Tim Allen

Timothy Allen Dick was born June 13, 1953 in Denver, Colorado to Gerald, a real estate salesman, and Martha, a homemaker. Tim was the third child born to this large family that later had six children. He was one of four brothers. “We’re all Dicks. We’re from a long line of Dicks.” (Tim quoted by Martin, page 1.) He was teased constantly about his last name. He used humor to make himself feel better about it.

Tim’s mother was often frustrated from taking care of six kids. It was his mother who first taught Tim about being a man. “She’d insist that men were only good for two things- lawn care and vehicle maintenance.” (Tim quoted by Biography Today, page 15.)

Tim’s childhood was really not very exciting. He and father and brothers spent their time hanging out in the tool department in Sears.

In November of 1964, when Tim was eleven, his family went to a University of Colorado football game. Tim decided not to go along. On the way home from the game, their car was hit by a drunk driver. His father was killed. If Tim had gone and sat in his usual seat, it was likely that he would have been killed too. ” My world changed overnight”. (Tim quoted by Zoglin, page 2.)

Two years later, Tim’s mother married her high school boyfriend. Coincidentally, he had lost his wife in a car accident also. Tim’s new stepfather was a big adjustment. “My stepfather came in when I was at that obstinate age. We had problems getting on the right track.” (Tim quoted by Biography Today, page 16.) They eventually worked out all of their problems and now Tim thinks that he is a terrific father.

In 1967, the new family moved out to Birmingham, Michigan, near Detroit. In high school, his favorite class was shop, of course. “I loved making stuff and the smell of those places, but I hated the teachers”. (Tim quoted by Zoglin.) He was also a huge goof off. “If there was no opportunity for me to be a smart ass, then I wouldn’t be happy.” (Tim quoted by Biography Today, page 16.) He was voted “Class Clown” his senior year and graduated in 1971, despite the fact that he struggled.

Tim went to college at Central Michigan University and then later to Western Michigan University. He graduated in 1976 with a B.Sc. degree in Television Production.

Soon after graduation, Tim began to hang out with a hard partying crowd and began selling drugs including cocaine. “I didn’t have any idea what I was going to do with my life, and the money was right. I was floundering, actually. That’s how I got into trouble. By 1979 I was getting worried about where I was going.” (Tim quoted by Biography today, page 17.)

In 1979, Tim and 20 others were caught sneaking drugs in an undercover sting operation at the Kalamazoo airport. He was arrested and charged with the possession of narcotics and thrown into jail. He pleaded guilty to his charges. In the period between pleading guilty and be sentencing, Tim hanged out at a comedy club. He went up on stage and decided “I want to do this for the rest of my life.” (Tim quoted by Biography Today, page 17.) In 1980, sentenced to eight years in a minimum-security federal prison in Minnesota. “While awaiting sentencing, I decided to give to give stand-up comedy a shot. The judge suggested I get my act together, and I took him seriously.” (Tim quoted by Celebsite, page 1.)

Tim was disappointed in such a long sentence and soon began occupying his time with reading books, writing letters, taking classes, and going to a drug rehabilitation program. He worked hard to obtain a good attitude, despite the negative situation. “It was frightening, the whole time, how much anger I had.” (Tim quoted by Zoglin, page 3.) He found humor very useful in prison. He had the ability to make even the meanest prison guards laugh. Tim had a very helpful family that always supported him. “Tim accepted it. He knew he deserved it, and he didn’t fight it. Everyone in the family came out and rallied behind him.” (Tim’s mother, Martha, quoted by Zoglin, page 3.) He began to plan his future. He also learned that humor was a solution to many problems. “Humor was the only defense I had.” (Tim quoted by Biography Today, page 17.)

Tim only served a total of 28 months, though. He was let off early due to good behavior. He knew then that he had to get his life straightened out. “Being in a penitentiary realigned everything. Sometimes you have to hit bottom to know where to go.” (Tim quoted by Biography Today, page 17.)

