Because he largely flies under the radar when he isn’t working, it’s relatively easy to forget just how successful James is—you never see paparazzi photos of him, his life stays out of the tabloids and he generally keeps his nose to the grindstone and works like crazy. He previously told Paradethat a big reason why he plays working-class characters is because they’re so relatable, not just to audiences, but to himself as well. “I grew up with it,” he said. “That’s who I was and am at heart. I know the struggle. I’ve worked it; my dad worked it. It’s who I connect with.” That attitude has paid off in spades. Find out Kevin James’ net worth and let it serve as proof that working hard reaps great rewards!
How did Kevin James get famous?
Born Kevin George Knipfing, James and his brother, fellow famous funnyman Gary Valentine, were raised in Stony Brook, New York, part of Long Island. He attended State University of New York at Cortland, where he played football, but an injury derailed his athletic pursuits. In 1989, he made his standup comedy debut at East Side Comedy Club in Long Island, eventually making appearances on the late-night and talk-show circuits. In 1991, James was a prankster on The New Candid Camera, then was a sports announcer for MTV’s SandBlast from 1994 through 1996. After befriending comedian Ray Romano, James guest-starred in Everybody Loves Raymond, and in 1998, got his own spinoff of the beloved sitcom: King of Queens made James a household name in 1998.
What is Kevin James’ net worth?
Kevin James’ net worth is estimated at a whopping $100 million.
How much did Kevin James make per episode?
James reportedly took home a cool $300,000 per episode in the early seasons of King of Queens, with a raise to $400,000 in the show’s later seasons and a reported $500,000 per episode salary for the 2005-2006 season. For the two seasons of Kevin Can Wait, James Varietyreports that James made $200,000 per episode—a significant drop from his previous earnings, but still a huge sum overall. At the time of Kevin Can Wait’s release, he told Paradethat the similarities to King of Queens were deliberate. “It is going to feel familiar because we want it to. The character is a little different because Kevin is a retired cop and has kids, while Doug was a delivery driver with no kids,” he said. “The challenge is making it comfortable for the fan who wants that [familiarity], but different for the fan who wants something different.”
How much did Kevin James make for Paul Blart: Mall Cop?
Paul Blart: Mall Copopened at No. 1 at the box office in 2009 and had strong DVD sales as well, taking in a total of $244.1 million in combined domestic home video sales and worldwide box office grosses—on a budget of just $26 million, making it hugely profitable. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2followed in 2015. The film had a $30 million budget and raked in $107.6 million at the global box office, plus $12.4 million in domestic home video sales. While it wasn’t as successful as its predecessor, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 still brought in huge profits. It’s unclear how much of that fortune went directly into James’ pockets, but as writer, producer, and star, James had a massive stake in the movies’ success, so he likely pocketed a healthy portion of its net profits.
How much did Kevin James make on King of Queens?
At a rate of $300,000 per episode for 22 episodes, James made $6.6 million for the early seasons of King of Queens. Assuming his salary remained the same for Seasons 1 through 3, that amounts to $19.8 million. At a rate of $400,000 per episode for middle seasons at 22 episodes per season, that makes $8.8 million per season. If he made the same salary from Season 4 through Season 7, that amounts to $35.2 million. For the final two seasons, James made $500,000 per episode. Season 8 had 22 episodes and Season 9 had 13, amounting to a total of $17.5 million at that rate. James’ total earnings for King Of Queens are estimated at $72.5 million.
How much did Kevin James make for Hubie Halloween?
James’ payday for Hubie Halloween isn’t known. The film was released directly through Netflix, which means box office data isn’t available to make any educated guesses on that front. James was a star of the festive film alongside Sandler, but wasn’t a writer or producer on the project, so his salary for the movie was likely significantly less than it was for his outings as Paul Blart.
How much does Kevin James make on reruns? How much does Kevin James make in residuals?
Because James is an executive producer on King of Queens, he makes a mint on reruns, with a reported $50 million in backend and residual earnings from the series in his syndication deal. Because Kevin Can Wait didn’t hit 100 episodes, the show isn’t currently in syndication.
How much did Kevin James make on The Crew?
James’ salary for The Crew isn’t publicly known. The Netflix series, which premiered with 10 episodes in February 2021, was canceled after just one season. James was credited as not just the star, but also an executive producer on the show, which followed the triumphs and foibles of a NASCAR pit crew. Despite its cancellation, Deadlinereports that Netflix has a contract for a new show with James that will be a single-camera comedy series. Further details aren’t yet known.
How much does Kevin James make per movie?
James’ per-movie salary isn’t publicly known, and his take-home pay varies by project and his level of involvement. For example, he likely made significantly more for Paul Blart: Mall Cop, on which he was a writer and producer as well as the lead star, than he did for Hubie Halloween, in which he was a supporting character. Next, find out Kevin James’ pal Adam Sandler’s astonishing net worth!
