Kevin James

Kevin George Knipfing, known professionally as Kevin James, is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for starring as Doug Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens, a role that earned him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. Over his career, James has performed stand-up comedy, starred in mainstream comedy and dramatic films, and voiced characters in animated feature franchises.

James was born in Mineola, New York, on April 26, 1965, to Janet Klein, an office worker, and Joseph Valentine Knipfing Jr., an insurance agency owner. He was raised Catholic in Stony Brook, New York, with a sister named Leslie and an older brother named Gary, who also became a comedian and actor under the name Gary Valentine. James graduated from Ward Melville High School in 1983, where he competed as a heavyweight wrestler until a back injury ended his season. He attended the State University of New York at Cortland to play football, but a second back injury permanently ended his athletic pursuits.

In 1989, James began performing stand-up comedy on Long Island, adopting his stage surname in honor of a school teacher. He gained national visibility appearing on talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Show with David Letterman, as well as performing at the Just for Laughs festival. Comedy Central ranked him No. 76 on its list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians. He has released three stand-up specials: Sweat the Small Stuff in 2001, Never Don't Give Up in 2018, and Irregardless in 2024.

James made early television appearances on The New Candid Camera and served as the announcer for MTV's SandBlast. After guest-starring on Everybody Loves Raymond, he landed his breakthrough role on The King of Queens, which ran from 1998 to 2007. His television career also includes starring roles in the sitcom Kevin Can Wait and the Netflix series The Crew, as well as hosting the 2010 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

After a cameo in 50 First Dates, James made his starring film debut in Hitch in 2005. He went on to star in comedies including I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Grown Ups, Zookeeper, Here Comes the Boom, and Pixels. He also voiced characters in Monster House, Barnyard, and the Hotel Transylvania series. In addition to comedy, James has appeared in dramatic films such as The Dilemma, Little Boy, Becky, and the biographical sports film Home Team.

James married model and actress Steffiana de la Cruz in 2004, and the couple has four children. A devout Catholic, he hosted a retreat in 2019. Outside of acting, he has served as a grand marshal for several NASCAR races and produced digital content, including short films on his YouTube channel.