Jack Roy (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the pseudonym Rodney Dangerfield, was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" and his monologues on that theme. He began his career working as a stand-up comic at the Fantasy Lounge in New York City. His act grew in popularity as he became a mainstay on late-night talk shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s, eventually developing into a headlining act on the Las Vegas casino circuit. His catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" came from an attempt to improve one of his stand-up jokes. "I played hide and seek; they wouldn't even look for me." He thought the joke would be stronger if it used the format: "I was so ..." beginning ("I was so poor," "He was so ugly," "She was so stupid," etc.).[clarification needed] He tried "I get no respect," and got a much better response from the audience; it became a permanent feature of his act and comedic persona. He appeared in a few bit parts in films, such as The Projectionist, throughout the 1970s, but his breakout film role came in 1980 as a boorish nouveau riche golfer in the ensemble comedy Caddyshack, which was followed by two additional successful films in which he starred: 1983's Easy Money and 1986's Back to School. Additional film work kept him busy through the rest of his life, mostly in comedies, but with a rare dramatic role in 1994's Natural Born Killers as an abusive father.
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Biography from TMDB.
- November 22, 1921
- October 5, 2004 (aged 82)
- Deer Park, New York, USA
- Actor and writer, also producer
- 24 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
What are Rodney Dangerfield's films like?
Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 3 · Wry 1 · Earnest 14
Light 18 · Serious 0 · Dark 1
A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 4
A split, not a type: Gentle 12 · Charged 6 · Intense 1
A split, not a type: Steady 12 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 2
Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 14
Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1
Casual 18 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 18 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 1
Resolved 18 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0
Roles they play
Usually the Hero: 6 of 12 analyzed roles.
Show the 12 rolesHide the roles
- Heraldas Al Czervik in Caddyshack (1980)
- Heroas Monty Capuletti in Easy Money (1983)
- Heroas Thornton Melon in Back to School (1986)
- Heroas Rover Dangerfield in Rover Dangerfield (1991)
- Tricksteras Chester Lee in Ladybugs (1992)
- Shadowas Mallory's Dad in Natural Born Killers (1994)
- Threshold guardianas Mayor Johnny Hunt in Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997)
- Heroas Wally Sparks in Meet Wally Sparks (1997)
- Tricksteras Bandit the Rabbit in Rusty: A Dog's Tale (1998)
- Shadowas The Rodfather in The Godson (1998)
- Heroas Monte Peterson in My 5 Wives (2000)
- Heroas Jake Puloski in Back by Midnight (2004)
Moods and endings
- Happy13
- Bittersweet3
- Ambiguous2
- Other1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Rodney Dangerfield's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).
Subscription and free streaming for Rodney Dangerfield's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
47 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 21 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
The Onion Movie(2008)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
The Best of Carson, Volume 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Angels with Angles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Back by Midnight(2004)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Phil of the Future(2004)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows
The Electric Piper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The 4th Tenor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Still Standing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Little Nicky(2000)
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
My 5 Wives(2000)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Caddyshack: The 19th Hole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
The Godson(1998)
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
Rusty: A Dog's Tale(1998)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Meet Wally Sparks(1997)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Guide to Golf Style and Etiquette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Suddenly Susan(1996)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all showsSaturday Night Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
The Single Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Casper(1995)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Natural Born Killers(1994)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Ladybugs(1992)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Home Improvement(1991)
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows
Rodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Rover Dangerfield(1991)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
The Earth Day Special(1990)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
The Simpsons(1989)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney's Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Moving(1988)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Rodney Dangerfield: Nothin' Goes Right (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Back to School(1986)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Rodney Dangerfield: Exposed! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Rodney Dangerfield Special: I Can't Take It No More (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Easy Money(1983)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Caddyshack(1980)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all filmsHappy Birthday, Las Vegas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Benny & Barney: Las Vegas Undercover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
The Projectionist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
The Dean Martin Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
The Killing(1956)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Career shape
Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 47 titles from 1956 to 2008; peak year 1991.
Film career
Peak 1991 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1980Screen debut· Caddyshack
- 1983First top-billed film· Easy Money
- 1986Breakout· Back to School
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
How do Rodney Dangerfield's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 20; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up6
- 50th to 74th4
- 25th to 49th7
- Below 25th7
Shape of the crowd
11 of their 24 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved2
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser9
- Mixed11
Reviewers score the acting 53/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 32. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Rodney Dangerfield's work okay for kids?
Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Rodney Dangerfield work with?
People who share at least 2 of Rodney Dangerfield's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harold Ramis shares the most, 4.
Directors
- Walter C. MillerShared titles: A Tribute to Sam Kinison (1993), The 9th Annual Young Comedians Special (1985), The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982)See all 3 shared titles with Walter C. Miller
- Sidney J. FurieShared titles: My 5 Wives (2000), Ladybugs (1992)See all 2 shared titles with Sidney J. Furie
Writers
- Harold RamisShared titles: Rover Dangerfield (1991), Back to School (1986), The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982), Caddyshack (1980)See all 4 shared titles with Harold Ramis
- Harry BasilShared titles: Back by Midnight (2004), My 5 Wives (2000), Meet Wally Sparks (1997), Ladybugs (1992)See all 4 shared titles with Harry Basil
- Steven KampmannShared titles: Back to School (1986), The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Steven Kampmann
- Dennis BlairShared titles: Easy Money (1983), The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Dennis Blair
Actors
- Jay LenoShared titles: The Many Faces of Jim Carey (2023), Sam Kinison: Why Did We Laugh? (1999)See all 2 shared titles with Jay Leno
- Jim CarreyShared titles: The Many Faces of Jim Carey (2023), A Tribute to Sam Kinison (1993)See all 2 shared titles with Jim Carrey
- Gilbert GottfriedShared titles: Back by Midnight (2004), Meet Wally Sparks (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Gilbert Gottfried
- Sam KinisonShared titles: Sam Kinison: Why Did We Laugh? (1999), A Tribute to Sam Kinison (1993)See all 2 shared titles with Sam Kinison
Composers
- Inon ZurShared titles: Rusty: A Dog's Tale (1998), Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Inon Zur
Producers
- Estelle EndlerShared titles: Back to School (1986), The 9th Annual Young Comedians Special (1985), Easy Money (1983), The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982)See all 4 shared titles with Estelle Endler
Mixed roles
- Louie AndersonShared titles: Back by Midnight (2004), The 9th Annual Young Comedians Special (1985)See all 2 shared titles with Louie Anderson
- Michael EndlerShared titles: Back to School (1986), Easy Money (1983)See all 2 shared titles with Michael Endler