Robert De Niro necessary to elicit the best performance from those with whom he is working. During the filming of "The King of Comedy", he directed a slew of anti-Semitic epithets at co-star Jerry Lewis to enhance and authenticate the anger demonstrated by Lewis' character. According to "People" magazine, the technique was successful, with Lewis recalling, "I forgot the cameras were there... I was going for Bobby's throat." De Niro married his first wife, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976. They have a son, Raphael, a former actor who works in New York real estate. De Niro also adopted Abbott's daughter Drena De Niro from
Midnight Run director and actors. Every last person working on the film did a terrific job. De Niro attributed a lot of the film's eventual success to Charles Grodin. "“The way Chuck Grodin is, it worked," he said. "His character was irritating and Chuck knew how to do that, to work that. I felt like that was a good way to go." Midnight Run Midnight Run is a 1988 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano and Philip Baker Hall play supporting roles.