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Kevin James

Kevin James

Actor, producer and writer, also director · Born April 26, 1965 (61) · Mineola, New York, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee

Kevin George Knipfing (born April 26, 1965), known professionally as Kevin James, is an American actor and writer. James began his career as a stand-up comedian on Long Island in the late 1980s before rising to prominence for playing Doug Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens (1998–2007), for which he received the nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006. In 2004, James made his first film appearance in 50 First Dates, and the following year co-starred in Hitch. He went on to star in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007), Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), Grown Ups (2010), Zookeeper (2011), Here Comes the Boom (2012), and Pixels (2015). He also voiced characters in the animated films Monster House, Barnyard (both 2006), and Hotel Transylvania (2012). He also was nominated for a People's Choice Award in 2017 for his role on the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait (2016–2018). James also appeared in several dramatic roles, including The Dilemma (2011), Little Boy (2015), and Becky (2020). Description above from the Wikipedia article Kevin James, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 26, 1965 (61)
From
Mineola, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, producer and writer, also director
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 51 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 27% in 30 days

What are Kevin James' films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Animation5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
51%
Self
27%
Morality
11%
Society
7%
Survival
3%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeParenthood3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 25 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 17 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 16 · Charged 8 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 14 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 7

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 22

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 5

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 22 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

25 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 14 of 25 analyzed roles.

Hero
14 of 25
Ally
7 of 25
Trickster
2 of 25
Herald
1 of 25
Shadow
1 of 25
Show the 25 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
21
Absurd
14
Warm
15
Tense
9
Hopeful
6
Other
21

How their films linger

Feel-good26 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy21
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kevin James' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kevin James' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

51 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Solo Mio(2026)

    Producer · Writer · as Matt Taylor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Playdate(2025)

    as Brian

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Guns Up(2025)

    Executive Producer · as Ray Hayes

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Monster Summer(2024)

    as Edgar Palmer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Kevin James: Irregardless(2024)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Winona Ryder - Die Geister, die sie rief(2022)

    as Actor (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Home Team(2022)

    Producer · as Sean Payton

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Crew(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · Executive Producer · as Kevin Gibson

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Hubie Halloween(2020)

    as Sgt. Steve Downey

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Nature Planet | Narrated by Adam Sandler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Silver-Breasted Montle

  • Becky(2020)

    as Dominick

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation(2018)

    as Frankenstein (voice)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Kevin James: Never Don't Give Up(2018)

    Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Sandy Wexler(2017)

    as Ted Rafferty

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • True Memoirs of an International Assassin(2016)

    as Sam Larson / Mason Carver

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Kevin Can Wait(2016)

    Show 48 episodes · as Kevin Gable

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • Hotel Transylvania 2(2015)

    as Frankenstein (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Pixels(2015)

    as Cooper

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Little Boy(2015)

    as Dr. Fox

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2(2015)

    Characters · Producer · Writer · as Paul Blart

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Liv and Maddie(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Clodfelter

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Grown Ups 2(2013)

    as Eric Lamonsoff

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Here Comes the Boom(2012)

    Producer · Writer · as Scott Voss

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Hotel Transylvania(2012)

    as Frankenstein (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Zookeeper(2011)

    Producer · Screenplay · as Griffin Keyes

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Dilemma(2011)

    as Nick Brannen

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Grown Ups(2010)

    as Eric Lamonsoff

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Cubed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show as Kevin James

  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop(2009)

    Producer · Screenplay · as Paul Blart

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • You Don't Mess with the Zohan(2008)

    as Hacky Sack Tournament Celebrity Judge

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Elmo's Christmas Countdown(2007)

    as Santa Claus

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry(2007)

    as Larry Valentine

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Barnyard(2006)

    as Otis (voice)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Grilled(2006)

    as Dave

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Monster House(2006)

    as Officer Landers (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Showbiz Show with David Spade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hitch(2005)

    as Albert

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Ultimate Fighter(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • 50 First Dates(2004)

    as Factory Worker

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Kevin James: Sweat the Small Stuff(2001)

    Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Becker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Doug Heffernan (uncredited)

  • Martial Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Dallas Hampton

  • The King of Queens(1998)

    Show 207 episodes · Story · Writer · as Doug Heffernan

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Everybody Loves Raymond(1996)

    Show 6 episodes · Writer · as Doug Heffernan · as Kevin

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Kids' Choice Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Host

  • Flash Before the Bang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Fuzzy Towers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Tommy

  • Grown Ups 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Eric Lamonsoff

  • Still Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

  • The Magnanimous Seven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 51 titles, 46 of them dated from 1987 to 2026; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)

$542M worldwide

Highest rated

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Midcredits 82nd

Most popular right now

The King of Queens (1998)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19872026

Peak 2011 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 25 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting47 of 51: 37 only acting, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score38thDirecting1 of 51: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting10 of 51: 2 only writing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stProducing10 of 51: 1 only producing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score32nd

51 titles, 11 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 8 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s5 · 5 acting · 2 crew2000s13 · 12 acting · 2 crew2010s16 · 15 acting · 4 crew2020s11 · 10 acting · 5 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 35% of 26 roles
05101520

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2006, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Kevin James' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 33; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 39 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed19

Most divisive · actor

Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007)

89th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Midcredits 82nd · 75% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 35. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Kevin James' work okay for kids?

Across up to 25 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore23 titles22–63 · median 34 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles13–46 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity25 titles13–70 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs23 titles10–40 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense24 titles10–61 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Kevin James work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kevin James' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Adam Sandler shares the most, 13.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles