which was his first directorial debut?
"A Bronx Tale".
Robert De Niro
De Niro starred in his directorial debut, "A Bronx Tale" (1993), 
what is 'meet the parents'? A comedy film. when did this film release? 2000. who is the producer of this film? Nancy Tenenbaum . what is the theme of the film? The theme revolves around  portrayal of Jewish characters' roles in modern film as well as of how male nurses are portrayed in media. can you name some characters from this film? Jack Byrnes, Dina Byrnes, Kevin Rawley, Debbie Byrnes, Denny Byrnes, Bob Banks, Larry Banks , and Greg. do you know who plays the role of the first character? Robert De Niro where is he from? Manhattan, New York City.
wiki:8710514
Robert De Niro [SEP] 1992–1997: Directorial debut and crime dramas
Playing stepfather Dwight Hansen of Wolff (DiCaprio), the film was mostly well received, although "Timeout" magazine believed that "DiCaprio steals the show". De Niro starred in his directorial debut, "A Bronx Tale" (1993), a coming-of-age story about an Italian-American boy who is torn between the temptations of organized crime, racism in his community, and the values of his decent father. The film also stars Chazz Palminteri, who wrote the play of the same name, and is based on his childhood. "A Bronx Tale" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to a positive response; Marjorie Baumgarten of "The Austin Chronicle" wrote "De Niro's choices as a director all seem prudent and un-showy, designed to draw attention to the characters and the story rather than its technical assemblage and much-lauded star".