Wayne Knight facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wayne Knight
Knight in 2013
Born	Wayne Elliot Knight (1955-08-07) August 7, 1955 (age 70) New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Georgia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Paula Sutor ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 2003)​ Clare de Chenu ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	1

Wayne Elliot Knight (born August 7, 1955) is an American actor. He is well-known for his roles in many TV shows and movies. On television, he played Newman in the popular show Seinfeld and Officer Don Orville in 3rd Rock from the Sun. He also lent his voice to characters like Igor in Toonsylvania and Mr. Blik in Catscratch.

In movies, Wayne Knight played Dennis Nedry in the exciting film Jurassic Park (1993). This role even earned him a nomination for a Saturn Award. He also appeared in other films such as Space Jam (1996) and Rat Race (2001). You might also recognize his voice as Tantor in Tarzan and Al McWhiggin in Toy Story 2.

Wayne Knight's Early Life

Wayne Elliot Knight was born on August 7, 1955, in New York City. His parents were Grace and William Knight. He grew up in a Catholic family. Later, his family moved to Cartersville, Georgia, where his father worked in the textile industry. Wayne went to local schools there. He was also a lineman on his high school football team.

Wayne Knight attended the University of Georgia. He was a very good student. He left college just before finishing his degree to start his acting career. He later completed his degree in 2008.

Wayne Knight's Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

Wayne Knight began his acting journey with an internship at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. This theater performed many different plays. After his internship, he joined the theater company. This helped him become a professional actor.

He then moved back to New York City. After two years, he got his first role on Broadway, which is a big deal in theater. After his time on Broadway, he also worked as a private investigator for five years.

Movies Wayne Knight Appeared In

Wayne Knight appeared in several movies in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These included Dirty Dancing (1987) and Basic Instinct (1992). He was the very first actor chosen for Jurassic Park (1993). The director, Steven Spielberg, saw him in Basic Instinct and knew he was right for the part. In Jurassic Park, Knight played Dennis Nedry. Nedry was the main computer programmer for the park and a secret spy.

He also acted in films like Space Jam (1996), where he played Stan Podolak. Other movies include For Richer or Poorer (1997) and Rat Race (2001). In 2008, he played Microchip in Punisher: War Zone. More recently, he was in the romantic comedy She Wants Me (2012).

Wayne Knight's TV Roles

In the 1990s, Wayne Knight had important roles on two NBC television shows. He played Newman, the mailman who was Jerry's neighbor and rival, in Seinfeld. He also played Officer Don Orville, who was Sally's boyfriend, in 3rd Rock from the Sun. He was also a regular on two comedy shows: The Edge and Assaulted Nuts.

In November 2009, Knight played Newman again for an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also appeared in a 2010 episode of the crime show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He was a guest star on Bones and Hot in Cleveland. He became a regular character on Hot in Cleveland for its second season. From 2011 to 2015, he played Haskell Lutz in the sitcom The Exes.

In February 2014, Wayne Knight brought back his character Newman for a Super Bowl commercial. He appeared alongside Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander. In December 2017, he was in an advertisement for KFC, playing Colonel Sanders.

Voice Acting by Wayne Knight

Wayne Knight has done a lot of voice work for animated shows and movies. He voiced Mr. Blik, the black cat, in Catscratch. He was also Igor in Toonsylvania. He voiced Dojo Kanojo Cho in Xiaolin Showdown. He played Emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.

In movies, he voiced Demetrius in Hercules (1997). He was Al McWhiggin, the toy store manager, in Toy Story 2 (1999). He also voiced Tantor the elephant in Tarzan (1999). He played The Elf Elder in Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon (2014).

Wayne Knight on Stage

Wayne Knight has also performed on Broadway. He was in plays like Gemini, Mastergate, and 'Art'. He also appeared in the musical Sweet Charity with Christina Applegate. In November 2012, Knight played Santa Claus in Elf: The Musical.

Wayne Knight's Personal Life

Wayne Knight married makeup artist Paula Sutor on May 26, 1996. They got married at the home of his Seinfeld co-star Michael Richards. They later divorced in 2003. He married his second wife, Clare de Chenu, on October 15, 2006. They have one son named Liam. The family lives in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles. Wayne Knight has lived in that area for many years.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Wayne Knight para niños