Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, entrepreneur, film producer, and musician. After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in many Hollywood feature films that combined have grossed over $2 billion at the box office. He is best known for his comedic roles, such as in the films Billy Madison , the sports comedies Happy Gilmore and The Waterboy , the romantic comedy The Wedding Singer , Big Daddy , and Mr. Deeds , though he has ventured into more dramatic territory with his roles in Punch-Drunk Love , Spanglish , Reign Over Me , and Funny People . In 1999, Sandler founded Happy Madison Productions, a film and television production company that has produced numerous films and developed the 2007 television sitcom series Rules of Engagement.