Born and raised in New Jersey and very proud of it, this fact can be seen in all of his movies. His first movie, Clerks. (1994), was filmed in the convenience store in which Smith worked. He was only allowed to shoot at night after the store closed. This movie won the highest award at the Sundance film festival and was brought to theaters by Miramax. The movie went over so well that Smith was able to make another movie, Mallrats (1995). This movie, as Kevin has said, was meant to be a "smart Porkys". Although it didn't do well at all in the box office, it has done more then well on video store shelves and is usually the favorite among many Smith fans. During filming for the movie Smith met his new close friends and stars of his next movie, Ben Affleck and Jason Lee and his new girlfriend, Joey Lauren Adams. Smith has said that his relationship with Adams has been much of an inspiration for his next movie, Chasing Amy (1997), Smith's comedy drama which won two independent Spirit awards: Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Role (for Jason Lee. Around the time that Chasing Amy (1997) was wrapping, Smith broke up with Adams, and then when the Spirit awards were approaching he met his soon-to-be wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith. After _Chasing Amy (1997) , Smith started on Dogma (1999), a controversial film about Christianity. Around this time Smith's wife gave birth to their first baby girl, Harley Quinn Smith. Harley Quinn and Jennifer both have roles in Smith's next film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). In this road trip comedy, the cult heroes, Jay and Silent Bob go on an adventure to stop the production of a movie being made about them, find true love, and save an orangutan. In 2004, he wrote and directed Jersey Girl (2004), starring Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler, and two years later he completed the sequel to his first film, Clerks II (2006). Smith has also written scripts for such comics as Daredevil and Green Arrow. He also wrote a script for a new Superman movie but decided to leave the project. Smith has opened a comic book store, has a production company, writes articles for Arena magazine, and does short films for the Leno show. He has accomplished so much and he has only been around since 1994.

Suspects that he was hired to write the doomed "Superman Lives" script after someone at Warner Brothes saw the exchange in Mallrats between TS and Brodie involving Superman's reproductive habits. Warner executives told Smith to cut a romantic scene between Superman and Lois on Mt. Rushmore. Kevin complained said, "This has the best dialog in the script." Executives responded, "This is a toy movie. People don't care how good the dialog is.".

Harley Quinn, Kevin's daughter's name, may also be a play on the Harlequin character from the Italian commedia dell'arte, the same reference that the creators of the Batman character were making.

Smith's daughter, Harley Quinn Smith was born. She is named after the character, Harley Quinn, in the "Batman" (1992)(The animated series). [26 June 1999]

Owns a comic book store, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in Red Bank, New Jersey.

References in every movie to Julie Dwyer dying in the YMCA pool.

Frequently refers to characters from his own movies. Ex: In Chasing Amy, Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) tells Holden (Ben Affleck) that she slept with Shannon Hamilton. Shannon Hamilton was the character Ben Affleck played in Mallrats.

Dated Kimberly Loughran.

Dated Joey Lauren Adams.

Sold his comic book collection for money to film Clerks. (1994) and after the film was a success he bought the collection back.

Was hired to write the script for "Superman Lives" (2000). The script was rejected and Tim Burton elected to personally rewrite it.

Brother of Virginia Smith.

Runs a production company in New Jersey called ViewAskew.

Graduated from Henry Hudson Regional in Highlands, New Jersey in 1988.

Wrote the first eight issues of the Marvel Knights series of Daredevil. In the graphic novel edition of all eight issues, the introduction was written by Ben Affleck. Kevin began writing the Green Arrow comics for DC.

Did some rewrites for Coyote Ugly (2000).

Received an honorary degree (Doctor of Humane Letters) from Illinois Wesleyan University on May 7, 2000.

Attended Vancouver Film School but dropped out halfway through.

Will not use the opening credit "A Kevin Smith Film" because he believes a film is the work of ALL the people involved, not just the director.

