Tim Allen : Biography

A successful standup comedian, the headliner of one of television's most popular sitcoms, a movie star, and a best-selling author, Tim Allen spent much of the '90s being a "Male Pig," a source of pride for countless men, and a franchise unto himself. He was born Timothy Allen Dick, in Denver, CO, one of ten brothers and sisters. Mercilessly teased by his peers because of his last name, Allen developed a keen sense of humor to protect himself. His father died in an auto accident in 1964 when Allen was 11, and his mother later married an old high school flame who had also lost his wife in a car crash. Eventually the family moved to a suburb of Detroit. In 1976, Allen graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in television production and went on to work in a sporting goods store and then in an advertising agency. He made his debut as a standup comedian at Detroit's Comedy Castle in 1979 after accepting a dare from a good friend, but his career was cut short when he was arrested for dealing cocaine and sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Following his release, Allen decided to turn over a new leaf and concentrate on his standup career.

Tim Allen : Career

Aftergraduating from Western Michigan University with a degree in televisionproduction, he got his first taste of comedy when a friend dared him to tryhis luck onstage. Shortly after, Allen was doing stand-up at night, while supplementing his income by acting in commercials. By 1990, Allen's "Men Are Pigs"routine, which focused on the male love for hardware, was made into aShowtime television special. The segment caught the attention of DisneyStudios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner, andAllen persuaded them to use his routine as the basis for a new sitcom-HomeImprovement. Before the 1991 debut of Home Improvement, Allen made headlines byrevealing that he had served time in prison from 1980 to 1983 forpossession and distribution of narcotics. However, his controversial admittance failed to affect the popularity of Home Improvement, which made the Nielsen top ten list during its first season. The sitcomhad a successful run through the 1998-99 season, while Allen was paid an impressive $1.25 million per episode. In addition to his TV work, Allen wrote two commerciallysuccessful books, Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man (1994) and I'm NotReally Here (1996). He has also seen success on the silver screen starringin The Santa Clause (1994) and lending his voice to Buzz Lightyear in theextremely popular Toy Story (1994). Upcoming film projects include two new Santa movies and a starring role as Jim Anderson in a big-screen version of the 1950s sitcom Father Knows Best.

Tim Allen : Films

The Shaggy Dog (2006), Christmas with the Kranks/Are We There Yet? 2-Pack (2005), Home Improvement - The Complete Third Season (2005), I'll Be Home for Christmas/The Santa Claus (2004), Christmas with the Kranks (2004), The Santa Clause 2 (2002), Who Is Cletis Tout? (2002), Big Trouble (2002), Joe Somebody (2001), Galaxy Quest (1999), For Richer Or Poorer (1997), Jungle2jungle (1997), Toy Story (1995), The Santa Clause (1994)