American actor Ralph Machhio Jr. is mostly renowned for his portrayal of the character Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid franchise and the very recent sequel series. Though he has also starred in a number of series in recurrent roles and many films as the main character.
This veteran actor has been active as an actor since the year of 1979. The actor is now sixty years old and currently starring in the series ‘Cobra Kai’.
Following is the list of tv series and movies in which Ralph Macchio has been prominently cast:
The Outsiders (1983)-
Francis Ford Coppola directed this coming-of-age movie that is based on the same named novel by S.E. Hinton. The plot of the movie revolves around a number of working-class teenagers of the 1950s and 60s, known as the Greasers, who include the Curtis brothers, Dallas Winston and Johnny Cade, the latter starred by Ralph Macchio. The movie was released on March 25, 1983, in the United States.
The Karate Kid (part I: 1984, II: 1986, III: 1989)-
The film series for which Ralph Macchio is mostly recognized is ‘The Karate Kid franchise. The three movies of the series gave birth to the renowned characters of protagonist Daniel LaRusso and antagonist Johnny Lawrence, two pro Karate players.
The Three Wishes of Billy Grier (1984)-
This is a television movie that revolves around a teenager suffering from a disease that will compel him to die of old age way ahead of time. Before dying he wants to fulfill his goals which include finding his father, playing in a jazz band, and making love to a woman for the first time.
Ralph Macchio plays the titular teenager Billy Grier in the movie. It was released on November 1, 1984, on ABC.
Crossroads (1986)-
This musical movie is inspired by the legend of Robert Johnson who was a blues musician. The story centers around a teenager named Eugene Martone who studies classical guitar and is obsessed with blues music.
He is influenced by Robert Johnson’s creativity and embarks upon extensive research about him. Macchio portrayed the seventeen years old Eugene Martone in the film. The movie was released on March 14, 1986, in the USA.
Distant Thunder (1988)-
Rick Rosenthal directed this movie revolves around a father and his estranged son who along with his mother once the father deserted to live in a remote wilderness away from civilization. But ten years after when the father again has to come back to civilization, he has to face his now teenage son.
With John Lithgow playing the father Mark Lambert in the movie, Ralph Macchio starred as the son Jack Lambert. It was released on November 11, 1988, in the USA.
Also Read: Must Watch Movies and Shows of Maya Hawke
My Cousin Vinny (1992)-
Jonathan Lynn’s comedy movie ‘My Cousin Vinny deals with an inexperienced lawyer combating his first trial by defending Billy, his cousin, and Billy’s friend Stan as they are accused of killing the owner of a convenience store.
Joe Pesci plays the titular Vinny in the movie with Macchio starring as Bill Gambini, her cousin. The movie was released on March 13, 1992, in the United States.
Naked in New York (1993)-
Daniel Algrant directed this American rom-com movie that surrounds the life and journey of Jake, a theatre enthusiast who writes plays and struggles to be a successful playwright.
American actor-director Eric Stoltz plays the role of Jake Briggs in the movie. Macchio plays the role of his bisexual best friend Chris. The movie was released in the United States on April 13, 1994.
Can’t Be Heaven (1999)-
This is a comedy-drama movie that is inspired by Robert Stevenson’s 1968 fantasy comedy movie ‘Blackbeard’s Ghost. The movie revolves around a young student named Danny’s effort to get the girl he likes with the help of a ghost he meets in a graveyard.
Though the advice that the ghost gives him, almost always backfires, Danny, at last, ends up with the girl in a school dance and also helps the ghost to reconnect with his former lover. The ghost, whose name is Hubbie, is played by Macchio in the movie. It was released on December 5, 1999, in the United States.
Hitchcock (2012)-
Sacha Gervasi has directed the biographical romantic movie based on the nonfiction book by Stephen Rebello named ‘Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho.
The story of the movie delves deeper into the relationship of the legendary filmmaker Hitchcock with his wife Alma Reville while he was making the 1959 movie ‘Psycho’.
In the movie, Macchio played the role of screenwriter Joseph Stefano who adapted Robert Bloch’s same-named novel as the script of the movie. It was released on November 23, 2012, in the United States.
Cobra Kai-
Number of Seasons: 5
Sequel of ‘The Karate Kid’ films, this sequel is a martial arts comedy series that tells the events of thirty-four years after Johnny Lawrence’s defeat to Daniel LaRusso from the point of view of Lawrence.
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their respective roles in the series of films. It was released on May 2, 2018.
