Richard Kind

Richard Bruce Kind (born November 22, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. His television roles include '' Carol & Company'' (1990–1991), Dr. Mark Devanow in '' Mad About You'' (1992–1999, 2019), Paul Lassiter in '' Spin City'' (1996–2002), Andy in ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' (2002–2021), Captain Stan Yenko in '' East New York'' (2022–2023), and Vince Fish in '' Only Murders in the Building'' (2024). He appeared in the films '' Johns'' (1996), '' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'' (2002), '' I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With'' (2006), '' Big Stan'' (2007), '' A Serious Man'' (2009), '' The Angriest Man in Brooklyn'' (2014), ''All We Had'' (2016), '' Rifkin's Festival'' (2020), '' Tick, Tick... Boom!'' (2021), and '' The Out-Laws'' (2023). Kind is currently the announcer and sidekick on the Netflix live talk show '' Everybody's Live with John Mulaney''.

Kind's voice performances in various Pixar films include Molt in ''A Bug's Life'' (1998), Van in the first two films of the ''Cars'' franchise (2006–2011), Bookworm in ''Toy Story 3'' (2010), and Bing Bong in '' Inside Out'' (2015). He voices Marty Glouberman in the Netflix animated series '' Big Mouth'' (2017–present). Kind was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Marcus Hoff in the 2013 Broadway production of ''The Big Knife''.

Early life

Kind was born in the New Jersey capital of Trenton. He is the son of Alice, a homemaker, and Samuel Kind, a jeweler who formerly owned La Vake's Jewelry in Princeton. His family is of Russian Jewish origin and his ancestors lived in the Pale of Settlement region of the Russian Empire. His great grandfather Hyman Berson immigrated to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City and worked as a peddler before running a crayon factory. Berson was murdered in 1933. When Kind was in the fourth grade, he moved with his family to Yardley, Pennsylvania, where he grew up alongside his younger sister, Joanne. He attended Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills with fellow actor Robert Curtis Brown, graduating in 1974. In 1978, he graduated from Northwestern University, where he was in the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He is also an alumnus of The Second City in Chicago.

Career

Television

Kind was an ensemble member in Carol Burnett’s short lived variety show, '' Carol & Company'' (1990-1991). Richard then portrayed Dr. Mark Devanow on '' Mad About You'' (1992-99), throughout the show's run, and played the role of Paul Lassiter on '' Spin City'' (1996-2002). Kind and Michael Boatman were the only two actors to appear in every episode of ''Spin City''. Kind reprised his role in the 2019 revival of ''Mad About You''.

He appeared in eight episodes of Larry David's ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', between 2002 and 2021 as Larry's cousin Andy. In 2006, he guest starred as Lucius Lavin in ''Stargate Atlantis'', in the episodes " Irresistible" and " Irresponsible."

Kind had a recurring role in '' Scrubs'', as Harvey Corman, an annoying hypochondriac, who claimed that having the same name as Harvey Korman did not "get imas much action as you may think". He also played a role on USA's crime comedy ''Psych'' as Hugo, an astronomer who killed a partner for credit for the discovery of a planet (" From the Earth to the Starbucks"), and later on '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' as a wealthy philanthropist who kills his sister-in-law and niece to protect the money he uses to fund his philanthropic work (" Privilege"). Kind guest-starred on the Disney Channel series '' Even Stevens'', where he played the surly Uncle Chuck. He appeared in an episode of CBS' ''Two and a Half Men'' with former ''Spin City'' co-star Charlie Sheen on November 12, 2007. He also played a small role on TNT's hit show '' Leverage'' playing the part of a corrupt mayor in the second season two-part finale. Kind guest-starred episode "The Worst", playing the corrupt DEA officer Special Agent Schwartz in the Netflix series ''Disjointed''.

He played the role of burnt spy Jesse's ex-boss Marv in three episodes of season 4 of '' Burn Notice''. In 2011, Kind guest-starred in an episode of the ABC sitcom '' Mr. Sunshine'' as Rod the Bod. He starred in the HBO series ''Luck'' until its cancellation, and he is also the spokesman for On-Cor frozen foods. In February 2013, he made a guest appearance on '' Kroll Show''.

In 2015, he played the GED instructor on '' Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' and Mayor Aubrey James in '' Gotham''.

In 2022, Kind starred as police captain Stan Yenko on the CBS police procedural crime drama '' East New York'', which was cancelled after its first season. In 2023, he played Saint Peter in Mel Brooks' '' History of the World, Part II''.

Film

Kind had a minor role as Gary Meyers, an archaeologist who translated the symbols on the Stargate prior to James Spader's character's involvement in the 1994 movie ''Stargate''. He appeared in the film '' National Lampoon's Bag Boy'' in 2007. Kind played David's father in the Prime series "Red Oaks".

