Ray Romano

Arriving during a slump in the family sitcom genre, comedian Ray Romano’s bittersweet take on family life defined “Everybody Loves Raymond,” picking up where TGIF mainstays “Family Matters” and “Step by Step” had left off. Ray Romano’s show was unique for presenting longstanding problems many families without the cynicism that defined most contemporary comedies. Like Brett Butler and her “Grace Under Fire” series, Ray Romano’s standup routines gradually grew into a concept that was bigger than that medium allowed, and his growing popularity and appealing point of view caught the eye of CBS, which had been struggling to land a hit against sit-com powerhouse NBC.

By the time the show’s nine seasons were completed, it had won four Emmy’s and scored several additional nominations. The concept behind the show was simple. Ray Romano played a sportswriter who led a busy life trying to manage his intrusive immediate family and the family he had started with his wife. The characters’ neuroses provided ample comic fodder, while the charismatic Romano hilariously stood out as the straight man from an ensemble of appealing actors in goofy roles. Through several appearances on talk shows hosted by the likes of Oprah and David Letterman, as well through his appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” Ray Romano enjoyed a reputation as the rare nice guy comedian.

It was in fact David Letterman who introduced Romano to the right people at CBS, though he was already on his way to stardom through his own efforts. At the time his own show went into development, he had already secured a part on the new series “Newsradio.” Romano’s “Everybody Loves Raymond” show offered the comic a lot of creativity, and its smart style blended nicely with the family values it espoused, winning him an audience ranging from hipsters to grandparents. The show has remained successful after going into syndication, while Romano has returned to standup amidst film performances.

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy—and Ray Romano definitely put in the effort, finding success after nearly a decade of moonlighting. He is of course, married, with four children.