Dominick "Dom" DeLuise (born August 1, 1933) is an American actor who has starred in numerous roles, mostly comedic.
DeLuise was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Italian American parents John and Vicenza DeLuise. DeLuise graduated from Manhattan's School of Performing Arts.
DeLuise generally appears in comedic parts, although an early appearance (in the movie Fail-Safe as a nervous enlisted soldier) showed a possible broader range. His first acting credit was as a regular performer in the television show The Entertainers in 1964. He has often co-starred with Burt Reynolds; together they starred in the films The Cannonball Run and All Dogs Go to Heaven. DeLuise was the host of the television show Candid Camera from 1991 to 1992.
TV producer Greg Garrison hired DeLuise to appear as a specialty act on the popular 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. The show went so well that DeLuise was soon a regular on Martin's program, participating in both songs and sketches. Garrison also starred DeLuise in his own hour-long comedy specials for ABC. (Martin was often just off-camera when these were taped, and his distinctive laugh can be heard loud and clear.)
DeLuise is probably best known as a regular in Mel Brooks' films. Brooks' late wife, actress Anne Bancroft, directed Dom in Fatso (1980), he also had a cameo as the Pope in Johnny Dangerously. He also had a cameo 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.
DeLuise exhibited his comedic talents while playing the speaking part of the jailer Frosch in the comedic operetta Die Fledermaus at the Metropolitan Opera. In the production, while the singing was in German, the spoken parts were in English.
An avid cook and author of several books on cooking, in recent years he has 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 has also written several children's books.
He is sometimes credited as Dom De Luise, Dom Deluise, or Dom De Luises.
Dom DeLuise is often confused for the Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme. Both have a similar body shape and enjoy cooking. They both often wear "newsboy"-style cloth caps and beards.
Dom also wrote a children's book on diversity called Charlie the Caterpillar.
Dom guest starred in Episode 16, of the 3rd Season of hit TV show, Stargate SG-1. He played two characters: "URGO", and Togar (Urgo's Creator)
His sons Peter, David, and Michael, are all also actors. (They have all been involved with Stargate SG-1. David & Michael Deluise as actors, and Peter as an actor, director & writer.)
DeLuise died in his sleep 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 following a long battle with cancer.
