It’s been difficult to miss Kevin James, the affable and prat-falling comedian turned actor, if you’ve been anywhere near a television or movie theater during the last decade.
In the late 1990s, James rose to fame on the stand-up comedy circuit and seamlessly segued into a successful acting career with a string of box office home-runs and also starred in the Emmy-nominated CBS sitcom “King of Queens.”
The jovial James — who debuted a new sitcom, “Kevin Can Wait,” last fall — will perform Saturday, April 22, at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa and Sunday, April 23, at Pechanga Resort & Casino.
Here’s a look at four memorable James roles.
Albert Brennaman
In the romantic comedy “Hitch,” James co-stars alongside Will Smith as a bumbling investment specialist who has zero dating skills. Smith portrays a date doctor who decides to help the shy and socially awkward Brennaman win the heart of one of the investment firm’s clients (Amber Valetta). The chemistry between James and Smith leads to lots of laughs including a hilarious dance scene. Brennaman begins by flaunting what he thinks are smooth moves to an Usher song and ends up being slapped and scolded by Smith.
Paul Blart
With a name like Paul Blart, it’s hard not to laugh right out of the gate. The 2009 comedy “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” was a surprise hit and had moviegoers clamoring to theaters to watch James try to keep law and order in a fictional mall. To add to the absurdity, James’ character — who takes his job way too seriously — rides a Segway while attempting to foil shoplifters, ne’er-do-wells along with people minding their own business. Following the movie’s $183 million box office success, he returned for “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” in 2015.
Doug Heffernan
In the critically acclaimed sitcom “King of Queens,” James portrays a hard-working and smart-mouthed parcel delivery man (think UPS driver) who lives a relatively simple life with his feisty wife Carrie played by Leah Remini. Heffernan often comes up with cockamamie schemes that typically don’t work out but produce silly results and plenty of physical humor. The show earned James an Emmy nomination in 2006.
Larry Valentine
In a hilarious premise for 2007’s “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,” manly firefighters Chuck Levine (Adam Sandler) and Larry Valentine (James) pretend to be a gay couple and get married to protect their work pension. The deceptive duo ends up in the news and must go to great lengths to carry on their charade with plenty of double entendres and slapstick humor. While panned by critics, the goofy comedy did well at the box office, earning more than $185 million.
Kevin James on stage
Rancho Mirage: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22, Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive. $65-$95. 888-999-1995, hotwatercasino.com.
Temecula: 7 p.m. Sunday, April 23, Pechanga Resort & Spa, 45000 Pechanga Parkway. $89-$119. 888-732-4264, pechanga.com.
