Bio
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist and entertainer best known for his starring role as Tim Taylor in the sitcom Home Improvement (1991-1999) and for his roles in the Disney film series of The Santa Clause and Toy Story.
He currently stars as Mike Baxter, a man's man trying to survive in a female-dominated world, in the television sitcom Last Man Standing, since 2011.
Allen was heard on the big screen reprising his role as Buzz Lightyear in Disney/Pixar's 2010 smash hit, Toy Story 3. That year he also made his feature film directorial debut with the independent comedy Crazy on the Outside, in which he also stars alongside Jeanne Tripplehorn, Sigourney Weaver, J.K. Simmons and Ray Liotta.
Allen honed his talents as a stand-up comic throughout the '80s, providing the lead-in to his highly successful ABC series Home Improvement, in which he garnered a Golden Globe Award, an Emmy nomination, and was honored with the People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series an unprecedented eight years in a row.
He made his film debut in 1994 in the blockbuster hit The Santa Clause, earning another People's Choice Award. He gave voice to Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, and starred in Jungle 2 Jungle with Martin Short and For Richer or Poorer with Kirstie Alley.
Allen then reprised his role as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 2, and in addition starred in Galaxy Quest, opposite Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman.
While Home Improvement was still in the primetime charts, Allen revisited his comedy roots with a national concert tour that finished at Caesar's Palace, and found time to pen his first book about the male perspective, Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man, which topped the New York Times Bestseller List.
His second bestseller, I'm Not Really Here, focused on midlife, family and quantum physics. In 1999, in final season of Home Improvement, Allen was honoured with the TV Guide Award for Favorite Actor in a Comedy Series.
Some of Allen's other film credits include 20th Century Fox's Joe Somebody, opposite Jim Belushi, 2001's Big Trouble, with Rene Russo, 2002's Who Is Cletis Tout?, opposite Christian Slater, and The Santa Clause 2.
In a brief return to television in April 2003, Allen's Tool Time pals, Debbe Dunning and Richard Karn, joined him on stage for the live event ABC special, Tim Allen Presents: A User's Guide to Home Improvement.
In 2004 he starred opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the comedy Christmas with the Kranks. In 2006 he reprised his familiar role in The Santa Clause 3. That same year he starred opposite Courtney Cox in Zoom, as well as in The Shaggy Dog.
In 2007 Allen starred opposite John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy in Wild Hogs. The following year he starred opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rodrigo Santoro, Emily Mortimer and Joe Mantegna in Redbelt, written and directed by David Mamet.