Richard Kind

Intro

Richard Kind is a stage, film, television and voice actor whose work includes Paul Lassiter in Spin City, Dr. Mark Devanow in Mad About You and the voice of Bing Bong in Inside Out. His expressive face is familiar from live-action comedy, but audiences also encounter his performances without seeing him on screen at all. The three photographs here record separate public appearances in 2010, 2024 and 2025. They accompany a career that has moved between ensemble comedy, dramatic supporting parts, musical theatre and animation.

Career snapshot

Kind was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on November 22, 1956, and grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1978. In the university magazine's account, his expected future originally lay in the family's jewelry business, with law or business study on the way. Theatre and encouragement from teachers helped redirect him toward acting. That decision preceded the Chicago comedy years and the long television career. The university's archival photographs and account preserve the student period behind the later, widely recognized screen performer.

The entry point

After working with the Practical Theater Company, Kind joined Second City's mainstage in 1983. His work there included productions with Dan Castellaneta and time at the company's Santa Monica outpost. The Chicago production Orwell That Ends Well also took him to New York's Village Gate. Carol Burnett's Carol and Company provided an early television ensemble opportunity. Mad About You later cast him as Mark Devanow, while Spin City gave him the part of Paul Lassiter. Second City's account notes that his appearances in the former became less frequent as the latter demanded more of his time.

Screen identity and style

His film and television career also includes roles outside those sitcom settings. Northwestern's profile identifies Arthur Gopnik, the difficult houseguest and brother in the Coen brothers' A Serious Man, and Vince Fish in Only Murders in the Building. The same account discusses his long association with Curb Your Enthusiasm as Larry David's cousin Andy. His official biography also records co-hosting Everybody's Live with John Mulaney. These parts show different uses of a familiar performer: a recurring relation, a disruptive guest, a member of a mystery ensemble and a comic presence appearing under his own name.

Collaborations and patterns

On Broadway, Kind played Ira as a replacement in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife in 2002, then took over Max Bialystock in The Producers from December 2004 to July 2005. He subsequently appeared as Andre Thibault in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. His Marcus Hoff in the 2013 revival of The Big Knife brought a Tony nomination for featured actor in a play and a Drama Desk win in that category. These are separate honours with different outcomes. Later Broadway credits include Kiss Me, Kate and All In: Comedy About Love, continuing his association with the stage alongside screen work.

Era reflection

Animation supplies another recognizable strand. Kind voiced Molt in A Bug's Life and Van in Cars and Cars 2 before giving voice to Bing Bong in Inside Out. Pixar describes Bing Bong as Riley's childhood imaginary friend, a fantastical creature with an elephant's trunk, a cat's tail and a cotton-candy body. His fear of being left behind as Riley grows older belongs to the film's exploration of memory and emotional change. The performance is a voice role, so the photographs in this gallery portray the actor at public events rather than depict the animated character.

Legacy and rediscovery

The earliest gallery image was taken by Tomdog at the Independent Spirit Awards in March 2010. PhilipRomanoPhoto's portrait dates from October 2024, and Bryan Berlin photographed Kind at the 2025 New York Film Festival premiere of Jay Kelly. Each photograph has its own attribution and license record. Viewed alongside the stage and screen credits, they trace a performer who remained active across successive periods rather than being fixed to one sitcom role. His career can be followed through Broadway casting records, comedy-company history, animation credits and the continuing public appearances documented here.

Selected screen roles

• Mad About You: Dr. Mark Devanow — From 1992
• Spin City: Paul Lassiter — 1996–2002
• The Producers: Max Bialystock — 2004–2005 Broadway
• A Serious Man: Arthur Gopnik — 2009
• The Big Knife: Marcus Hoff — 2013 Broadway
• Inside Out: Bing Bong, voice — 2015

A career in pictures

Three distinct credited photographs span the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards, a 2024 portrait and the 2025 New York Film Festival.

Richard Kind portrait (2024)

Public portrait

Photograph by PhilipRomanoPhoto, dated October 21, 2024.

Independent Spirit Awards (2010)

Public appearance

Richard Kind in Los Angeles on March 5, 2010; photograph by Tomdog.

Jay Kelly premiere at the New York Film Festival (2025)

Public appearance

Richard Kind at the 63rd New York Film Festival, September 29, 2025; photograph by Bryan Berlin.

Rewatch notes

• The Big Knife brought a 2013 Tony nomination and a Drama Desk win.
• He played Max Bialystock as a replacement in Broadway's The Producers.