Ray Romano was born December 21, 1957 in Queens, New York. Originally intending to be an accountant, Romano’s career as a comedian began at an open mike night in 1984, at a New York comedy club. Following a string of odd jobs as a futon delivery boy by day and a traveling comedian by night, Romano decided to become a full time comedian and won a standup comedy contest that same year. He landed regular gigs at comedy clubs which led to appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and later, Jay Leno, as well as The Late Show with David Letterman. It was his stint on The Late Show that paved the way for his breakthrough, when David Letterman recognized his talent and gave him a development deal with his production outfit, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. That offer was responsible for the creation of Romano’s highly successful show, Everybody Loves Raymond.
Raymond Barone, played by Ray Romano on Everybody Loves Raymond, is a sportswriter who grew up in a slightly dysfunctional family where the mother nurtured, sometimes excessively, while the father tried to contradict and sabotage his wife’s efforts. Raymond is married to Debra, with whom he has a daughter and identical twin sons.
(Photo courtesy of CBS)