Wayne Knight

Wayne Knight
Born Wayne Eliot Knight
(1955-08-07) August 7, 1955
New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater University of Georgia
Occupation Actor, voice actor, comedian
Years active 1979–present
Spouse(s) Paula Sutor (m. 1996; div. 2003)[1]
Clare de Chenu (m. 2006)
Children 1
Parent(s) William Edward Knight
Grace Monti

Wayne Elliot Knight (born August 7, 1955) is an American actor, voice actor, and comedian.[2] He is known for playing Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld and Officer Don Orville in 3rd Rock from the Sun. His other roles include Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park, Stan Podolak in Space Jam, Al McWhiggin in Toy Story 2, Tantor in Tarzan, Dojo in Xiaolin Showdown, Zack Mallozzi in Rat Race, Mr. Blik in Catscratch, and Haskell Lutz in The Exes.

Early life

Knight was born in New York City, New York. He is the son of textile factory supervisor William Edward Knight and Grace (Monti) Knight.[3][4] His father moved the family to Cartersville, Georgia, where he worked in the textile industry. Knight went to local schools and was a lineman on his high school's football team.[5] He attended the University of Georgia but did not complete his degree until 2008.[6]

Although an honors student, Knight left college just one credit shy of completing his degree to pursue his acting career. He received an internship at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, which produced repertory works. After completing his internship, he joined the company and gained standing as an Equity actor. He subsequently moved to New York City and after two years landed his first role on Broadway.

Career

Knight appeared in a number of well-known films produced in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Dirty Dancing (1987), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), JFK (1991) and Basic Instinct (1992), where he played one of the characters in the infamous interrogation scene. He was the first actor cast in Jurassic Park after director Steven Spielberg saw him in the scene from Basic Instinct. Knight was cast as InGen Corporation's chief programmer for the park and secret spy for Biosyn, Dennis Nedry. He also appeared in Dead Again, To Die For, and Space Jam.

In the 1990s, Knight played prominent supporting roles on two TV series on NBC. He played the mailman Newman, Seinfeld's neighbor and nemesis in Seinfeld, and Officer Don Orville, Sally's love interest, in 3rd Rock from the Sun. He had earlier appeared in Against the Grain, featuring a then-unknown Ben Affleck. He also appeared as a regular on two sketch comedy series, The Edge for Fox and Assaulted Nuts for Cinemax and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Knight also appeared on Broadway in the plays Gemini, Mastergate, 'Art' and, most recently, Sweet Charity with Christina Applegate.

Knight has done voice work for numerous animations, including the black cat Mister Blik on the Nickelodeon cartoon Catscratch, Igor on the Fox Kids cartoon Toonsylvania, the dragon Dojo Kanojo Cho in the Kids' WB! animated series Xiaolin Showdown, Evil Emperor Zurg on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command on Toon Disney and Disney Channel; Al McWhiggin, the toy store manager of Al's Toy Barn, in Toy Story 2; Tantor the elephant in Tarzan, Demetrius the shopkeeper in Hercules, and the bug Juju on Tak and the Power of Juju. He made guest appearances on Billy & Mandy's Jacked-Up Halloween as the Jack-O-Lantern and Brandy and Mr. Whiskers as Mr. Cantarious the snail.

Knight appeared on the Pilot episode of the U.S. version of Thank God You're Here. He made a second appearance on the last episode of the first season of the TV series. He won the Thank God You're Here blue door award. He played the Punisher's techno sidekick Microchip in Punisher: War Zone. Knight guest stars in The Penguins of Madagascar as Max the Cat in the episodes "Launchtime" and "Cat's Cradle". In 2009, Knight reprised his role as the Seinfeld character Newman for the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Wayne also guest starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation season 10, episode "Working Stiffs."

