Taxi, the Emmy winning sitcom, was the beginning for several actors including Tony Danza and Danny DeVito and it was also the end for some. The hit sitcom has been off air for almost 40 years, with its last episode airing in 1983. Even though the series was undoubtedly one of the best sitcoms of its time, it never got the ending it deserved.
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Taxi was abruptlypushed off the air and its characters were left out in the cold. Many people have forgotten about the zany Sunshine Cab Company crew, but some still wonder about what became of their favorite cabbies.
Judd Hirsch (Alex Reiger)
Judd Hirsch was the most experienced actor on the set of Taxi as before starring as Alex Reiger, he was atheateractor before agreeing to become a sitcom character. After Taxi, Hirsch went on to expand his career horizons by acting in several movies including Rocky Marciano and the 2019 hit Uncut Gems.
Judd Hirsch has been described as an actor who can effortlessly go from theater, to television, to film. To this day he is a respected member of Hollywood after earning an Emmy, a Tony, and even a Golden Globe.
Danny DeVito (Louie DePalma)
While some cast members went on to perform in lackluster productions, Danny DeVito's time on Taxi launched his career into stardom. After his role as Louie on Taxi,for which he earned an Emmy and a Golden Globe for, DeVito went on to earn several wildly successful roles.
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DeVito acted in over 15 films after Taxi including Matilda, Hercules, and Batman Returns.He currently stars asFrank Reynolds in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphiaand has been since 2006 when he joined the sitcom in its 2nd season. Aside from acting, DeVito has also found success in directing and producing.
Marilu Henner (Elaine Nardo)
Starring as the garage's sweetheart, Elaine, Marilu Henner was just beginning her career during Taxi.While Henner did not go on to receive the fame some of her other cast mates gained, she has had a successful career dabbling in several creative fields.
She has written nine books about healthy lifestyles, diet, and her incredible memory;Total Health Makeoverbeing the most notable. Currently she hosts her own radio show, The Marilu Henner Show, which airs every weekday morning.
Tony Danza (Tony Banta)
Tony Danza became ahousehold name in the 1980's after his role as Tony Banta, cab driver by night and aspiring boxer by day. After Taxi ended in 1983, Danza he landed the role of Tony Micelli, pro baseball turned housekeeper, in the hit sitcom Who's The Boss?The series ran for 8 seasons from 1984 to 1992.
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Since the 1980's Danza has starred in a few short lived sitcoms, as well as a couple of successful Broadway productions including The Producers and films such as Angels in the Outfield.
Andy Kaufman (Latka Gravas)
The great, yet kooky, Andy Kaufman was ahead of his time. His comedy style wascaptivatingand the creators of Taxi were desperate to get him on the show. So desperate they agreed to several outlandish things, insert Tony Clifton. They were successful in casting Kaufman as everyone's favorite gibberish-speaking mechanic, Latka.
Andy Kaufman played Latka for all five seasons of Taxi until its end in June of 1983. Sadly, Kaufman passed away from lung cancer a year later on May 16, 1984. He was only 35, but his memory will live on. In 1999Jim Carrey portrayed Kaufman in Man on the Moon,a film about Kaufman's eccentric entertainment style.
Jeff Conaway (Bobby Wheeler)
Jeff Conaway starred as Bobby Wheeler, who besides being a cab driver was also an aspiring actor.Bobby appeared on Taxifor three out its five seasons and was the garage's local heartthrob. Unfortunately his drug abuse forced the studio to fire him when he was found in his dressing room too high to perform.
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While many people onlyfocus on his drug use, Conaway was an incredibly talented actor.Jeff Conaway is another belovedTaxiwho was taken too soon. He passed away on May 27, 2011 at 60 years old.
Christopher Lloyd (Jim Ignatowski)
Out of all the cast mates on Taxi, Christopher Lloyd was probably not the one people expected to have a successful film career. Lloyd portrayed spaced out Jim Ignatowski, who had a heart of gold and a fried mind due to the '60's. Reverend Jim might not have had much motivation, but Lloyd sure does.
After Taxi, Lloyd became a household name in the '80's and '90's thanks to several film roles including Dr. Emmett Brown for the Back to the Futuretrilogy, Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Uncle Fester in The Addams Family.
Carol Kane (Simka Dahblitz)
With her unique voice, Carol Kane captivated Taxi fans as Latka's wife Simka for the final two seasons. Her voice and wild hair would become well known in later years as she continued in her acting career.
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Like a few of her cast mates, Kane branched into the film industry. In the 1980's and '90's she starred alongside former cast member Christopher Lloyd in The Addams Family ValuesasGrandma as well as portraying Helga in the iconic Princess Bride. Recently she has played Lillian, the landlady, in the hit Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Randall Carver (John Burns)
For the first season of Taxi, Randall Carver played the lovable but not too bright goof John Burns who married a woman on their first date. Unfortunately Carver did not return to Taxi for its second season as the creators felt John and Tony were too similar.
Hollywood is one of the hardest industries to break into and stay in. Sadly it seems like Carver was unable to reach stardom like other Taxi cast members. However, he has had several smaller roles including the killer in the1980 film Detour to Terror and Mr. Bankside in the 2007 film There Will be Blood.
Rhea Perlman (Zena Sherman)
Louie was typically the bully of the garage, there was nothing inherently lovable about him. Except when he was around Zena, played by his real life wife Rhea Perlman. When Louie was in the presence of Zena he showed his rarely seen soft side.
Audiences fell in love with Perlman and her career blossomed. In 1982 she landed the role of waitressCarla Tortelli on the hit sitcom series Cheerswhich aired for 9 seasons. In 1996 starring alongside husband Danny DeVito, Perlam portrayed Zinnia Wormwood in the children's classicMatilda.
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