Tim Allen (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953) known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement. He is also known for his starring roles in several popular films, including the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story film series, The Santa Clause film series, and Galaxy Quest. Allen currently stars in the ABC sitcom Last Man Standing.

Early life

Born in Denver, Colorado, Allen is the son of Martha Katherine (née Fox), a community-service worker, and Gerald M. Dick, a real estate agent. He is the third oldest of five brothers. His father died in a car accident, colliding with a drunk driver, when Allen was 11. Two years later, his mother married her high school sweetheart, a successful business executive, and moved with her six children to Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, to be with her new husband and his three children. Allen attended Ernest W. 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 and transferred to Western Michigan University in 1974. At Western Michigan, Allen worked at the student radio station WIDR and received a bachelor of science degree in communications specializing in radio and television production in 1976 with a split minor in philosophy and design. In 1998, Western Michigan awarded Allen an honorary fine arts degree and the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Career

Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at a comedy club in 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. He later moved to Los Angeles and became a member of The Comedy Store there. He began to do stand-up appearances on late-night talk shows and specials on record and film. Allen rose to fame in acting with the television series Home Improvement (1991-1999) produced for ABC by Wind Dancer Productions, a company he co-founded with producer Carmen Finestra. Allen played Tim "The Tool-Man" Taylor. During one week in November 1994, he simultaneously starred in the highest grossing film (The Santa Clause), topped the New York Times best-seller list with his book Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man, and appeared in the top rated television series (Home Improvement). The following year, he provided the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the blockbuster Toy Story. Simultaneous with his time acting in Home Improvement, Allen formed a race team with Steve Saleen and race driver Bob Bondurant, called the Saleen/Allen "RRR" Speedlab. The team raced Saleen Mustangs in the SCCA World Challenge, with Allen and Saleen as the team's drivers.

In 1997 he starred in the family comedy Jungle 2 Jungle from Disney. The film was poorly received by critics. The next year marked the final year of Home Improvement, for which he was paid $1.25 million per episode. The next year he returned to voice Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 2 which was a financial and critical hit. Also in 2000 he starred in the sci-fi parody Galaxy Quest alongside Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman and Sam Rockwell. The movie was a critical hit and connected with audiences as well. In 2003 he had a cameo as Seann William Scott's father in American Wedding.

In 2006, Zoom was released, featuring Allen as Jack Shepard. The same year, he also starred in The Santa Clause 3 and The Shaggy Dog.

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, Allen 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 that 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.

As of September 2010, Tim Allen is the official voice of the Chevrolet Cruze, narrating commercials for the vehicle. Also in September 2010, Allen was named the voice of Campbell Soup's new "It's Amazing What Soup Can Do" campaign.

Allen currently stars in another ABC sitcom, Last Man Standing. He plays the role of Mike Baxter, a dad who is fighting for his manhood in his house filled with women.

Personal life

On October 2, 1978, Allen was arrested in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport for possession of over of cocaine. He subsequently pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges, and provided the names of other dealers in exchange for a sentence of three to seven years rather than a possible life imprisonment. He was paroled on June 12, 1981, after serving 2 years and 4 months in Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone in Sandstone, Minnesota. Allen had the Federal Bureau of Prisons Register # 04276-040.

Allen was raised as an Episcopalian. He was married to Laura Diebel from April 7, 1984, until they legally separated in 1999. Their divorce was finalized in 2003. They have a daughter, Katherine, born in 1989. Allen married actress Jane Hajduk on October 7, 2006, in a small private ceremony in Grand Lake, Colorado. They had dated for five years.

In 1997, Allen was arrested for DUI in Birmingham, Michigan, and was recorded as having a .15 percent blood-alcohol content. He was sentenced to one year probation. He entered a rehabilitation clinic for alcohol abuse as part of his court obligation.

On January 5, 2009, it was announced that Allen and Hajduk were expecting their first child together. On March 28, 2009, Allen's second child, a girl named Elizabeth Allen Dick, was born.

Awards

Allen was nominated for one Emmy and 5 Golden Globe Awards. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1995 for Home Improvement.

In 1999, Allen was named a Disney Legend for his work on the Toy Story and The Santa Clause franchises.

In 1999 Allen won a TV Guide Award for Favorite Actor in a Comedy.

For contributions to the television industry, Tim Allen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6898 Hollywood Blvd.

In 1996, he won the Hall of Fame award at the Kids Choice Awards.

The cast of Home Improvement was honored with a "Fan Favorite" award at the 2009 TV Land Awards.

In 2011 he won the Runner Up at the annual 'Tim Allen' awards with Professor Tim Allen of the LSE claiming first place.

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	Tropical Snow	Baggage Handler
1990	ABC TGIF	Tim Taylor	TV series
1991-1999	Home Improvement	Tim Taylor	TV series (203 episodes)
1994	'	Scott Calvin/Santa Claus
1995	Toy Story	Buzz Lightyear (voice)
1997	Meet Wally Sparks	Himself	Cameo
1997	Jungle 2 Jungle	Michael Cromwell
1997	Soul Man	Tim Taylor	TV series (1 episode "Communion Wine and Convicts")
1997	For Richer or Poorer	Brad Sexton
1998	Spin City	Rags (voice)	TV series (1 episode "The Kidney's All Right")
1999	Toy Story 2	Buzz Lightyear (voice)
1999	Galaxy Quest	Jason Nesmith	Saturn Award for Best Actor
2000	Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins	Buzz Lightyear (voice)	Video
2001	Who Is Cletis Tout?	Critical Jim
2001	Joe Somebody	Joe Scheffer
2002	Big Trouble	Eliot Arnold
2002	'	Santa Claus/Scott Calvin/Toy Santa
2003	These Guys	Narrator (voice)	TV movie
2003	Top Speed	Narrator
2004	Jimmy Neutron: Win, Lose and Kaboom	Meldar Prime (voice)	TV movie
2004	Christmas with the Kranks	Luther Krank
2006	Cars	Buzz Lightyear Car (voice)
2006	'	Dave Douglas	Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor
2006	Zoom	Jack Shepard/Captain Zoom	Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor
2006	'	Santa/Scott Calvin	Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple
2007	Wild Hogs	Doug Madsen
2008	Redbelt	Chet Frank
2009	'	Henry Lefay
2010	Crazy on the Outside	Tommy Zelda	Also director
2010	Toy Story 3	Buzz Lightyear (voice)	Nominated"Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie
2011	Hawaiian Vacation	Buzz Lightyear (voice)	Short
2011	Small Fry	Buzz Lightyear (voice)	Short
2011	Last Man Standing	Mike Baxter	TV series (37 episodes)
2012	Partysaurus Rex	Buzz Lightyear (voice)	Short
2012	Chimpanzee	Narrator	Documentary
2012	The Penguin King 3D	(voice)
2013	Geezers!	Tim

Video games

Year	Title	Voice
1996	Toy Story Activity Center	Buzz Lightyear
1999	Toy Story 2	Buzz Lightyear
2001	Toy Story Racer	Buzz Lightyear
2010	Scene It? Disney Magical Moments	Buzz Lightyear

Himself

Year	Title	Notes
1988	Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen
1989	Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney's Place
1990	Tim Allen: Men Are Pigs
1991	Tim Allen Rewires America
2007	Fired!	Documentary
2010	I Am Comic

Books

Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man (1994) - ISBN 0-7868-6134-7
I'm Not Really Here (1996) - ISBN 0-7868-6257-2

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