Raymond "Ray" Romano (born December 21, 1957 in Queens, New York) is an Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated, American actor and comedian best known for his starring role on the long-running CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. His other notable roles include, "Manfred 'Manny' the Mammoth" (Ice Age and Ice Age: The Meltdown), and "Handy Harrison" (Welcome to Mooseport).
Final contestant (i.e. "slowest finger") on Celebrity "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (1999/I), walking off with $125,000 for the NYPD's D.A.R.E. Unit. (5/4/2000)
Father of 4 children: Alexandra, 13, twins Matthew and Gregory, 11 and Joseph Raymond 6, born 16 February 1998.
Named one of E!'s "Top 20 Entertainers of 2001."
Ray originally planned to become an accountant.
Brother is an actual sergeant for the New York Police Department. Ray and his brother were featured on a 2001 NYPD recruiting poster.
Was originally cast in the role of technician Ted Garelli on "NewsRadio" (1995) but left after negotiations with writers about a sitcom starring him, namely "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996), airing the following year. The role was replaced by Joe Rogan (I), and after a few days of shooting the cast decided it was easier to call the character Joe Garelli.
He met his wife, Anna, when both worked at the Williamsburg Savings Bank in Queens, New York in 1982. He asked out two other co-workers before he asked Anna, and she was the only one who said yes.
Went to Hillcrest High School in Queens, New York.
Italian-American.
Ray Barone, Romano's character on "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996), was ranked #10 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].
Won a Cable Ace Award for "Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist" (1995) (for Best Animated Programming Special or Series) in 1995 as one of the writers.
Was classmates with comedienne Fran Drescher in high school and has even guest-starred as his Ray Barone character on "Nanny, The" (1993).
First comedy performance was in a comedy troop called No Talent.
Currently resides in Los Angeles.
Shares his birthday with actor Kiefer Sutherland.
He guest-starred a few times in "King of Queens, The" (1998) as Ray Barone, his character from "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996)
Dropped out of Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood, New York to go to Hillcrest High School. One of his brothers, however, did graduate from AMHS.
The flashback episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996), in which Ray Barone first meets his future wife, he is delivering a futon. After Ray Romano's bank-teller job (where he met his real wife, Anna), he worked as a futon delivery-man before he tried stand-up comedy.
Was among the guests at Kevin James (III)' wedding to Steffiana De La Cruz.
Lived at home with his parents until he was 29 years old.
Graduated from CUNY Queens College in Flushing, New York.