In 2007, Kind played a short role in the indie film '' The Visitor'', as Richard Jenkins's neighbor, Jacob. Kind starred in the independent black comedy feature, '' The Understudy'' in 2008. In 2008, Kind performed the role of Voltaire in the New York City Opera production of Leonard Bernstein's ''Candide''. Kind played the major supporting role of Arthur Gopnik in the Coen brothers' dark comedy film '' A Serious Man''. He had a small role in Clint Eastwood's '' Hereafter'' as Christos Andryo, in 2010. In 2011, he played a supporting dramatic role as Mr. Camp in the feature film '' Fancypants''. In 2012, he was featured in '' Divorce Invitation''.

Actor/director George Clooney is a close friend, and was best man at Kind's wedding to Dana Stanley in 1999. Kind later went on to play the part of a casting director in Clooney's directorial debut '' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind''. Kind also played himself in the short-lived HBO series ''Unscripted'', which Clooney executive produced and directed with Grant Heslov, and played a small role in the film ''Argo'', as screenwriter Max Klein, which was produced by both Clooney and Heslov. He also had a supporting role in Ari Aster's horror film '' Beau Is Afraid'' (2023).

Theater

Kind created the role of Addison Mizner in Stephen Sondheim's '' Bounce'', and has appeared on Broadway in '' The Tale of the Allergist's Wife'' (2000), '' The Producers'' (2002), and '' Sly Fox'' (2004). He also appeared as the "Jury Foreman" in the film '' The Producers'' (2005) and played the lead role of Max Bialystock in a Hollywood Bowl production during July 27–29, 2012. He played Pseudolus in '' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' at the Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfield, Iowa. Kind received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the 2013 Broadway production of ''The Big Knife''. Kind has performed in radio/audio plays for the LA Theatre Works and the Hollywood Theater of the Ear.

Voice work

His voice credits include Tom in '' Tom and Jerry: The Movie'', Molt in Disney/Pixar's ''A Bug's Life'', Van in Disney/Pixar's ''Cars'', and ''Cars 2'', Bookworm in ''Toy Story 3'', the narrator for Disney's '' Go Baby'', and Larry the Anaconda in '' The Wild''. In 2000 he did the voice of Mr. Dobbins in '' Tom Sawyer''. In 2001–2002, he voiced the character of Pongo in five episodes of the animated series '' Oswald''. He had a recurring role on the Disney Channel series ''Kim Possible'' as the villain Frugal Lucre. He guest starred in '' The Penguins of Madagascar'' as Roger the Alligator in the episodes "Haunted Habitat", "Roger Dodger", "Gator Watch", "April Fools", "The All Nighter Before Christmas", and "Operation: Neighbor Swap". He also played the role of Gumbo in an episode of '' Chowder'' on Cartoon Network. Kind guest-starred in ''Phineas and Ferb'' in the episode "Perry the Actorpus" as the Totally Tools executive. For audio drama, he appeared in three episodes of ''Around the Sun''. In 2021, he narrated several commercials for Freestyle Libre, a device for diabetes patients to monitor their glucose levels.

Kind voiced Riley's imaginary friend Bing Bong in Pixar's '' Inside Out''. He provides the voice of Olly and Saraline's dad Harvey Timbers in '' Welcome to the Wayne''. In 2021, he voiced the Doopler on Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Personal life

Kind was married to Dana Stanley from 1999 to 2018. They have three children: a son, Max, and two daughters, Samantha and Skylar.

Kind resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City.

He was inducted into the Pennsbury High School Hall of Fame in the inaugural class on October 13, 2022.

Prior to landing his role on ''ER'', George Clooney stayed at Kind’s apartment in Los Angeles. While living there, Clooney played numerous pranks on Kind including one culminating with Clooney defecating in Kind's cat's litter box. Clooney also duped Kind into thinking he was both a ''Jeopardy'' expert and an aspiring painter.

Filmography

Discography

* '' Bounce: Original Cast Recording'' (2004)
* '' Original Cast Album: Co-Op'' (Lakeshore Records, 2019)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kind, Richard
1956 births
Living people
20th-century American Jews
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American Jews
21st-century American male actors
Actors from Bucks County, Pennsylvania
American male comedians
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
California Democrats
Comedians from Pennsylvania
Comedians from Trenton, New Jersey
Drama Desk Award winners
Jewish American comedians
Jewish American male actors
Jewish male comedians
Male actors from Pennsylvania
Male actors from Trenton, New Jersey
New Jersey Democrats
Northwestern University School of Communication alumni
Pennsbury High School alumni
Pennsylvania Democrats
Pixar people
Sigma Alpha Epsilon members
Jews from New Jersey
Jews from Pennsylvania