His all-time top 5 favorite movies (in no particular order) are: JFK (1991), A Man for All Seasons (1966), Jaws (1975), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Do the Right Thing (1989).

Appeared in the video for "Because I Got High" by Afroman with Jason Mewes.

Insists on editing all of his films.

Shot a pictorial of his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, for Playboy Magazine.

Because so many people asked him what happened to the characters Jay and Silent Bob between the films Chasing Amy (1997) and Dogma (1999), Smith wrote a graphic novel detailing their (mis)adventures between the two films. The book is entitled "Chasing Dogma".

Cast Alan Rickman as Metatron in Dogma (1999) after learning Rickman was a fan of Chasing Amy (1997).

His daughter plays his character, Silent Bob, as a small child in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).

In 2005, he appeared as himself in several episodes of the Canadian TV series teen drama, "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2001). Although he is married in real life, for his appearances on this show, Smith (as a character in the show) is said to be single, in order to allow him to make out with one of the main (adult) characters in the series.

In a review of Clerks. (1994), one critic described his writing style as "David Mamet meets Howard Stern."

Said in his DVD commentary of Dogma (1999) that actress Linda Fiorentino was very difficult to work with, even to the point that she wouldn't speak to him some days. In retrospect he says he wishes he had cast Janeane Garofalo as Bethany instead (Garofalo appears in Dogma as Liz at the abortion clinic).

While filming Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), accidentally mispronounced Eliza Dushku's last name, and subsequently simply called her "Duck Shoot."

Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors". New Revision Series, Vol. 131, pages 408-413. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2005.

Was at one point attached to write the script for Scary Movie 3 (2003).

Won a Harvey Award, given for achievement in comic books, in 1999 for Best New Talent based on his work with Marvel's Daredevil as well as his comic book series "Clerks" and "Jay & Silent Bob" for Oni.

At one point or another, he was set to write (and in some cases direct) the big- screen versions of Scooby-Doo (2002), Alien Love Triangle (2002), Daredevil (2003), and "The Six-Million-Dollar Man".

Favorite bands: The Police, Talking Heads, Run DMC, Public Enemy, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, The Cure.

Made a bet with Ethan Suplee (Willam in Mallrats, also in other Kevin Smith films) after filming Mallrats that he could lose more weight in 10 years than Ethan. Ethan won the bet.

Has maintained that had he not had the success with Clerks. (1994), he would still be a clerk at the Quick Stop and RST Video in Leonardo, New Jersey.

Had a long running feud with Jeff Anderson shortly after Clerks. (1994) was released and ended just before production began on Dogma (1999). This explains Anderson's absence in Mallrats (1995) and Chasing Amy (1997).

Was a guest critic for Ebert & Roeper while Roger Ebert was recovering from throat surgery. He reviewed the films for the weekend of August 12-13, 2006. He gave thumbs-up to World Trade Center (2006), Step Up (2006), and Half Nelson (2006). He gave thumbs-down to Scoop (2006).

Pitched a superhero movie to Miramax in 1999 and Miramax chairman Harvey Weinstein loved it. It was described as a "Justice League" type of superhero team that has to disband because of the government. Once on their own, the film would follow the same type of format used in Pulp Fiction which would be stories inter connected. In the end the team would have to unite to defeat one of their own, turned villainous. Smith just never got around to writing a full script. It was also pitched to HBO as a possible series.

Once wrote and produced two pilots for sitcoms. One was called, "Hating Hal" and the other one was "Hiatus".

Has said that after his career is over he'd like to teach film and creative writing courses at a college.

Wrote a script called "Busing" in 1994 for Hollywood Pictures. It was described as "Clerks in a restaurant". Parts of this script became Clerks II (2006).

Wanted to write and direct a big screen adaptation of the book "Sex and Rockets".

Has stated that he had an idea for a children's book and that he'd like to write it before his little girl reaches her teens.

