Amanda Oglesby

@OglesbyAPP

ASBURY PARK – It was a homecoming of sorts for actor Danny DeVito, who took a break from filming "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" to show his newest short film and talk movies at the House of Independents on Sunday.

DeVito, 71, grew up on Second Avenue and New Street and attended the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Asbury Park before going on to make such films as "Batman Returns," "Ruthless People," "Death to Smoochy," "Twins" and "Get Shorty." The Emmy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor spent his early years in movies theaters across the city: The Paramount, the Mayfair, the St. James Theatre, and others.

"I dug every second living here," DeVito said Sunday night from the stage of the House of Independence. "This town gave me so much."

DeVito and his daughter Lucy appeared before the packed audience to discuss their new short film, Curmudgeons, and answer questions about DeVito's extensive career.

A native son, DeVito is wildly popular in Asbury Park, and tickets to the event sold out within a half hour of going on sale, said Jamie Wark, producer of the Asbury Park Music in Film Festival, which held the event.

"It actually sold out in about 8 minutes," he said, noting that processing credit card transactions accounted for the extra time.

FLASHBACK: The Asbury Park Music in Film Festival wraps

DeVito's appearance attracted locals and visitors from other states. Brittany Harland, 32, drove from her home in Staten Island to see the actor in person for the first time.

Harland said she is a fan of the spontaneous-style of comedy in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," where DeVito plays Frank Reynolds. The event began with a screening of an episode "Being Frank," where DeVito's character mistakenly takes dog tranquilizers, breaks into an automobile impound yard, and steals a carpet, among other things.

Despite his bizarre characters, "he's kind of a normal guy," Harland said after seeing DeVito feet from where she sat.

His new short film Curmudgeons, "was pretty awesome," she added.

The event also included a screening of "Throw Momma From the Train," a 1987 comedy that DeVito directed and starred in alongside Billy Crystal.

Wark said DeVito's appearance and was the first step in taking the festival from a three-day annual event into a re-occuring monthly series. The next event, said Wark, will be a showing of The Big Lebowski to coincide with Lebowski Fest, a tribute to the famous Coen brothers film starring Jeff Bridges.

"It's about extending the event," Wark said.

The Asbury Park Music in Film Festival finished its second year in April, and is presented by the Asbury Park Press; Monmouth Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility; APP.com and the Asbury Park Music Foundation.

MORE: A deep dive at Asbury Park's Music in Film Fest

Amanda Oglesby: 732-557-5701; aoglesby@GannettNJ.com