- Born
- Birth nameKevin George Knipfing
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Kevin James was born Kevin George Knipfing on April 26, 1965, in Mineola, Long Island, New York, to Janet (Klein), an office worker, and Joseph Valentine Knipfing, Jr., an insurance agency owner. He was raised in Stony Brook, and attended SUNY Cortland, where he played fullback on the football team while majoring in sports management. He realized after three years that this wasn't the path for him. After returning home, he decided to break up the monotony of the summer, and joined a community theater. During a play in which he had a comedic role, he so enjoyed the crowd reaction, that he joined his brother's (comedian Gary Valentine's) improv group. He began going to clubs with Gary and realized he, too, had the knack for comedy. He has performed stand-up up for about 11 years. It was on the comedy circuit that he met Ray Romano. While Ray was getting a big break with his own sitcom, Kevin was getting recognition on Star Search (1983). After appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992), his big break came at the 1996 "Just for Laughs" Montreal Comedy Festival. Afterward, he landed a recurring role on Ray's sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond (1996).
He starred in his own sitcom, The King of Queens (1998), as Doug Heffernan, from 1998 to 2007, and later began a career as a leading film actor, co-starring in Hitch (2005), I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007), Grown Ups (2010), and Grown Ups 2 (2013), and headlining Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), Zookeeper (2011), Here Comes the Boom (2012), and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015).- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous
- SpouseSteffiana De La Cruz(June 19, 2004 - present) (4 children)
- ChildrenSienna-MarieShea JoelleKannon ValentineSistine Sabella
- ParentsJanet KnipfingJoseph Valentine Knipfing Jr.
- RelativesGary Valentine(Sibling)Leslie Knipfing(Sibling)Gary Valentine(Sibling)
- Chubby, but athletic
- He met his wife on a blind date arranged by his interior decorator.
- Close friends with Ray Romano. They met while doing stand-up comedy, on the comedy circuit.
- His big break came in 1996 when he won at the "Just for Laughs" Montreal Comedy Festival.
- His now-wife, Steffiana De La Cruz, appears in 4 episodes of his sitcom, The King of Queens (1998) (in small roles).
- He was raised in Stony Brook, NY, and graduated from Ward Melville High School (Long Island, New York) in 1983. One of his wrestling teammates at Ward Melville High School was future WWE star and author Mick Foley ("Mankind"). He also attended Cortland University with Mick Foley.
- It was fun because, after shooting, Will and I would eat a jar of pickles and tell each other secrets. It was so much fun! - On Hitch (2005).
- There's no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.
- Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants.
- I had many teachers that were great, positive role models and taught me to be a good person and stand up and be a good man. A lot of the principles they taught me still affect how I act sometimes and it's 30 years later.
- I just want to put some positive stuff out there. If it works, great. If it doesn't, no problem.
- The King of Queens (1998) - $500,000 per episode (2006-2007 Season)
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content