Tim returned to Detroit after parole, and worked in a sporting goods store and an advertising agency. One night, while out having fun, a friend dared him to go up to the front at a local comedy club and tell some jokes. This was the beginning of his comedy career. He worked hard to develop a stand-up comedy act. “He was a bundle of nerves, shaking his hands and pacing himself into a frenzy. But boom, once he got up there, he was in control.” (Mark Ridley, the owner of Comedy Castle, quoted by Zoglin.) He appeared in comedy clubs and in various commercials for companies like Mr. Goodwrench, Ford, Chevrolet, and Kmart. Tim has appeared in more than 500 television commercials. He soon quit his advertising job and spent all of his time making a very successful and funny routine for stand-up comedy.

On April 7, 1984 Tim married Laura Deibel, his college girlfriend. Laura stood by him through the tough times during prison and as a stand-up comedian. “We loved each other. It was simple.” (Laura quoted by Zoglin, page 19.)

Tim’s comedy routine was basically about tools, cars, and what “celebrates what’s cool about guys. I have a very feminist upbringing, and I wish there was a thing called ‘masculinist’. I’m starting a movement. It’s a celebration of men’s stuff: Gunk, gaskets, Lava soap, aluminum boats, bass fishing, big V-8s, blowing your nose with a thumb over a nostril?men’s stuff.” (Tim quoted by Zoglin, page 18.) This originated when he was bombing on stage one night and began to talk about cars. This led to his all new image.

Tim began going to Los Angeles and hitting the big comedy clubs. He appeared in a few TV and cable shows. He got his big break when he got his own Showtime special. This got the attention of Disney executives who reviewed the tape and loved it. “He set the room on fire. It was like everyone had touched a raw electric wire.” (Katzenberg, Disney executive, quoted by Zoglin, page 3.) They liked him so much, that they went to a comedy club to see him in person.

Disney wanted to sign Tim to do a sitcom for ABC. They tried a few times, but were unable to please Tim. Finally, they wrote out a sitcom using the character that Tim used in his act. Tim loved this idea. They later added three kids to the script. The show went into the development stage in early 1991, and in September of 1991 “Home Improvement” first aired. It soon became a huge success and hit the top ten of the Nielson Ratings in its first year. The show stars Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, Zachary Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Taran Smith, Earl Hindman, and Richard Karn. “I think what people see in Tim Allen is a man-child. He’s attractive, sensitive and strong, and he’s a little impish 12-year-old boy. You feel like he could be you.” (Williams, producer, quoted by Zoglin.)

Tim has written two books. In 1994 he wrote, “Don’t stand too Close to a Naked Man”, a collection of humor and comedy. In 1996 he wrote, “I’m Not Really Here” which is a much more serious, psychological, and spiritual book full of deep thoughts and intelligent comments.

Tim has built himself up quite a career. He has appeared in over 500 commercials, he was The Santa Clause, a huge box office hit, and he was the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, of course, his role as Tim Taylor on Home Improvement, and he is in Jungle2Jungle and For Richer or Poorer. Knowing Tim Allen, he’ll be in several more movies and commercials.

Despite the fact that his father was killed by a drunk driver, Tim was arrested May 24, 1997 in Bloomfields, Michigan, for drunk driving. (Biographical information for Tim Allen, page 1.)

Tim and his family spend their time in either their home in Beverly Hills, Michigan, or their home in San Fernando Valley in Southern California. He and his wife now have an eight-year-old daughter named Kady.

Tim Allen is currently the top-paid television actor, even surpassing Jerry Seinfeld’s salary. He makes $1,250,000 per episode.

Tim has won a Golden Globe Award, three Kid’s Choice Awards, eight People’s Choice Awards, the winner of the TV Guide Reader’s Poll, and has been nominated for an Emmy.

Tim Allen is an incredible man full of talent and humor. It was interesting to learn about all of the hardships and breaks that helped bring him to where he is today.

31a