Ray Romano was born and raised in Queens, New York. After graduating from high school, Romano worked odd jobs while occasionally trying his comedy on open mike competitions at local nightclubs. In 1987, he turned professional, and he made a low-income living at comedy for several years. After a 1991 appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, he became a high-income comic. He moved into the very high income brackets when David Letterman offered to develop a situation comedy for Romano, loosely based on Romano's life and family: Everybody Loves Raymond.
Like the sitcom's Ray Barone, Romano has twin sons, and his brother is a divorced cop with the New York Police Department. Like his sitcom counterpart, Romano was 29 years old before moving out of his parents' house. "Go ahead," says Romano, "say it. 'Loser!' Say it!"
Romano may hold a record for 'crossover' appearances on other sit-coms, playing ELR's Ray Barone on episodes of Becker, Cosby, The King of Queens, and The Nanny (starring Fran Drescher, who attended the same high school as Romano, three years ahead of him).
[1] Inside the Actors Studio interview with James Lipton, June 19, 2005. LIPTON: "If Heaven exists, Ray, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?" ROMANO: "My son, I saw what you did in the garage, and you're still welcomed here. See, you were wrong -- I do exist!"
Father: Albert Romano (engineer)
Mother: Lucie Romano (housewife, piano teacher)
Brother: Richard Romano (policeman)
Brother: Robert Romano (publicist)
Wife: Anna Scarpulla (b. 1963, m. 1987, one daughter, three sons)
Daughter: Alexandra Romano (b. 1990)
Son: Matthew Romano (twin, b. 1993)
Son: Gregory Romano (twin, b. 1993)
Son: Joseph Raymond Romano (b. 16-Feb-1998)
High School: Hillcrest High School, Queens, NY (1975)
Endorsement of Johnson & Johnson 2000
Italian Ancestry
TELEVISION
Men of a Certain Age Joe Tranelli (2009-)
Celebrity Poker Showdown Contestant (2005)
The King of Queens Ray Barone (1998-2005)
Everybody Loves Raymond Ray Barone (1996-2005)
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Ray (1995-97)
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
The Big Sick (20-Jan-2017)
Ice Age: Collision Course (19-Jun-2016) [VOICE]
Rob the Mob (15-Mar-2014)
Ice Age: Continental Drift (27-Jun-2012) · Manny [VOICE]
Funny People (20-Jul-2009) · Himself
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (1-Jul-2009) [VOICE]
The Last Word (19-Jan-2008) · Abel
The Grand (7-Jun-2007) · Fred Marsh
Grilled (11-Jul-2006)
Ice Age: The Meltdown (1-Mar-2006) · Manny [VOICE]
95 Miles to Go (16-Oct-2004) · Himself
Eulogy (15-Oct-2004)
Welcome to Mooseport (20-Feb-2004) · Handy
Comedian (11-Oct-2002)
Ice Age (12-Mar-2002) · Manfred [VOICE]
America: A Tribute to Heroes (21-Sep-2001) · Himself
Official Website:
http://www.rayromano.com/
AKA Raymond Albert Romano