TIM ALLEN (Buzz Lightyear) gives a top-flight performance as the spirited space ranger who causes chaos among the other toys when he crash lands in Andy's bedroom. Not willing to accept the fact that he is really a toy, Buzz attempts to carry out his mission to save the universe from the evil Emperor Zurg, causing complications of cosmic proportions in his wake. Allen brings the character convincingly to life and infuses him with the same comic sensibilities that have made him a favorite with television audiences and moviegoers all over the world.
Born in Denver and raised, from age 13, in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham, Allen was one of seven brothers raised by his mother. A class cut-up, his favorite high school subject was shop, and his first true love was cars. He traded a whole summer's work at a local speed shop for a custom built, tricked-out dune buggy -- not very practical for the icy streets of Michigan in winter, but try telling that to a teenage boy.
Allen graduated from Western Michigan University in 1975 with a degree in TV production, and went to work as a creative director for a small advertising firm in Detroit. Soon he moved from behind the camera to in front of it, as a performer and commercial spokesman. He still keeps his hand in advertising with the company he formed in 1984, Boxing Cat Productions, which is involved in graphic-arts designs and commercial production.
In 1979, on a dare from a friend, Allen made his first stand-up appearance at Detroit's Comedy Castle. Since then, he has become "a 15-year overnight success," selling out concert venues around the country, including an appearance at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. He has also appeared in the cable specials: "The Montreal Just for Laughs Festival," "Showtime Comedy Club All Stars VII" and two half-hour specials of his own for Showtime -- "Men are Pigs" and "Tim Allen Rewires America."
He won a 1990 ACE Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Special at the "Just for Laughs International Comedy Festival" in Montreal. In 1991, 1992 and 1993 television audiences honored Allen with a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series. He recently received additional People's Choice recognition for his film debut in Walt Disney Pictures' 1994 comedy hit, "The Santa Clause" (Funniest Actor in a Comedy Motion Picture and Favorite Motion Picture Comedy). That film went on to become the #1 comedy hit of the year. In addition to winning awards, Allen co-hosted the 1992 Emmy Awards and has been nominated several times for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The popular comedian recently won a Golden Globe for being the "Funniest Actor in a Television Series" for his role on "Home Improvement."
Allen's first book, "Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man," was also a major success, topping The New York Times Bestseller List and selling out in bookstores across the nation.
Now in his fifth season as Tim Taylor, Allen continues to bring his unique slant on masculinity to series television with "Home Improvement," which he describes as "'Men Are Pigs' at home" His role as host of a fictional cable home improvement show, "Tool Time," is one that he wistfully hopes to recreate in real life someday. "Actually, that's what I want to do, is host 'Tool Time' for real," he confesses. "I love that show."
Allen is set to star in his second feature film for Disney -- "An Indian in the City" -- which will film in 1996.
