Tim Allen Never Acted Before Emmy-Nominated HOME IMPROVEMENT Role
By Movieguide® Contributor
One of Tim Allen’s most iconic roles was on the popular sitcom HOME IMPROVEMENT, but co-star Patricia Richardson recently revealed that she thinks he doesn’t get “enough credit” for the work he did on the show.
Richardson played Jill Taylor, Allen’s on-screen wife, for eight seasons. Allen, who played Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, had never acted before.
“People don’t give Tim enough credit for the acting that he was doing,” Richardson said of her former castmate. “He had never acted before. He was getting acting lessons on the side.”
The actress went on to say that she and Allen “immediately” connected, and she often defended him in the early days of the show.
“I kept telling the guys who would like, bug him, and after our first couple performances, they would be on him,” she shared. “And I would be like, ‘Why are you giving him such a hard time? He’s brilliant. He’s better than a lot of actors I’ve worked with that are really actors in New York who don’t even look at you, you know?’ So, I was like, ‘Stop. Leave him alone. He’s doing great.’ And I always thought so.”
Richardson also compared Allen to another standup comedian who made the jump to television: Jerry Seinfeld.
“Obviously, Jerry Seinfeld was so charming and great,” she said of SEINFELD. “But I don’t think you ever had to see Jerry do something serious, you know, like losing his parents or talking about the death of his father or dealing with lots of things that we dealt with in that show.”
She continued, “Tim was right there for it always. And so it’s not surprising that he went on to a long career of doing a lot of movies and other shows.”
Allen went on to receive five Golden Globe nominations for his work on HOME IMPROVEMENT, winning one in 1995. He was also nominated for an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series in 1993.
Movieguide® previously reported on the success of HOME IMPROVEMENT and how it launched Allen’s career in Hollywood:
In 1991, actor Tim Allen starred in the first episode of the beloved sitcom, HOME IMPROVEMENT.
On Sept. 17, the ABC show celebrated its 30th birthday and gave fans of Allen an opportunity to reflect on the series.
HOME IMPROVEMENT ran for eight seasons and brought Allen’s relatable comedic style to millions of fans throughout the years.
Fox Business reported:
The show took great pains to present a portrait of the average American household, which is a theme Allen continued to play with throughout his subsequent work such as his follow-up sitcom “Last Man Standing.” Its relatability was likely a reason that people tuned into the show every week for eight seasons.
At the peak of its popularity in 1996, The Los Angeles Times reported that “Home Improvement” took the No. 1 spot on television, unclenching the tight grip that NBC had back then with shows like “ER,” “Friends,” “Seinfeld” and “Caroline in the City.”
Allen found a brand that worked, and he continued to represent the average American household in comedic fashion even after HOME IMPROVEMENT with his show LAST MAN STANDING.
Allen landed top roles in movies like THE SANTA CLAUSE, TOY STORY and GALAXY QUEST after showcasing his knack for humor in HOME IMPROVEMENT.
Recently, Allen and his HOME IMPROVEMENT co-star Richard Karn reunited for their show, ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
Movieguide® previously reported:
HOME IMPROVEMENT stars Tim Allen and Richard Karn are reuniting in a new series for HISTORY Channel.
The competition show, titled ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, received a 10-episode order from the Network, PEOPLE reports.
The series will “Spotlight the best and brightest builders from across the country at their home workshops, as they compete to breathe new life into everyday household items in desperate need of fixing.”
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