Knight guest starred on an 2010 episode of Fox TV's hit drama series Bones, in the first season of the TV Land comedy series Hot in Cleveland (2010), where he became a recurring character for season two, and on an episode of The Whole Truth in fall 2010.[7] He played an Internet-fixated couch potato in the TV Land sitcom, The Exes. In the summer of 2011, he appeared in the BBC/Starz series Torchwood: Miracle Day as Brian Friedkin.[8]

Knight appeared as Santa in Elf: The Musical in November 2012. He previously appeared on Broadway in Art in 1999. In 2012, Knight was featured in the romantic comedy, She Wants Me starring Josh Gad, Kristen Ruhlin and Hilary Duff; the film was written and directed by Rob Margolies and executive produced by Charlie Sheen. In 2014, Knight reprised the character Newman during an Super Bowl commercial, alongside Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander.

Knight is a Democrat; he attended the 2012 Democratic National Convention in support of President Obama's re-election.[9]

Personal life

Knight married makeup artist Paula Sutor on May 26, 1996, in a ceremony held in fellow Seinfeld cast member Michael Richards' home.[1] The couple divorced in 2003.[10]

He married Clare de Chenu on October 15, 2006. They have a son together, Liam.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Wanderers Waiter Uncredited
1987 Dirty Dancing Stan
1988 Everybody's All-American Fraternity Pisser
1989 Born on the Fourth of July Official #2 – Democratic Convention
1991 V.I. Warshawski Earl 'Bonehead' Smeissen
1991 Dead Again 'Piccolo' Pete Dugan
1991 JFK Numa Bertel
1992 Basic Instinct John Correli
1993 Jurassic Park Dennis Nedry Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1995 To Die For Ed Grant
1996 Chameleon Stuart Langston
1996 Space Jam Stan Podolak
1997 Hercules Demetrius the Merchant (voice)
1997 For Richer or Poorer Bob Lachmen
1998 The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars Microwave (voice)
1998 Soundman Tim (voice)
1999 Hercules: Zero to Hero Orthus (voice)
1999 My Favorite Martian Zoot (voice) Uncredited
1999 Pros & Cons Wayne
1999 Tarzan Tantor (voice)
1999 Toy Story 2 Al McWhiggin (voice)
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Emperor Zurg (voice)
2001 Rat Race Zach Mallozzi
2003 Cheaper by the Dozen Electrician Uncredited cameo
2004 Black Cloud Mr. Tipping
2007 Forfeit Bob
2007 Throwing Stars Officer Brooks
2008 Kung Fu Panda Gang Boss (voice)
2008 Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King Amazing Krudsky (voice)
2008 Punisher: War Zone Linus Lieberman/Microchip
2012 She Wants Me Walter Baum
2012 Excuse Me For Living Albert
2014 Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon The Elf Elder (voice)
2016 Kung Fu Panda 3 Big Fun / Hom-Lee
2016 Hail, Caesar! Lurking Extra #1

