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)
