History of Ralph Macchio in Timeline

Ralph Macchio is an American actor renowned for his portrayal of Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid film series and the sequel television show, Cobra Kai. His career began with roles like Jeremy Andretti in "Eight Is Enough" and Johnny Cade in "The Outsiders." He further gained recognition for his roles as William Gambini in "My Cousin Vinny" and Eugene Martone in "Crossroads." Macchio also had recurring roles in television series such as "Ugly Betty" and "The Deuce," showcasing his versatility across various genres and platforms.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1947: 1947 Ford convertible appearance in The Karate Kid film

In 2014, Ralph Macchio mentioned that the yellow 1947 Ford convertible from The Karate Kid film, was in his garage.

November 4, 1961: Ralph Macchio Born

On November 4, 1961, Ralph George Macchio Jr. was born. He is known as an American actor, famous for his role in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai.

1961: Ralph Macchio's Birth

In 1961, Ralph Macchio was born in Huntington, New York.

1962: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

In 1962, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying won the Tony Award.

1979: High School Graduation

In 1979, Ralph Macchio graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, New York.

1980: Screen Test

In 1980, during a screen test, Ralph Macchio mentioned his family was from Naples.

1983: The Outsiders film release

In 1983, Ralph Macchio played Johnny Cade in The Outsiders film.

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1983: Cast in The Outsiders

In 1983, Ralph Macchio won the role of Johnny Cade in the film The Outsiders.

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1984: The Karate Kid film release

In 1984, Ralph Macchio played Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid.

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1986: Film and Broadway Appearances

In 1986, Ralph Macchio appeared in the film Crossroads, portraying music student Eugene Martone, and starred in Cuba and His Teddy Bear on Broadway alongside Robert De Niro.

1986: The Karate Kid Part II release

In 1986, Ralph Macchio continued to portray Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid Part II.

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April 5, 1987: Marriage to Phyllis Fierro

On April 5, 1987, Ralph Macchio married Phyllis Fierro.

1989: The Karate Kid Part III release

In 1989, Ralph Macchio continued to portray Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid Part III.

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1991: Celebrity Captain

In 1991, Ralph Macchio was featured as the New York Islanders hockey team's celebrity captain in the Pro Set Platinum trading card series.

1992: Birth of Daughter Julia

In 1992, Ralph Macchio and Phyllis Fierro's daughter, Julia, was born.

1992: My Cousin Vinny film release

In 1992, Ralph Macchio played William Gambini in My Cousin Vinny film.

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1996: Birth of Son Daniel

In 1996, Ralph Macchio and Phyllis Fierro's son, Daniel, named after Ralph's character, was born.

1996: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

In 1996, Ralph Macchio played the lead role in the U.S. tour revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

2005: Entourage appearance

In 2005, Ralph Macchio played himself in the HBO series Entourage.

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2007: "Sweep the Leg" music video appearance

In 2007, Ralph Macchio appeared in the music video for the song "Sweep the Leg" by No More Kings.

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October 2008: Ugly Betty role

Beginning in October 2008, Ralph Macchio appeared in several episodes of the ABC Network television series Ugly Betty as Archie Rodriguez.

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November 2008: VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars Ranking

As of November 2008, Ralph Macchio was ranked No. 80 among VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars.

June 2010: "Wax On, F*ck Off" online short

In June 2010, Ralph Macchio appeared in Funny or Die's online short, "Wax On, F*ck Off", where his loved ones stage an intervention to turn the former child star from a well-adjusted family man into an addict besieged with tabloid scandal in order to help his career.

September 20, 2010: A Room of My Own staged reading

On September 20, 2010, Ralph Macchio played the adult Carl Morelli in a staged reading of the Charles Messina play A Room of My Own.

February 2011: Dancing with the Stars Competition

In February 2011, Ralph Macchio competed on ABC's Dancing with the Stars and was eliminated during the semi-finals, placing fourth.

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April 2012: Cast in Hitchcock film

In April 2012, Ralph Macchio was cast in the film Hitchcock as Joseph Stefano.

2013: How I Met Your Mother Appearance

In 2013, Ralph Macchio appeared in How I Met Your Mother, where Barney Stinson argues that Johnny Lawrence is the real karate kid.

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2014: 30th Anniversary of The Karate Kid

During a celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Karate Kid in 2014, Ralph Macchio mentioned that the yellow 1947 Ford convertible from the film was in his garage.

2016: Bobblehead Promotion

In 2016, a bobblehead promotion featured Ralph Macchio's likeness in the New York Islanders uniform, doing the "crane kick" pose.

August 4, 2017: Cobra Kai Revival Announcement

On August 4, 2017, it was announced that Ralph Macchio would reprise his role as Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai, a Karate Kid revival series for YouTube Red.

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2018: Cobra Kai debut

In 2018, Cobra Kai debuted, with Ralph Macchio reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso.

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2022: Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me Publication

In 2022, Ralph Macchio published his memoir, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me.

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me

Check it on Amazon

2023: Okinawan Gōjū-ryū training

In 2023, Ralph Macchio mentioned that before the filming of The Karate Kid, he was trained in the Okinawan Gōjū-ryū defensive style of karate used by Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi character.