Turned down offers to write and/or direct: "The Hulk", "Iron Man", "The Punisher", "Fantastic Four", "Green Lantern" and "Madman".

Tried to produce remakes for C.H.U.D. (1984) and Race with the Devil (1975).

In high school, he video taped his school's sporting events and town meetings for the local cable access station.

Once tried to buy a warehouse near his View Askew production office in Red Bank, New Jersey, to convert into sound stages for independent films. He even approached Miramax president Harvey Weinstein to split the bill. However, the warehouse owner wanted too much money.

Wrote a short story in his college creative writing course about a serial killer, who also happened to be a priest. He received the best grade in the class.

The reason why there hasn't been a Jay and Silent Bob video game yet, is because Smith wants to be fully involved in the game's creation and he simply does not have the time. He does insist there will one day exist a Jay and Silent Bob video game.

Once considered buying a local movie theater in Red Bank New Jersey and showing all kinds of movies. He said one week could be Scorsese themed with Taxi Driver and Mean Streets, then the next week could be superhero themed,like the original Batman and Superman movies.

During his childhood he was a big fan of Tom Savini's special effects work.

Has considered making a Green Arrow film with Jason Mewes as the lead.

He loves Wes Craven's A Nightmare On Elm Street and New Nightmare. Has stated he is a big fan of Freddy Krueger and Robert Englund.

He is contemplating opening a real Mooby's fast food restaurant.

Has three favorite horror movies: "A Nightmare On Elm Street" "C.H.U.D." and "The Evil Dead". He also loves "Halloween".

Shortly after Clerks was released theatrically, Smith taught an acting class at his old high school, Henry Hudson Regional.

After Mallrats, pitched an idea he had for a Jaws 5 to Universal. They gave him the go ahead to write a treatment, but he had other projects to work on.

In the fall of 2002, the town of Paulsboro in New Jersey named a street after him: Kevin Smith Way. This was in response to Smith using the town to film in.

Is an avid fan of the rock bands Soul Asylum, Alice In Chains, Metallica, Rob Zombie, Pantera, Sevendust, Nirvana, and Godsmack.

Is a fan of actor/stuntman Kane Hodder and has stated a desire to work with him one day.

He was the first and only guest on Michael Moore's Fox pilot "Michael Moore Show, The" (1997)_ .

Wrote and produced with Jason Lee, a pilot for a sitcom, to star Lee, called "Hiatus". The premise had Lee's character coming back home to open up a comic book store after living in California for a few years, trying to make it as a struggling actor. Unknown to his family and friends, he was actually a porno star for a while,when he didn't land any "legitimate" work.

Had an idea for an science fiction alien themed story that was to be a part of the film anthology called "Alien Love Triangle" but his idea was never used. He has stated an interest in turning his idea into a feature one day.

Played goalie during games of street hockey with his friends Bryan Johnson, Walter Flanagan, and Brian O'Halloran.

Was approached by Dimension chairman Bob Weinstein to do a Jay and Silent Bob/Hellraiser crossover movie in the same vein as the old Abbott and Costello meets the Wolfman type crossovers. Smith declined.

One of his life long dreams is to host "Saturday Night Live" (1974)_ .

Wrote and acted in comedy sketches in the town's annual talent show. His comedic writing even made the local papers.

Godfather of his daughter Harley is Jason Lee.

Has two dogs named "Mulder" and "Scully".

Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000.

He did the commentary with Scott Mosier for the 20th Anniversary edition DVD of Road House (1989).

As a teenager his girlfriend's mother wrote "Kevin Smith will never be a famous writer." on a sheet of paper and told him that if he ever proved it wrong that she would eat the paper. He still has the sheet of paper, and considers the mother a close friend. However he does not speak with the former girlfriend anymore.

Wrote all of his own dialog for the five episodes of "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2001) that he appeared on.

Directed the Pilot of Reaper (2007) just to prove to himself that he could direct a script that he did not write.

Is an AMPAS member.