Ralph Macchio
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Ralph George Macchio (born November 4, 1961), better known as Ralph Macchio, is an actor from New York City. Macchio is probably best remembered for his role as Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series.
Macchio was classified as one of the Twelve Promising Young Actors by a renown critic in 1984. In 1987, he married Phyllis Fierro, with whom he has a son and a daughter.
Ralph Macchio began his acting career during the 1970s, as star of television commercials for Bubble Yum and Dr. Pepper. In 1983, he starred alongside Patrick Swayze and Matt Dillon, among others, in The Outsiders. It wasn't until 1984, however, that he became an international teen idol, after the release of the first Karate Kid movie, alongside Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue. Macchio became one of the most famous teen idols of the middle 1980s, his face appearing on the cover of many bubble gum magazines such as Tiger Beat, 16, Teen Beat and such others.
Macchio participated in two Karate Kid sequels, which came out in 1986 and 1989, respectively. However, after The Karate Kid Part III, his fame as a teen idol began to wane, and he has been seen sporadically as an actor since. To continue on with the karate kid series, a youthful and yet not typcast Hilary Swank replaced Ralph Macchio in The Next Karate Kid. This role helped to cement Hilary Swank's career as playing the perpetual "Tomboy" in all of her movie roles. The main source of Macchio's subsequent career woes is likely that his chronically youthful appearance ultimately got him typecast, thus preventing him from graduating to stronger and more mature roles.
He has participated as film director a few times, and also appeared in some minor films. Also of note is his appearance in the Guitar based film, Crossroads playing music student Eugene Martone. During the film he battles the Devil aka, Jack Butler, played by guitarist Steve Vai.
Credits
- A Good Night to Die (2003. Donnie)
- Popcorn Shrimp (2001, as a cop)
- The Office Party (2000, Sean)
- Can't Be Heaven (2000, Hubbie Darling)
- Dizzyland (1998)
- The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue (1998, video, voice of Tim)
- Naked in New York (1993, Chris)
- My Cousin Vinny (1992, Billy Gambini, alongside Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei)
- The Last P.O.W.? The Bobby Garwood Story (1992, television movie, Robert Garwood)
- Too Much Sun (1991, Frank Jr.)
- The Karate Kid, Part III (1989)
- Distant Thunder (1988, Jack Lambert)
- The Karate Kid, Part II (1986)
- Crossroads (1986, Eugene Martone)
- The Three Wishes of Billy Grier (1984, television movie, Billy Grier)
- Teachers (1984, Eddie Pilikian)
- The Karate Kid (1984, Daniel LaRusso)
- The Outsiders (1983, Johnny Cade)
- High Powder (1982, television movie, Eddie)
- Dangerous Company (1982, television movie, Denny Brody)
- Eight is Enough (1980, television series, Jeremy Andretti)
- Up the Academy (1980, Cooch)