Age: 69
male
Richard Bruce Kind (born November 22, 1956) is an American actor (stage, screen, and voice) and comedian. He is best known for his roles as Captain Stan Yenko on CBS's East New York (2022-23), Dr. Mark Devanow on Mad About You (1992–1999, 2019), and Paul Lassiter on Spin City (1996–2002). He's also well known for his other roles as Peter in The History of the World Part II (2023), Mitch on Netflix's The Watcher, Formica Michael Mikowitz on The Goldbergs, Walter Bloom in tick, tick... Boom! (2021), Cousin Andy on Curb Your Enthusiasm (2002–2021), Rudy Giuliani in Bombshell (2019), John Sears in Suburbicon (2017), Gus Barton on IFC's Brockmire, Marty in All We Had (2016), Mayor Aubrey James on FOX's Gotham, Sam Meyers on the Amazon Prime series Red Oaks, Max Klein in Argo (2012), Joey Rathburn on HBO's Luck starring Dustin Hoffman, Uncle Arthur Gopnik in the Coen Brothers film A Serious Man (2009), Abner Kravitz in the film Bewitched (2005), Louis Tiboni in The Station Agent (2003), He began his acting career in Chicago, where he performed in numerous stage productions. He made his Broadway debut in 1984 in the play "The Pirates of Penzance." He has starred in the smash hit Broadway musical The Producers, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Candide, and Bounce, among others. He is a Drama Desk Award winner and Tony nominee for the Broadway hit The Big Knife. He has appeared in over 50 films, including Clifford (1994), Stargate (1994), For Your Consideration (2006), Hereafter (2010), and Beau Is Afraid (2023). In addition to his acting career, he is also a vocal advocate for social justice causes. He is a member of the board of directors of the Creative Coalition, an organization that advocates for the arts in public policy. He is also a supporter of the Human Rights Campaign and the Anti-Defamation League. He is also an alumnus of The Second City in Chicago.
In the New York Zoo, Samson the Lion tells his son Ryan stories of his adventures in the wild. When the zoo closes, all the animals are free to roam. Samson, Benny, Bridget, Larry, and Nigel compete in a turtle curling championship while Ryan visits friends. Ryan accidentally causes a stampede which head to the game. Samson and Ryan have a falling-out and Ryan storms off before Samson can apologize. Ryan wanders into a green box and gets shipped away by a truck, which the legend tells will take him to the wild. With the help of a pigeon, Hamir, Samson and Benny go after him, sneaking into a garbage disposal truck with Nigel, Larry, and Bridget; Benny is accidentally thrown off the truck. After passing through Times Square and nearly being crushed in the garbage disposal, the group encounters a pack of rabid dogs. Samson leads them through the sewer rather than scaring them off. There, they take directions to the docks from two streetwise alligator brothers, Stan and Carmine. The next morning, the four friends steal a tugboat during a hectic escape from New York harbor. With help from Larry, they drive the boat and reunite with Benny, who has enlisted a flock of Canada geese to help lead the crew toward Ryan's ship. Days later, Nigel goes mad and, under the impression they have hit an iceberg, jumps overboard. The boat runs aground in Africa, where all the animals in the area are being evacuated by the carriers, as a nearby volcano erupts. They witness Ryan escape, but he runs into the jungle. Samson attempts to find him, but he is revealed to have never been in the wild before after trying to eat a rude Hyrax. The rest of the group head back to the ship, but Samson tries to find his son. While walking, Samson sees plants and rocks change colors. Nigel is captured by a group of wildebeests who dwell in the volcano, and their leader Kazar, pronounces him "The Great Him", based on an "omen" he received when he was young: about to be devoured by lions, a toy koala fell from a plane and scared the lions away, saving his life. Kazar wants to change the food chain; he would rather see "prey become predators" and vice versa. For this, he needs to eat a lion. Bridget and Larry are captured and held prisoner. Ryan hides up an old tree, but a gang of vultures led by Scraw and Scab attack him under orders from Kazar. The branch breaks and traps his paw. Samson hears Ryan's cries and runs to save him, scaring off the birds. The two reunite but are interrupted by a herd of wildebeests. Ryan is shocked when Samson tells him to run. The two retreat to a tree where Samson reveals the truth. He was born in the circus and like Ryan, was unable to roar. Samson's disappointed father disowned him and allowed him to be sent to the zoo, where he lied to avoid the shame. The wildebeests discover them and, in the scuffle, send the tree over the cliff, with Samson still hanging on. Ryan is captured and taken to the volcano. Benny finds Samson and encourages him to be himself, even if he is not from the wild. They find two chameleons, who were leading Samson to the volcano and are also trying to defeat Kazar's army of his kind. Samson uses the chameleons' camouflage abilities to slip into Kazar's lair. Nigel tries his best to stall the wildebeests from cooking his friends, and eventually Samson fights Kazar but is overwhelmed. Ryan, seeing Samson in danger, climbs onto a catapulting device and launches himself at Kazar, finally letting out a roar. With Kazar distracted, Samson manages to defeat him. Ryan tells Samson that he is happy to have him for a dad. The other wildebeests are touched by this and refuse to serve Kazar any further. Samson gains the courage he has needed and roars powerfully enough to push back a charging Kazar. The animals, along with the wildebeests flee except Kazar, who is trapped in the erupting volcano. The animals manage to escape on the boat and travel back to the New York Zoo.
