Editing Ralph Macchio (section)

==Early life==
Macchio was born in [[Huntington, New York]] in 1961.<ref name="biocom" /> He is the son of Rosalie (née DeSantis) and Ralph George Macchio Sr., who owned a few [[self-service laundry|laundromats]] and a wastewater disposal company. Macchio has a younger brother named Steven.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |url=http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/J3158-2009 |website=NY State Senate |title=Open Legislation: Resolution J3158-2009: Congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Macchio upon the occasion of their 50th Anniversary |date=September 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109222807/http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/J3158-2009 |archive-date=November 9, 2013 }}</ref> His father is of half [[Italians|Italian]] and half [[Greeks|Greek]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/american-gypsies/articles/qa-with-executive-producer-ralph-macchio/|title=American Gypsies: Q&A With Executive Producer Ralph Macchio|publisher=[[National Geographic Society]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003122419/http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/american-gypsies/articles/qa-with-executive-producer-ralph-macchio/|archive-date=October 3, 2013|access-date=October 4, 2013|quote=Actually, I have a little Greek in the bloodstream as well (my Dad is half Greek).}}</ref> descent, and his mother is of Italian ancestry.<ref>[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/american-gypsies/q-a-with-ralph-macchio/ Q&A With Executive Producer Ralph Macchio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819012728/http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/american-gypsies/q-a-with-ralph-macchio|date=August 19, 2012}}. [[National Geographic (American TV channel)|National Geographic Channel]].</ref> In a 1980 [[screen test]], Macchio said his family was from [[Naples]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPzf1M4Cprg | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/sPzf1M4Cprg| archive-date=November 17, 2021 | url-status=live|title=Ralph Macchio and Phil Hartman screen test |work=Youtube | date=March 4, 2014|access-date=October 10, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1979, Macchio graduated from [[Half Hollow Hills Central School District|Half Hollow Hills High School West]] in [[Dix Hills, New York]].<ref>{{Cite book|first1=James M. |last1=Welsh |first2=Gene D. |last2=Phillips |first3=Rodney F. |last3=Hill|title=The Francis Ford Coppola Encyclopedia|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2010|isbn=9780810876514|location=|pages=167}}</ref>

Macchio began tap dancing lessons at the age of three and was discovered by a [[talent agent]] at the age of 16.<ref name=biocom/> He also had minimal training in martial arts, as he learned little [[karate]] and [[jiujitsu]] when he was in elementary school, long before getting the role of Daniel LaRusso in ''The Karate Kid'' film franchise.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gaughan |first=Liam |date=2024-08-31 |title=Did Ralph Macchio Really Learn Karate for 'Karate Kid'? |url=https://collider.com/did-ralph-macchio-really-learn-karate/#:~:text=Macchio%20admitted%20that%20he%20only,no%20experience%20with%20martial%20arts. |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref>