Biography for
Wayne Knight (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

7 August 1955, Cartersville, Georgia, USA

Birth Name

Wayne Eliot Knight

Height

5' 8½" (1.74 m)

Mini Biography

Actor Wayne Knight achieved television immortality assaying the role of the frenetic mailman Newman, nemesis of the eponymous lead character in the classic TV series "Seinfeld" (1990). He also appeared in Jurassic Park as Nedry and in one of the most notorious scenes in American cinema, as one of the detectives interrogating Sharon Stone during her leg crossing in Basic Instinct (1992)_.

Knight was born in New York City on August 7, 1955 and moved as an infant to Cartersville, Georgia, where he was raised and lived until attending the University of Georgia in 1972. Despite being an honor student, Knight left school before graduating to join the Barter Theatre company in Abingdon, Virginia. (He finally secured his B.F.A. degree in 2008). Following an internship of two years, Wayne was hired for the professional company and earned his Equity card. Now a professional actor, Knight moved back to New York, where he made his Broadway debut at 23 in the long running comedy, "Gemini" in 1979. Through the years, he has established himself as a leading character actor in television (as a regular or recurring character in seven series), film (in films ranging from Dirty Dancing to JFK), on the stage, and as a voice-artist in animation.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Wayne Knight

Spouse

Paula Sutor

(26 May 1996 - 2003) (divorced)

Trade Mark

Large spectacles

Often plays characters with a cynical demeanor

High-pitched voice

Trivia

He attended the University of Georgia for a short time.

The first reference to "Newman" on "Seinfeld" (1990) has the unseen character attempting suicide by jumping out of Jerry's building. In the original episode, the voice of "Newman" is supplied by Larry David (co-creator of "Seinfeld" (1990)). On the syndicated version, Wayne Knight's voice was dubbed in.

Reports claim he was the first person to be cast for Jurassic Park (1993) after Steven Spielberg saw him in the "interview scene" of Basic Instinct (1992).

Held his wedding ceremony in Michael Richards' house.

While attending college in Georgia, was told by a theater professor that he would never make it as an actor.

Has worn the same pair of his trademark glasses since his role in "Seinfeld" (1990).

After being told by his doctors that he was approaching morbid obesity, Knight embarked upon a diet-and-exercise program that allowed him to lose 117 lbs, dropping his weight from 327 to 210 lbs

Performed at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia, after he dropped out of college.

Before landing the role of Newman in "Seinfeld" (1990), he had auditioned for the role of George Costanza.