Kevin Smith's Biography

In the few years since his entry into the indie film community, Kevin Smith has seen it all--from the surprise critical and commercial success he received for his debut film CLERKS, to the disappointing critical and commercial drubbing he took on his second outing MALLRATS.  He caught a break on his third film, the critically acclaimed CHASING AMY, and managed to not get killed by the religious zealots over his fourth film, the comedic meditation DOGMA. Thus, not deterred, Smith advanced and wrote and directed the fifth and final installment in his New Jersey Chronicles, JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, released by Dimension Films in August 2001.  The film starred Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dushku, Will Ferrell, Ben Affleck, Chris Rock, George Carlin and Jason Lee, as well as numerous additional cameos.  Smith is currently in production of JERSEY GIRL, also for Miramax, and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, George Carlin, and Liv Tyler for release in 2003.

Along the way, Smith has also found time to make himself a nuisance by smearing his name all over Spike, Mike, Slackers and Dykes, the definitive book about indie film by John Pierson.  He's published the screenplays to all four of his films.  He's written comic books featuring not only his own characters (the multiple-printed Clerks, and Jay and Silent Bob), but other characters as well (the award-winning Daredevil at Marvel Comics, and the award-winning Green Arrow at DC Comics).  With his View Askew partner, Scott Mosier, he's also executive-produced four low budget, first film efforts, including Bryan Johnson's Lion's Gate release VULGAR. Smith and Mosier also co-executive-produced the Academy Award® winning GOOD WILL HUNTING, starring View Askew stalwarts, and then unknowns, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Besides MALLRATS, however, Smith has survived other humbling "creative" experiences which he inexplicably has failed to suppress--such as his ill-fated SUPERMAN LIVES screenplay for Warner Brothers, and his animated series version of CLERKS for ABC primetime, which the network unceremoniously aired only twice.

But, but, but, Smith was one of the first filmmakers to venture into cyberspace, establishing the insanely popular View Askewniverse website (www.viewaskew.com) in the mid-nineties.  And if the film thing doesn't pan out, he does own a comic book store--Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, in beautiful downtown Red Bank, New Jersey.

As for hood ornaments he's collected, there's plenty of tin to go around: the Filmmakers' Trophy at Sundance for CLERKS, the Prix de la Jeunnese and the International Critic's Week Award at the Cannes Film Festival - also for CLERKS, The Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay for CHASING AMY, and a Humanitas Award for GOOD WILL HUNTING. For his writing in the comics field, Smith has received a Harvey Award, a Wizard Fan Award and an Eagle Award.  Smith also received the Defender of Democracy Award from Norman Lear's People for the American Way Organization for his production of DOGMA.

Yet at the end of the day, the two titles Smith touts the most proudly are "husband" and "father."  He married wife Jennifer in April '99 and celebrated the birth of their daughter, Harley Quinn, in June of that same year (you do the math).