Happy 40th Birthday Kevin Smith!

Submitted by Tara on August 1, 2010 - 7:56pm

Born August 2, 1970, Kevin Smith is the wizard behind the characters Jay and Silent Bob. His first film, Clerks, was made for $27,575 and was paid for by selling off a treasured comic book collection and maxing out 10 credit cards but made over $3 million in theaters!

Whether you love or loathe Kevin Smith, he has made an indelible mark on the film world. Candid about his New Jersey upbringing, his autobiography is coversational in tone. Always open and direct about his craft, he and his longtime friend and cohort, Scott Mosier, put on a weekly podcast - highlights have even been made into a book! He has also hosted several evenings of Q&A for filmmakers and film buffs alike!

Sold Out! A Threevening with Kevin Smith (2008)
An Evening with Kevin Smith: Evening Harder (2006)
An Evening with Kevin Smith (2002)

Kevin Smith has written and/or directed a bushel of brilliant and bawdy films.

Cop Out (2010)
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
Clerks II (2006)
Jersey Girl (2004)
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
Dogma (1999)
Mallrats (1995)
Chasing Amy (1997)
Clerks (1994)

As an actor, he hasn't done too shabby either. He even starred as himself in 5 episodes of the 5th season of Degrassi: The Next Generation (2005), fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Catch and Release (2006)
Southland Tales (2006)
Doogal (2006)
Daredevil (2006)
Scream 3 (2000)

I'm personally very happy that Kevin Smith was born because in addition to creating excellent films that have enriched my lives with quotes such as "I'm not even supposed to be here today! " - his quips on Twitter always crack me up, his commentary of Road House completely changed my opinion of the film and he has revitalized comic book characters like Batman and Green Arrow with his unique writing style!

Many happy returns of the day to Mr. Smith!