Michael Jackson, Robin Williams, and John Belushi Turned Taxi’s Wrap Party Into a Legendary ’80s Bash

Long before Danny DeVito was trading quips on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, he was a key member of one of the most beloved sitcom casts of the 1980s: Taxi. Recently, DeVito shared with The Hollywood Reporter an incredible glimpse behind the scenes of the show’s final days—a story that includes a wrap party so star-studded it reads like a Hollywood fantasy.

The End of an Era

Taxi faced a tumultuous network history, initially canceled after four seasons by ABC before being picked up by NBC for a fifth season. DeVito recalls the mixed emotions of that time: “We did 22 shows that year, but prior to that, we didn’t know. In fact, we’d all won Golden Globes and Emmys. I was in New York, all set to do Saturday Night Live, and we got the call. [Co-creator] Jim Brooks called us up, and we were devastated.”

Acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the show’s future, the cast celebrated in true Taxi fashion: with a big, boozy party. “We all got together and got drunk. I brought everybody on the show,” DeVito said. “We knew that was going to be the last season when we got picked up, so we all had it in our bones that we were doing the last episode.”

The Legendary Guest List

The cast—DeVito, Carol Kane, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Jeff Conaway, Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman, and Tony Danza—were no strangers to celebrations. “We were party animals anyway,” DeVito recalled. “Every Friday night we had a big party…people from other shows, like Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days—Henry Winkler used to come.”

But the real jaw-droppers were the surprise celebrity guests. “We had people like John Belushi play at our wrap party. Michael Jackson was there. Michael loved our show. He used to come and watch in the booth up in the top where the technicians were,” DeVito shared. “Robin [Williams] was there all the time, and we visited him too.”

Jackson, long known as a fan of TV and pop culture (The Brady Bunch among his favorites), may have seemed an unlikely Taxi enthusiast, but his presence at the wrap party speaks to the show’s wide appeal. Meanwhile, Robin Williams and John Belushi brought their own brand of wild energy, ensuring the night would be unforgettable.

Looking Ahead to Sunny Days

Reflecting on his current work with the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast, DeVito noted that when that series eventually concludes, the team will be ready to celebrate together in the same spirit. “When Sunny comes to an end, we’ll know it and we’ll all embrace it. We really dig each other and we’ll always work together,” he said.

For fans of Taxi, the stories of these wrap parties—complete with music legends, comedy icons, and a cast at the height of their powers—offer a rare glimpse into the joy, chaos, and camaraderie that made the show not just a sitcom, but a phenomenon.

From Gracie’s cabbies to the King of Pop, it seems Taxi’s final ride was a night the stars themselves wouldn’t soon forget.