Overview (3)

Mini Bio (1)

Actor Wayne Knight achieved television immortality assaying the role of the frenetic mailman "Newman", nemesis of the eponymous lead character in the classic TV series Seinfeld (1989). He also appeared in Jurassic Park (1993) as "Dennis Nedry" and in one of the most notorious scenes in American cinema as one of the detectives interrogating Sharon Stone during her leg crossing in Basic Instinct (1992).



Wayne Eliot Knight was born to Grace (Monti) and William Edward Knight. He is of Italian and English descent. Knight was raised and lived in Cartersville until attending the University of Georgia in 1972. Despite being an honor student, Knight left school to join the Barter Theatre company in Abingdon, Virginia, before graduating. (He finally secured a BFA degree in 2008.) Following an internship of two years, Wayne was hired for the professional company and earned his Equity card. Now a professional actor, Knight moved back to New York, where he made his Broadway debut, at 23, in the long-running comedy "Gemini" in 1979. Through the years, he has established himself as a leading character actor in television as a regular or recurring character in seven series, in film (ranging from Dirty Dancing (1987) to JFK (1991)), on the stage, and as a voice artist in animation.



In TV Land's original sitcom The Exes (2011), Knight plays homebody "Haskell Lutz", who lives in an apartment with "Phil" (Donald Faison) and "Stuart" (David Alan Basche), right across the hall from his divorce attorney, "Holly" (Kristen Johnston).

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Wayne Knight

Spouse (2)

Trade Mark (3)

Large spectacles



Often plays characters with a cynical demeanor



High-pitched voice



Trivia (13)

He attended the University of Georgia for a short time.





The first reference to "Newman" on Seinfeld (1989) has the unseen character attempting suicide by jumping out of Jerry's building. In the original episode, the voice of "Newman" is supplied by Larry David (co-creator of Seinfeld (1989)). On the syndicated version, Wayne Knight's voice was dubbed in.



Held his wedding ceremony in Michael Richards ' house.

While attending college in Georgia, was told by a theater professor that he would never make it as an actor.





Has worn the same pair of his trademark glasses since his role in Seinfeld (1989).

Credits an episode of Seinfeld with prompting him to lose weight. After shooting several takes of a scene requiring him to run through a field, he began to experience heart palpitations. He visited his doctor and was told that he was approaching morbid obesity and diabetes. Knight then embarked upon a diet-and-exercise program that allowed him to lose 117 lbs, dropping his weight from 327 to 210 lbs.



Performed at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia, after he dropped out of college.





Before landing the role of Newman in Seinfeld (1989), he had auditioned for the role of George Costanza.

Worked as a private detective in between acting jobs in his early days.



He is of British (father) and Italian (mother) descent.



Has a son born around 2010.



Personal Quotes (15)

I love Tom Kenny. And Jill Talley. And Jennifer Aniston, too!



I have this assemblage of small facts, which looks like intelligence but no real depth of knowledge about anything. That's why I'm an actor.



I want to go skydiving. I'd love to go to the Galapagos. Nature still excites me.



I know there are some people in British Columbia who are still holding a vigil for '3rd Rock'.



I had the most fun on '3rd Rock'. It was a great show to work on.



I've been in Los Angeles for a while, and the kind of psychological connection that one makes to people, it just doesn't happen out here.



I'm not really in touch with those 'Seinfeld' lads except Jason Alexander.



I'm a wuss - a complete wuss!



I was never the mascot of the Georgia football team.



I think most people's careers in theater are based on delusion. It's just that mine started early.



There's an appreciation of the whole picture of life as opposed to just ambition and circumstance and all the stuff that happens in this business. You find yourself lucky enough to be working with somebody really talented who you know and who you trust.



Whatever road you've been given, enjoy that road.



There is no fact-checking on tertiary celebrities. You can say whatever you'd like, and it will just rise up again.



Small towns are the worst for getting recognized.



One good thing about TV Land is you're always surrounded by people who know what they're doing, in terms of your fellow actors.

