Tim Allen

Early life and education

Allen was born in Denver, Colorado, on June 13, 1953. He is the third oldest of six children of Martha Katherine (née Fox), a community-service worker, and Gerald M. Dick, a real estate agent. Allen has two older brothers, two younger brothers, and a younger sister. His father died in a car accident in November 1964, colliding with a drunk driver when Allen was 11. Two years later, his mother married her high school sweetheart, a business executive,

Allen attended Seaholm High School in Birmingham, where he was in theater and music classes (resulting in his love of classical piano). He then attended Central Michigan University before transferring to Western Michigan University in 1974. At Western Michigan, Allen worked at the student radio station WIDR. In 1976, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communications, specializing in radio and television production, with a split minor in philosophy and design.

Career

1975–1990: Standup comedy and film debut

Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit. While in Detroit he began to get recognition appearing in local television commercials and appearing on cable comedy shows such as Gary Thison's Some Semblance of Sanity. Following his release from prison in 1981, he returned to comedy. He moved to Los Angeles and became a regular performer at The Comedy Store. He began performing stand-up appearances on late-night talk shows and specials on record and film. In 1998, Western Michigan awarded Allen an honorary fine arts degree and the Distinguished Alumni Award. In a magazine interview, Allen once said, "I can only play a part if I can draw on personal experience, and that well can go dry pretty quickly". His initial film debut was as a baggage handler in Tropical Snow (1988).

1991–2010: ''Home Improvement'' and franchise roles

Allen rose to fame in acting with the sitcom Home Improvement (1991–1999) produced for ABC by Wind Dancer Productions. Allen played the main character Tim "The Tool-Man" Taylor, the father of three boys. Much of the show was based on his stand-up comedy act. In November 1994, Allen simultaneously starred in the highest-grossing film (Walt Disney Pictures's The Santa Clause), topped The New York Times bestseller list with his book Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man, and appeared in the top-rated television series (Home Improvement) within one week. For his role on the show, Allen won a Golden Globe Award in 1995. Home Improvement ran until 1999, for which he was paid US$1.25 million per episode during the eighth and final season.

In 1995, Allen provided the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Disney/Pixar blockbuster Toy Story. In 1997, he starred in the family comedy Jungle 2 Jungle from Disney. In 1999, he returned to voice Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 2, which was a financial and critical hit. That same year, he starred in the sci-fi parody Galaxy Quest alongside Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and Sam Rockwell. In 2002, he reprised his role as Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause 2. Two years later, he starred as Luther Krank in Christmas with the Kranks. In 2006, Zoom was released, starring Allen as Jack Shepard. The same year, he also starred in The Shaggy Dog and The Santa Clause 3. The year 2008 marked his first dramatic turn with a supporting role as an aging action film star in David Mamet's Redbelt.

Allen began narrating the "Pure Michigan" television and radio commercials for the "Travel Michigan" agency. These commercials can be seen and heard throughout the Midwest and began airing nationally in 2009. In December 2009, he started a preview tour of Crazy on the Outside, a film that debuted in January 2010. Allen accompanied the film, helping promote it with a series of stand-up acts beforehand. During the performances, he told audiences he planned a 2010 comedy tour. Allen also directed the film, marking his film directorial debut.

Allen hosted the 8th Annual TV Land Awards on April 25, 2010. That same year, he reprised the role of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 3 and also became the official voice of the Chevrolet Cruze, narrating commercials for the vehicle, and he became the voice of Campbell Soup Company's "It's Amazing What Soup Can Do" campaign.

2011–present: ''Last Man Standing'' and other roles

Allen returned to ABC with the sitcom Last Man Standing (2011–2021). He played the role of Mike Baxter, a conservative father fighting for his manhood in a house filled with women. The character is loosely based on his own life. After six seasons, the show was canceled in May 2017. On May 11, 2018, Fox TV's CEOs and chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden said Fox had officially picked up Last Man Standing for a seventh season. The show ended in May 2021 after nine seasons.

Shortly before the 2017 cancellation of Last Man Standing, Allen had been announced as part of the cast of the Netflix original comedy film El Camino Christmas (2017). In 2018, he had a cameo voice role as Buzz Lightyear in Ralph Breaks the Internet. In 2019, he voiced the character in Toy Story 4 and appeared as himself in No Safe Spaces, a documentary film. In 2022, it was announced that Allen would reprise the role of Scott Calvin in a Disney+ mini-series, The Santa Clauses, based on The Santa Clause franchise.

On June 30, 2022, the History Channel series More Power premiered, with co-host Allen reunited with Richard Karn. The show covered the history of tools and included field reports of people who use powerful tools. In February 2023, Allen announced that he would return as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 5.

On March 6, 2024, Allen announced on his Facebook page that he would be starring in a third sitcom called Shifting Gears. His character is Matt, a “stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins.” The series premiered on ABC on January 8, 2025, and was picked up for a second season, which also premiered in 2025.

Personal life

Marriages and family

Allen was raised as an Episcopalian. Allen married actress Jane Hajduk on October 7, 2006, in a small private ceremony in Grand Lake, Colorado. They had been dating for five years. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was born in March 2009.

Legal issues

On October 2, 1978, Allen was arrested at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport for possession of over 650 g of cocaine. He subsequently pleaded guilty to felony drug trafficking charges and provided the names of other dealers in exchange for a sentence of three to seven years rather than possible life imprisonment. He was paroled on June 12, 1981, after serving two years and four months in the Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota.

In 1998, Allen was arrested for DUI in Birmingham, Michigan. At the time, his blood alcohol content was 0.15%, nearly double the legal limit in Michigan. He was sentenced to one-year probation and entered a rehabilitation clinic for alcohol abuse as part of his court obligation.

Political views

Allen is a supporter of the Republican Party, describing himself as "fiscally conservative and emotionally liberal". He has referred to himself both on Last Man Standing and in real life as libertarian.Tim Allen on 'Last Man Standing:' 'I'm Definitely a Libertarian' — News Busters, Alexa Moutevelis October 30th, 2015 In 2021, he criticized president Donald Trump and those taking part in the 2021 United States Capitol attack, calling the incident "horrible, embarrassing, and shameful" and opining that the rioters must have had inside help. He also said the riot had caused people to be embarrassed to be known as conservative.

Allen is also involved in philanthropic efforts to help reduce homelessness.

Car interests

Allen is a car enthusiast and competed in endurance racing for Saleen in a co-owned car in the 1990s, including the 24 Hours of Daytona. He also owns a car collection, which he houses in a former paint shop in Southern California. As of 2022, the collection includes a 1956 Ford F-100 custom made by McLaren, a 1965 Shelby Cobra, and a 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and honors

Awards and nominations

Other honors

• 1999: Named a Disney Legend for his work on the Toy Story and The Santa Clause franchises
• 2004: Received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry
• 2017: Inducted into the Diecast Hall of Fame

Honorary scholastic degrees

Bibliography

• Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man (1994) –
• I'm Not Really Here (1996) –

References

References

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