamma's Italian Home Cooking and Other Favorites
of Family and Friends, Simon & Schuster, 1988 Eat This Too!
It'll Also Make You Feel Better, Atria, 1997 The Pizza Challenge
References
External links
Dom DeLuise at the Internet Movie Database Dom DeLuise at the Internet Broadway Database
McLellan, Dennis.
"Dom DeLuise dies at 75; actor was a 'naturally funny man'", Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2009.
Dom DeLuise Daily Telegraph obituary Obituary in The Los Angeles Times
Dom DeLuise at Find a Grave