Kevin Smith Pic

Kevin Smith was born in Red Bank, New Jersey and attended Henry Hudson Regional High School.  After high school, Smith went to The New School in New York and the later to the Vancouver Film School, where he met View Askew co-founder Scott Mosier.  However, Smith dropped out of the Vancouver Film School in order to take a partial tuition reimbursement to help finance his first film, Clerks.

Clerks, which was written and directed by Smith, was shot for a total of $27,575 in the same convenience store that Smith worked for at the time.  The movie went on to win the Filmmaker's Trophy at Sundance Film Festival and picked up by Miramx.  Clerks was the first movie released by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier's production company, View Askew.  It was also the first movie in Smith's "View Askewniverse," a universe that has recurring characters and locations that Smith uses throughout seveal of his movies.

Smith's second film, Mallrats, did not do well with the critics and failed in the theaters, despite being released on 500 screens.  However, Mallrats marked the second View Askewniverse movie and did well on DVD.  Plus Smith has been quoted as saying it was "a six million dollar casting call for Chasing Amy."

Chasing Amy was Smith's third film and was both a critical and financial success.  Amy starred Mallrats alumns Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Lee and took place in the View Askewniverse.

Smith's fourth venture, Dogma, was a star-studded flick that stirred up controversy with the Catholic league.  It marked the fourth View Askewniverse film and was a financial success.

Smith made his fifth movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in what was meant to be his final View Askewniverse movie, retiring our cast of beloved characters.  Although it didn't receive favorable reviews it was still a financial success.

Smith's sixth movie and first non-View Askewniverse movie was Jersey Girl starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez post the disaster known as Gigli.  For obvious reasons this movie was not a financial success.

Smith would return to the View Askewniverse for his seventh movie, Clerks II, a movie that would again be a financial success.

Smith's next return to the directing and writing chair will be with the upcoming Zack and Miri Make a Porno due out October 31st, 2008.

As an actor, Smith plays Silent Bob in all the View Askewniverse movies as well as a cameo in Scream 3.  He has also had small roles in Now You Know, Daredevil, Catch and Release, Live Free or Die Hard and Southland Tales.