Kevin James is best known for his role as Doug Heffernan on the sitcom The King of Queens, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series nomination in 2006.
28 Facts About Kevin James
2.
Kevin James was nominated for a People's Choice Award in 2017 for his role on the sitcom Kevin Can Wait.
3.
Kevin James has done voice work for Monster House, Barnyard, and the first three films of the Hotel Transylvania franchise.
4.
James was born Kevin George Knipfing in Mineola, New York, on April 26,1965, the son of American office worker Janet and German-American insurance agency owner Joseph Valentine Knipfing Jr.
5.
Kevin James has a sister named Leslie and an older brother named Gary, the latter of whom became a comedian and actor under the name Gary Valentine.
6.
Kevin James graduated from Ward Melville High School, where he reached the top position on the wrestling team, one spot above his friend and future professional wrestler Mick Foley.
7.
When Kevin James suffered a season-ending back injury, Foley took over the first string position.
8.
Kevin James began doing stand-up comedy in 1989, making his debut at Richie Minervini's East Side Comedy Club on Long Island.
9.
Kevin James started performing comedy with a troupe at the club, during which time he adopted "James" as his stage surname in honor of his favorite school teacher.
10.
Kevin James gained popularity through numerous appearances on various talk shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Dennis Miller Live, The Late Late Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.
11.
Kevin James was listed at No 76 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians.
12.
Kevin James has done his stand-up routine on Just for Laughs, an annual comedy festival in Montreal, Quebec.
13.
Kevin James has appeared as a musical guest on Just for Laughs.
14.
Kevin James appeared on television as the announcer for the MTV sports game show SandBlast from 1994 to 1996.
15.
Kevin James later moved to Los Angeles and befriended Ray Romano, and he guest-starred on a few episodes of Romano's hit CBS sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond.
16.
Kevin James is married to Carrie, a sharp-tongued, ambitious secretary at a Manhattan law firm who is far less content with working-class life in Queens.
17.
Kevin James hosted the 2010 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on March 27,2010.
18.
Kevin James was nominated to be the inaugural member of the "Arm Fart Hall of Fame" in the following year's show, with host Jack Black calling him Kevin "Not-Quite-As-Good-As-Me" James.
19.
James starred in the sitcom Kevin Can Wait, which premiered on September 19,2016.
20.
In 2021, Kevin James released a new show on Netflix called The Crew.
21.
Kevin James appeared in Grown Ups, which co-starred numerous Saturday Night Live alumni and was even more universally panned, yet was highly successful at the box office.
22.
Kevin James had the lead role in the 2012 mixed martial arts comedy film Here Comes the Boom.
23.
Kevin James starred as well in the movie Pixels in 2015 and the following year in True Memoirs of an International Assassin, directed by Jeff Wadlow and released by Netflix on November 11,2016.
24.
In 2017, Kevin James co-starred with Adam Sandler in another Netflix film, Sandy Wexler.
25.
Kevin James had a lead dramatic role in the 2020 thriller film Becky.
26.
Kevin James starred as NFL head coach Sean Payton in the 2022 biographical film Home Team.
27.
Kevin James did it again in June 2010 with friend and fellow actor Adam Sandler to promote Grown Ups, in 2012 at the fall Talladega race to promote Here Comes the Boom, and in July 2013 at the Coke-Zero 400 with co-stars Sandler and Shaquille O'Neal to promote Grown Ups 2.
28.
Kevin James met actress Steffiana de la Cruz as part of a blind date, and they were married on June 19,2004.