Ralph  Macchio  

Well-known child star Ralph Macchio achieved overnight success for his role in the Karate Kid as well as its two sequels. Although he never recaptured the fame of his youth, he has managed to stay active in the business and even found brief success as a director.

Ralph George Macchio was born November 4, 1961 in Huntington, Long Island, New York. He graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School West, but acting was always in the forefront of Macchio’s mind.

He officially entered the scene in the mid 70s when he appeared in several popular commercials for products such as Bubble Yum and Dr Pepper. This led to a stint on Eight is Enough with Dick Van Patten, Mark Hamill, and Heather Locklear. For his efforts, Macchio earned a Young Artist Award nomination.

Next, he earned a highly sought after role in The Outsiders. Although none of his costars were stars at the time, the cast included future A-listers Matt Dillon, C Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, and Diane Lane.

In 1984, Macchio broke into the mainstream with his starring role in The Karate Kid. Acting opposite Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue, the movie became a massive success, and in turn, Macchio became the newest teen idol. He appeared in both follow up films, The Karate Kid, Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid, Part III (1989).

Highly in demand, Macchio also landed roles in Teachers opposite Nick Nolte, Judd Hirsch, Laura Dern, and Morgan Freeman as well as Crossroads with Jami Gertz.

By the 90s, however, Macchio’s star was beginning to fade. He was no longer the pop, teen idol he had been just years before, and movie offers were coming few and far between.

That changed in 1992. He was offered the opportunity to star in the new Jonathan Lynn film, My Cousin Vinny. Starring Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei (in her Oscar winning performance), the film was a huge success. Although it temporarily gave Macchio’s career a boost, it would prove to be his last major role to date.

The blockbusters of Macchio’s heyday were gone, but he did make notable appearances in smaller, more independent productions such as 1993’s Naked in New York with Eric Stoltz, Mary Louise Parker, Tony Curtis, Timothy Dalton, Kathleen Turner, Whoopi Goldberg, and Calista Flockhart.

Most recently, Macchio could be seen with Artie Lange in the comedy Beer League (2006).

While his film career may have fell off, Macchio did receive considerable critical acclaim for the short Love Thy Brother, which he both wrote and directed. Macchio walked away with the Long Island International Film Expo Best Director Prize as well as the Stony Brook Film Festival Audience Choice for Best Short Award.

A down to earth family man, Macchio is close to both his parents, Ralph and Rosalie, who reside in the New York based Wild West Ranch.

Macchio married Phyllis Fierro on April 5, 1987. They have two children together, daughter Julia (born 1992) and son Daniel (born 1996). After twenty years of marriage, they are still together.