Wayne Knight

Biography

Wayne Knight is an American actor who was born in Manhattan in 1955 and raised in Cartersville, Georgia. He began his career with an internship at the Barter Theatre in Virginia before moving to New York City, where he landed his first Broadway role. After smaller film parts in Dirty Dancing (1987) and Basic Instinct (1992), he broke through as Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park (1993), a performance that earned him a Saturn Award nomination. On television he played Newman on Seinfeld and Officer Don Orville on 3rd Rock from the Sun, earning a Q Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. His film credits include Space Jam (1996), along with For Richer or Poorer (1997) and Punisher: War Zone (2008). He also did voice work, including Frank in Goat (2026), Al McWhiggin in Toy Story 2 (1999), and Tantor in Tarzan (1999).

71years old

Turns 72 on August 7in 297 days

Born August 7, 1955Manhattan
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Wayne Elliot Knight (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 28
Career span: 39 years1987 to 2026

Genres

Comedy54%, 15 films
Animation50%, 14 films
Adventure39%, 11 films
Drama32%, 9 films
Family32%, 9 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Big break
Steven Spielberg saw Wayne Knight in Basic Instinct and cast him first in Jurassic Park (1993). Knight played Dennis Nedry, InGen Corporation's head programmer and a secret spy for Biosyn.
Early training
Knight was an intern at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, a venue for repertory works. After the internship ended, he became a company member and earned standing as an Equity actor.

Wayne Knight movies on Netflix

GOAT2026IMDb rating 6.6as Frank (voice)
Five Nights at Freddy's 22025IMDb rating 5.1as Mr. Berg
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie2024IMDb rating 6.7as Mayor (voice)
Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie!2023IMDb rating 5.6as Mr. Hodges (voice)
Darby and the Dead2022IMDb rating 5.7as Mel
12 Mighty Orphans2021IMDb rating 6.9as Frank Wynn
Back to the Outback2021IMDb rating 6.5as Platypus (voice)
Blindspotting2018IMDb rating 7.4as Patrick
Kung Fu Panda 32016IMDb rating 7.1as Big Fun / Hom-Lee (voice)
Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon2014IMDb rating 5.9as The Elf Elder (voice)
Kung Fu Panda2008IMDb rating 7.6as Gang Boss (voice)
Punisher: War Zone2008IMDb rating 5.9as Micro
Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King2008IMDb rating 6.3as The Amazing Krudsky (voice)
Who's Your Monkey?2007IMDb rating 5.4as Officer Brooks
Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone2005IMDb rating 5.2as Thudd (voice)
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins2000IMDb rating 6.2as Evil Emperor Zurg (voice)
Tarzan1999IMDb rating 7.3as Tantor (voice)
Toy Story 21999IMDb rating 7.9as Al the Toy Collector (voice)
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars1998IMDb rating 5.6as Microwave (voice)
For Richer or Poorer1997IMDb rating 5.9as Bob Lachman
Space Jam1996IMDb rating 6.5as Stan Podolak
To Die For1995IMDb rating 6.8as Ed Grant
Jurassic Park1993IMDb rating 8.2as Nedry
Basic Instinct1992IMDb rating 7.1as John Correli
Dead Again1991IMDb rating 6.8as 'Piccolo' Pete Dugan
V.I. Warshawski1991IMDb rating 5.0as Smeissen
Everybody's All-American1988IMDb rating 6.2as Fraternity Pisser
Dirty Dancing1987IMDb rating 7.1as Stan

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Space Jam1996 Adventure, Animation, Comedyas Stan Podolak
IMDb rating 6.5232K votes
Jurassic Park1993 Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thrilleras Nedry
IMDb rating 8.21.2M votes
Toy Story 21999as Al the Toy Collectorvoice
IMDb rating 7.9684K votes
Tarzan1999as Tantorvoice
IMDb rating 7.3272K votes
Kung Fu Panda2008as Gang Bossvoice
IMDb rating 7.6590K votes
Basic Instinct1992as John Correli
IMDb rating 7.1247K votes
Punisher: War Zone2008as Micro
IMDb rating 5.972K votes
Five Nights at Freddy's 22025as Mr. Berg
IMDb rating 5.147K votes

Most often with

Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Jim Cummings

Wallace Shawn

Tim Allen

Frank Welker

Jackie Chan

James Hong

Films together

Jim Cummings3 films together, 1998 to 2014
Jim Cummings's page
- Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon2014IMDb rating 5.9Knight as The Elf EldervoiceCummings as Kaldorfvoice
- Tarzan1999IMDb rating 7.3Knight as TantorvoiceCummings as Additional Voicesvoice
- The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars1998IMDb rating 5.6Knight as MicrowavevoiceCummings as Supreme Commander (singing voice)
Wallace Shawn3 films together, 1999 to 2008
Wallace Shawn's page
- Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King2008IMDb rating 6.3Knight as The Amazing KrudskyvoiceShawn as Mr. Gibblesvoice
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins2000IMDb rating 6.2Knight as Evil Emperor ZurgvoiceShawn as Rexvoice
- Toy Story 21999IMDb rating 7.9Knight as Al the Toy CollectorvoiceShawn as Rex the Green Dinosaurvoice
Tim Allen3 films together, 1997 to 2000
Tim Allen's page
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins2000IMDb rating 6.2Knight as Evil Emperor ZurgvoiceAllen as Buzz Lightyearvoice
- Toy Story 21999IMDb rating 7.9Knight as Al the Toy CollectorvoiceAllen as Buzz Lightyearvoice
- For Richer or Poorer1997IMDb rating 5.9Knight as Bob LachmanAllen as Brad Sexton
Frank Welker2 films together, 2000 to 2008
Frank Welker's page
- Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King2008IMDb rating 6.3Knight as The Amazing KrudskyvoiceWelker as Fred / Scooby Doovoice
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins2000IMDb rating 6.2Knight as Evil Emperor ZurgvoiceWelker as Grubs / Self Destruct / Ranger #1 / Cadet Flamvoice
Jackie Chan2 films together, 2008 to 2016
Jackie Chan's page
- Kung Fu Panda 32016IMDb rating 7.1Knight as Big Fun / Hom-LeevoiceChan as Monkeyvoice
- Kung Fu Panda2008IMDb rating 7.6Knight as Gang BossvoiceChan as Monkeyvoice
James Hong2 films together, 2008 to 2016
James Hong's page
- Kung Fu Panda 32016IMDb rating 7.1Knight as Big Fun / Hom-LeevoiceHong as Mr. Pingvoice
- Kung Fu Panda2008IMDb rating 7.6Knight as Gang BossvoiceHong as Mr. Pingvoice
Also two films together17 more actors
- Fred TatascioreThe Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (2024) and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
- Stephen TobolowskyThe Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998) and Basic Instinct (1992)
- Dustin HoffmanKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Jack BlackKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Seth RogenKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Diedrich BaderDinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone (2005) and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000)
- Lucy LiuKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- David CrossKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Larry MillerBuzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) and For Richer or Poorer (1997)
- Angelina JolieKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Michael Clarke DuncanKung Fu Panda (2008) and Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone (2005)
- Jay O. SandersFor Richer or Poorer (1997) and V.I. Warshawski (1991)
- Jack AngelTarzan (1999) and Toy Story 2 (1999)
- Laraine NewmanThe Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (2024) and Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon (2014)
- Russi TaylorScooby-Doo! and the Goblin King (2008) and The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998)
- Randall Duk KimKung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Andrew StantonBuzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) and Toy Story 2 (1999)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.