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"Batman Returns" (1992) portrays The Penguin as a psychopathic, deformed man born as Oswald Cobblepot who was abandoned by his parents when he was a baby. Raised by penguins of an abandoned zoo, he returns for revenge thirty-three years later as leader of the Red Triangle Circus Gang after being cheated by businessman Max Shreck. Danny DeVito was suggested for the role by his friend Jack Nicholson after the financial success of 1989's "Batman,", in which Nicholson played the Joker. According to DeVito, "It was four-and-a-half hours of makeup and getting into the costume. We got it down to three hours by the end of the shoot." To maintain secrecy regarding the Penguin character, DeVito was forbidden to describe the makeup to anyone outside the production, including family members (although, photographs of the actor in his Penguin guise did run in a tabloid publication once production started). Despite the leak, the makeup had its intended effect on audiences, and even on fellow cast members during the shoot. "No one would talk to Danny on the set because he scared everybody," director Tim Burton said. "I don't know if that was his usual way of working, but there was a point where he just clicked into it and was completely this character who was totally antisocial, who had been out of the loop a little too long. Danny was 100 percent into the transformation. With the makeup and all, it was a complete creation."The crew had a hard time getting the shot where the monkey delivers the letter from Batman to The Penguin. Evidently, DeVito's make-up and the colored drool of The Penguin, terrified the animal, and he attacked DeVito's family jewels region. Lucky the suit he had to wear was very padded and he was fine. They got the shot after DeVito put on a new suit.Dustin Hoffman was originally the first choice to play the Penguin, but he declined. Apart from Hoffman, Marlon Brando, John Candy, Bob Hoskins, Ralph Waite, Dean Martin, Dudley Moore, Alan Rickman, John Goodman, Phil Collins, Charles Grodin, Christopher Lee, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Rocco and Christopher Lloyd were all considered for the part before DeVito got it (DeVito said he read in the paper he was being considered for the role of The Penguin over a year before he was even offered the part). (Wikipedia/IMDb)Happy Birthday, Danny DeVito!