Ray Romano Bio
Raymond Albert Romano (born December 21, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has built a celebrated career across television, film, and stand-up comedy. He is best known for his portrayal of sportswriter Raymond “Ray” Barone on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005), a role that earned him three Primetime Emmy Awards. He is also widely recognized as the voice of the woolly mammoth Manny in the Blue Sky Studios film series Ice Age.
Beyond his sitcom fame, Ray Romano has continued to expand his range as an actor in both comedy and drama. He created and starred in the TNT series Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011) and has appeared in acclaimed projects such as The Big Sick (2017) and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman (2019). He also led the Epix series Get Shorty from 2017 to 2019, demonstrating his lasting presence in Hollywood across multiple decades.
Early Life and Background
Ray Romano was born on December 21, 1957, in the Queens borough of New York City. He is the second son of Albert Romano (1925–2010), a real estate agent and engineer, and Luciana “Lucie” Fortini Romano, a piano teacher of Italian descent. He grew up alongside an older brother, Richard, who later became an NYPD sergeant, and a younger brother, Robert, who became a second-grade teacher in New York City. Romano was raised in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, where he attended elementary and middle school at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs.
After transferring from Archbishop Molloy High School, Romano graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1975, where he was a classmate of actress Fran Drescher. Before pursuing a career in entertainment, he briefly attended Queens College in Flushing, New York, where he studied accounting. During these formative years, Romano discovered his passion for making people laugh, eventually setting him on a path toward stand-up comedy.
Path to Stand-Up Comedy
Ray Romano’s professional comedy career began in 1989 when he competed in the Johnnie Walker Comedy Search, directed by Saturday Night Live short film producer Neal Marshad. This early break led to appearances on The Comedy Channel and Comedy Central, where he became a recurring guest voice on the animated series Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. He also competed on Star Search in the stand-up comedy category, building a strong reputation in the New York comedy scene.
Romano’s big break into mainstream television came when he was cast to play Joe on the sitcom NewsRadio, but he was ultimately replaced before the show premiered. He soon appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, performing his stand-up routine and forming a valuable relationship with CBS. This connection led directly to the creation of Everybody Loves Raymond, a show built around Romano’s observational style of humor about family life.
Ray Romano Career
Early Career (1989–1995)
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ray Romano honed his craft on the stand-up circuit, performing at clubs and appearing on cable comedy programs. He built a strong fan base through his relatable, family-focused observational humor, which set him apart from many of his peers. His growing reputation led to television guest spots and writing opportunities that prepared him for his eventual leading role in a network sitcom.
In 1996, Romano’s career reached a new level when CBS premiered Everybody Loves Raymond, a sitcom created by Phil Rosenthal and inspired by Romano’s real family life. The show became a critical and commercial success, running for nine seasons until 2005. Romano’s performance earned him six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, which he won in 2002.
Breakthrough (1996–2005)
Everybody Loves Raymond became one of the most beloved family sitcoms of its era, and Ray Romano’s portrayal of Ray Barone cemented him as a household name. The series won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2003 and 2005, with Romano sharing those victories as an executive producer. In 2004, Romano became the highest-paid television actor in history for his work on the show.
Beyond the sitcom, Romano expanded into other ventures during this period. He performed the opening monologue at the 1998 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, appeared in the film Grilled alongside Kevin James, and won $125,000 for the NYPD’s D.A.R.E. unit on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2000. He also voiced Manny in the 2002 animated blockbuster Ice Age, launching one of the most successful voice roles in his career.
Mid-Career (2006–2015)
Following the end of Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray Romano returned to television in 2008 with Men of a Certain Age, a dramedy he co-created with writer Mike Royce for TNT. The series ran for two seasons and earned praise for its honest portrayal of middle-aged men navigating personal and professional challenges. He co-starred alongside Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher, showcasing his ability to lead more dramatic material.
During this period, Romano also reprised his voice role as Manny in several Ice Age sequels, including Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), and Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012). He appeared in a recurring role on the NBC series Parenthood from 2012 to 2015 as photographer Hank Rizzoli. The documentary 95 Miles to Go, which followed Romano on a comedy road trip through the southern United States, was released in theaters in 2010.
Recent Work (2016–Present)
Ray Romano’s recent film work has demonstrated his impressive range as a dramatic actor. He co-starred in the 2017 romantic comedy The Big Sick and portrayed mob lawyer Bill Bufalino in Martin Scorsese’s critically acclaimed crime film The Irishman (2019). He also starred opposite Mark Duplass in the Netflix comedy Paddleton (2019) and led the Epix comedy-drama Get Shorty from 2017 to 2019, co-starring Chris O’Dowd.
Romano has continued lending his voice to Manny in the Ice Age franchise, including Ice Age: Collision Course (2016). He is also set to portray basketball coach Jim Valvano in an upcoming biographical film. With a career that has spanned more than three decades, Ray Romano remains a versatile and enduring figure in American entertainment.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among Ray Romano’s most signature works are Everybody Loves Raymond and the Ice Age animated film franchise, both of which have achieved lasting cultural impact. His portrayal of Ray Barone is widely regarded as one of the defining sitcom performances of the late 1990s and early 2000s. His dramatic turn in The Irishman further established his credibility as a serious actor beyond the comedy genre.
Ray Romano Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Ray Romano has received multiple award nominations recognizing both his comedic and dramatic talents. He earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Everybody Loves Raymond, along with two Golden Globe Award nominations and two Grammy Award nominations. These nominations reflect his consistent excellence across stand-up comedy, television acting, and his work behind the camera as an executive producer.
Ray Romano Awards Won
Ray Romano has won three Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on Everybody Loves Raymond. He won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002 and shared two additional Emmy Awards as an executive producer when the series won Outstanding Comedy Series in 2003 and 2005. These victories highlight his success both in front of the camera and as a creative force shaping the show.
Ray Romano Family
Ray Romano was raised in a close-knit Italian-American family in Queens, New York. His father, Albert Romano, was a real estate agent and engineer, and his mother, Luciana Fortini Romano, was a piano teacher. He grew up alongside his older brother Richard, who became an NYPD sergeant, and his younger brother Robert, who works as a second-grade teacher. Several family members made cameo appearances on Everybody Loves Raymond over the years, including his father Albert and his brother Richard.
Personal Life
Ray Romano married Anna Scarpulla in 1987, after the two met while working together at the same bank. The couple has four children and owns property in La Quinta, California. In 2012, Romano publicly shared that his wife had successfully battled stage one breast cancer in 2010, an experience he discussed in hopes of helping others facing similar challenges. Romano was also a close friend of his Everybody Loves Raymond co-star Doris Roberts, whom he credited as a mentor who helped him feel comfortable on set.