Kevin James
Acting Born Apr 26, 1965 Mineola, New York, USA 100 credits
Biography
Kevin George Knipfing, known professionally as Kevin James, is an American actor and writer born on April 26, 1965, in Mineola, New York. He began his career as a stand-up comedian on Long Island in the late 1980s. James rose to prominence playing Doug Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens, which ran from 1998 to 2007, earning him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006. He made his first film appearance in 50 First Dates in 2004 and co-starred in Hitch the following year. His subsequent film credits include roles in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Grown Ups, Zookeeper, Here Comes the Boom, and Pixels.
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Career overview
Kevin George Knipfing, known professionally as Kevin James, was born on April 26, 1965, in Mineola, New York, USA. He began his career as a stand-up comedian on Long Island in the late 1980s. He later rose to prominence for playing Doug Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens, which ran from 1998 to 2007. For his work on the series, he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006.
In 2004, James made his first film appearance in 50 First Dates. The following year, he co-starred in Hitch. He continued his film career by starring in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry in 2007, Paul Blart: Mall Cop in 2009, Grown Ups in 2010, Zookeeper in 2011, Here Comes the Boom in 2012, and Pixels in 2015.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Solo MioSolo Mio · ProducerSolo Mio · Writer
PlaydateGuns UpGuns Up · Executive Producer
Monster SummerKevin James: IrregardlessKevin James: Irregardless · WriterKevin James: Irregardless · Executive ProducerKevin James: Irregardless · Director
Home TeamHome Team · ProducerWinona Ryder: The Ghosts She Called
Biography: WWE LegendsThe CrewThe Crew · Executive Producer
BeckyHubie HalloweenFeeding America Comedy FestivalNature Planet | Narrated by Adam Sandler
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer VacationKevin James: Never Don't Give UpKevin James: Never Don't Give Up · Writer
Sandy Wexler
Kevin Can WaitTrue Memoirs of an International Assassin
Hot OnesPixelsHotel Transylvania 2Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 · Producer
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Grown Ups 2Liv and Maddie
Hotel TransylvaniaHere Comes the BoomHere Comes the Boom · ProducerHere Comes the Boom · Writer
ZookeeperZookeeper · ScreenplayZookeeper · ProducerThe Dilemma
ConanGrown Ups
Paul Blart: Mall CopPaul Blart: Mall Cop · ScreenplayPaul Blart: Mall Cop · ProducerThe Justin Lee Collins ShowLive from Studio Five
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Diners, Drive-Ins and DivesInside MMAI Now Pronounce You Chuck & LarryElmo's Christmas Countdown
The One ShowMonster HouseBarnyardGrilled
The Ultimate FighterThe Reichen ShowHitchThe Showbiz Show with David Spade
The Tony Danza Show50 First Dates
Jimmy Kimmel Live!The Ellen DeGeneres ShowVH1 Inside Out: Leah Remini's Wedding Special
Good Day LiveKevin James: Sweat the Small StuffKevin James: Sweat the Small Stuff · Writer
The Late Late Show with Craig KilbornThe N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller
The King of QueensThe King of Queens · WriterThe King of Queens · StoryHollywood SquaresBecker
The Daily ShowEverybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves Raymond · Writer
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Jay LenoMTV Movie & TV Awards
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Full filmography
- Solo Mio (2026) as Matt Taylor
- Solo Mio (2026) Producer
- Solo Mio (2026) Writer
- Playdate (2025) as Brian
- Guns Up (2025) as Ray Hayes
- Guns Up (2025) Executive Producer
- Monster Summer (2024) as Edgar Palmer
- Kevin James: Irregardless (2024) as Self
- Kevin James: Irregardless (2024) Writer
- Kevin James: Irregardless (2024) Executive Producer
- Kevin James: Irregardless (2024) Director
- Home Team (2022) as Sean Payton
- Home Team (2022) Producer
- Winona Ryder: The Ghosts She Called (2022) as Actor (archive footage)
- Biography: WWE Legends (2021) as Self
- The Crew (2021) as Kevin Gibson
- The Crew (2021) Executive Producer
- Becky (2020) as Dominick
- Hubie Halloween (2020) as Sgt. Steve Downey
- Feeding America Comedy Festival (2020) as Self
- Nature Planet | Narrated by Adam Sandler (2020) as Silver-Breasted Montle
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) as Frankenstein (voice)
- Kevin James: Never Don't Give Up (2018) as Self
- Kevin James: Never Don't Give Up (2018) Writer
- Sandy Wexler (2017) as Ted Rafferty
- Kevin Can Wait (2016) as Kevin Gable
- True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016) as Sam Larson / Mason Carver
- Hot Ones (2015) as Self
- Pixels (2015) as Cooper
- Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) as Frankenstein (voice)
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015) as Paul Blart
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015) Producer
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015) Writer
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015) Characters
- Little Boy (2015) as Dr. Fox
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self - Guest
- Grown Ups 2 (2013) as Eric Lamonsoff
- Liv and Maddie (2013) as Mr. Clodfelter
- Hotel Transylvania (2012) as Frankenstein (voice)
- Here Comes the Boom (2012) as Scott Voss
- Here Comes the Boom (2012) Producer
- Here Comes the Boom (2012) Writer
- Zookeeper (2011) as Griffin Keyes
- Zookeeper (2011) Screenplay
- Zookeeper (2011) Producer
- The Dilemma (2011) as Nick Brannen
- Conan (2010) as Self
- Grown Ups (2010) as Eric Lamonsoff
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) as Paul Blart
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) Screenplay
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) Producer
- The Justin Lee Collins Show (2009) as Self - Guest
- Live from Studio Five (2009) as Self
- Cubed (2009) as Kevin James
- You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) as Hacky Sack Tournament Celebrity Judge
- Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (2007) as Self
- Inside MMA (2007) as Self - Guest
- I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) as Larry Valentine
- Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007) as Santa Claus
- The One Show (2006) as Self - Guest
- Monster House (2006) as Officer Landers (voice)
- Barnyard (2006) as Otis (voice)
- Grilled (2006) as Dave
- The Ultimate Fighter (2005)
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self
- Hitch (2005) as Albert
- The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005)
- The Tony Danza Show (2004) as Self - Guest
- 50 First Dates (2004) as Factory Worker
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self - Guest
- VH1 Inside Out: Leah Remini's Wedding Special (2003) as Self
- Good Day Live (2001) as Self
- Kevin James: Sweat the Small Stuff (2001) as Self
- Kevin James: Sweat the Small Stuff (2001) Writer
- The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999) as Self - Guest
- The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller (1999) as Self
- The King of Queens (1998) as Doug Heffernan
- The King of Queens (1998) Writer
- The King of Queens (1998) Story
- Hollywood Squares (1998) as Self - Panelist
- Becker (1998) as Doug Heffernan (uncredited)
- Martial Law (1998) as Dallas Hampton
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1996) as Doug Heffernan
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1996) as Kevin
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1996) Writer
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- MTV Movie & TV Awards (1992) as Self / Presenter
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- Kids' Choice Awards (1987) as Host
- Wetten, dass..? (1981) as Self
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self - Host
- Grown Ups 3 as Eric Lamonsoff
- Flash Before the Bang
- The Magnanimous Seven
- Fuzzy Towers as Tommy
- Still Life Executive Producer