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Jim Carrey Biography |
James Eugene Carrey (originally Carré) (born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian film actor, comedian, writer and producer who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Newmarket, Ontario.
A comedian from an early age, Carrey mailed his résumé to The Carol Burnett Show when he was 10 years old. The teachers in Carrey's high school gave him a few minutes at the end of each school day to do a stand-up routine for his classmates.
The Carrey family fell on hard times and were forced to move to the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, where they took security and janitorial jobs in the Titan Wheels factory. Carrey began working eight-hour shifts each day after school. Eventually, the Carrey family adjusted by living on a relative's lawn out of the family Volkswagen van until they could move back downtown.
Carrey dropped out of high school, and began to work in comedy clubs and to develop his act, which included impersonations of celebrities such as Michael Landon and James Stewart. In 1979 he moved to Los Angeles and started working in The Comedy Store, where he was noticed by comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Dangerfield liked Carrey's act so much that he signed Carrey up to open Dangerfield's tour performances.
Carrey began to work occasionally in television and in small parts in movies, which eventually led to a friendship with Damon Wayans. Wayans' brother Keenen Ivory Wayans was in the process of putting together a sketch comedy show for Fox called In Living Color, and hired Carrey to be a cast member. Carrey's unusual characters and on-screen behavior caught America's attention.
Carrey's first starring role in a film was in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994). Through the 1990s, Carrey released one highly successful film after another, including The Mask (1994), Batman Forever (1995), Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), Liar Liar (1997), and The Truman Show (1998).
In 1999 Carrey fought hard for the role of comedian Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. There were quite a few actors fighting for the role, including Edward Norton, but director Milos Forman and the other filmmakers knew Carrey was their "Andy" when they saw his audition. Carrey performed for them as Kaufman with Kaufman's actual bongo drums.
Carrey's manager is James Miller, younger brother of comedian Dennis Miller.
He is an inductee of Canada's Walk of Fame.
Carrey has been listed on a number of lists of famous people that are claimed to have or have had bipolar disorder, but the truth of these rumours is not known.
Selected Filmography
The Duck Factory (1983 series)
Once Bitten (1985)
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Earth Girls are Easy (1989)
In Living Color (1990 series)
Doing Time on Maple Drive (1992, TV)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
The Mask (1994)
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Batman Forever (1995)
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
The Cable Guy (1996)
Liar Liar (1997)
The Truman Show (1998)
Man on the Moon (1999)
Me, Myself and Irene (2000)
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
The Majestic (2001)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) |
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