Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples, have decided to go their separate ways after 30 years of marriage and three children.
A rep for DeVito, 67, confirmed the split but gave no immediate reason. Neither Perlman, 64, nor her rep has commented, according to various reports.
The couple was married in January 1982 after living together for 11 years. They worked together on the set of “Taxi,” a sitcom that aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and for a year after that on NBC. The show launched the careers of actors Judd Hirsch, Tony Danza and Andy Kauffman among others.
Perlman’s character was the girlfriend of DeVito’s character, Louie DePalma. She guest-starred for the first five seasons before becoming a regular on the show.
Devito’s film career took off after the show. He appeared in such films as “Terms of Endearment,” Romancing the Stone” and “Johnny Dangerously.” He also segued into producing and directing films.
He and Perlman founded Jersey Films, which produced such hits as “Pulp Fiction,” “Get Shorty” with John Travolta, “Erin Brockovich” with Julia Roberts, “Gattaca” with Halle Berry and cult-classic “Garden State.”
DiVito also produced and co-starred in 1999′s “Man on the Moon,” about comedian and former Taxi co-star, Kaufman, played by Jim Carrey. Kauffman died of lung cancer at 36.
DiVito currently stars in sitcom “Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
Perlman moved from “Taxi” to a role on another classic sitcom “Cheers.” She won four Emmys for her role as Carla Tortelli. Her run on “Cheers” lasted from 1982 to 1993. She’s appeared in dozens of television shows and movies since then.