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 For Lovers Only Video Game Fanatic TV Movie
Uncredited
1983 The Day After Man in hospital TV Movie
1984 The Burning Bed Juror TV Movie
Uncredited
1985 Assaulted Nuts Various 7 episodes
1988 Tattingers Kenny Axelrod 2 episodes
1990 Mathnet Peter Pickwick Episode: "The Case of the Parking Meter Massacre"
1990 Square One TV Peter Pickwick 3 episodes
1992–1998 Seinfeld Newman 48 episodes
Nominated—Q Award for Best Recurring Player (1998)
1992 Double Edge Tommy White TV Movie
1992–1993 The Edge Various Characters 18 episodes
1992 T Bone N Weasel Roy Kramp TV Movie
1993 Fallen Angels Leo Cunningham Episode: "Dead End Delia"
1993 Against the Grain Froggy Wilson Episode: "Pilot"
1993–1994 The Second Half Robert Piccolo 15 episodes
1994 Golden Gate Arthur Genopopoulos TV Movie
1996–2001 3rd Rock from the Sun Don Orville 79 episodes
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (1998–1999)
1997 Contempt of Court Merill Bushman TV Movie
1998 Hercules Cyclops Head #2 (voice) 2 episodes
1998 Toonsylvania Igor (voice) 19 episodes
2000 Dilbert The Security Guard (voice) Episode: "The Security Guard"
2000–2001 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Emperor Zurg (voice) Recurring role
12 episodes
2001 That '70s Show The Angel Episode: "It's a Wonderful Life"
2001 Bleacher Bums Zig TV Movie
2002 Becker Wally Episode: "Picture Imperfect"
2002 Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story Walter Ballou TV Movie
2003 The Twilight Zone Nick Dark Episode: "How Much Do You Love Your Kid?"
2003–2006 Xiaolin Showdown Dojo (voice) Main cast
52 episodes
2003 Gary the Rat Gary's Rival (voice) Episode: "The Reunion"
2003 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Jack O'Lantern (voice) Episode: "Billy & Mandy's Jacked-Up Halloween"
2004 I'm with Her Kevin Episode: "Friends in Low Places"
2004 The Drew Carey Show Owen Episode: "Liar Liar House on Fire"
2004 Listen Up! Buddy Episode: "Sweet Charity"
2005–2007 Catscratch Mr. Blik (voice) 20 episodes
2005 Justice League Unlimited Abnegazar (voice) Episode: "The Balance"
2006 CSI: NY Truman Bosch Episode: "Fare Game"
2007 Tak and the Power of Juju Bug Juju (voice) Episode: "Our Favorite Juju"
2009–2012 The Penguins of Madagascar Max (voice) 3 episodes
2009 Woke Up Dead Andrew Batten 10 episodes
2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Mr. Terrence Lombard Episode: "Working Stiffs"
2009 Nip/Tuck Don Hoberman Episode: "Don Hoberman"
2009–2011 The Super Hero Squad Show Elihas Starr/Egghead (voice) 3 episodes
2009 Curb Your Enthusiasm Himself Uncredited
Episode: "The Table Read"
2010–2011 Hot in Cleveland Rick 5 episodes
2010 The Good Guys Perry Black Episode: "Little Things"
2010 The Whole Truth Judge Mark Hulverson Episode: "Uncanny"
2010 Bones Jimmy Walpert III Episode: "The Babe in the Bar"
2011 Torchwood Brian Friedkin 3 episodes
2011–2012 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness Jong / Jong's Son (voices) 2 episodes
2011–2015 The Exes Haskell Lutz 64 episodes
2012 Green Lantern: The Animated Series Captain Goray (voice) Episode: "Into the Abyss"
2012 Pound Puppies Ralphie / Construction Worker #1 (voices) Episode: "Good Dog, McLeish!"
2013 Regular Show Guardian of the Friend Zone / God of Street Performing (voices) 2 episodes
2014 Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Newman Episode: "The Over-Cheer"
2014 Unforgettable Dr. Theodore Blumer Episode: "East of Islip"
2015 Sirens Richard Episode: "Sub-Primal Fears"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Jurassic Park: The Game Dennis Nedry (voice) Uncredited
2015 Lego Jurassic World Dennis Nedry (voice) Archive recording

References

  1. 1 2 "Articles about Wayne Knight — tribunedigital-chicagotribune". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. "Veromi People Search". veromi.net. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  3. "Wayne Knight Biography (1955–)". Filmreference.com.
  4. "Grace Knight Obituary: View Obituary for Grace Knight by Owen Funeral Home, Cartersville, GA". Obits.dignitymemorial.com. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  5. Fretts, Bruce (October 8, 1993). "Wayne Knight: Gaining Roles, Losing Weight – The "Seinfeld" star takes on three NBC shows this fall", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  6. "Is this it?". The Guardian. March 6, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  7. Abrams, Natalie. "Exclusive: The Whole Truth Swears In Wayne Knight". TVGuide.com. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  8. Brew, Simon. "Wayne Knight joins Torchwood: Miracle Day". Den of Geek. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  9. Tran, Vivyan (September 7, 2012). "Celebrities spotted at the Democratic National Convention". Politico.
  10. Adato, Allison. "Hello, New Man!". people.com. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. Heller, Corinne. "OTRC: WAYNE KNIGHT, 'SEINFELD'S NEWMAN, 'FAMILY TIES' BRIAN BONSALL not DEAD". KABC-TV Los Angeles. Retrieved 10 November 2015.

External links

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