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James Eugene Carrey (b. January 17, 1962) is a Canadian actor born in Newmarket, Ontario to Percy and Kathleen Carrey. He is the youngest of their four children. He began doing standup routines at a young age to entertain his classmates and did well in school. During his early teen years the family's economic situation took a turn from the worst and all the family went to work, the children after school, working security and janitorial jobs at the Titan Wheels Factory. The family was homeless for a while until they regained their footing and moved back to Toronto.

Carrey dropped about of school at sixteen to focus on his comedy act and celebrity impersonations. He made his television debut in a small role on an episode of Happy Days in 1975. He moved to Los Angeles in 1979 where his performance at The Comedy Store impressed veteran comic, Rodney Dangerfield who then signed him as his opening act for his run.

Carrey made his film debut in Rubberface in 1983. In 1984 he landed his first starring role in the sitcom The Duck Factory, in which he played the straight man in a group of eccentric characters. The show was soon canceled but he moved on to roles in the comedic vampire tale Once Bitten (1985), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) and a modest breakthrough appearance in Earth Girls Are Easy in which he starred alongside Damon Wayans.

His work with Damon Wayans led to his joining the cast of Keenan Ivory Wayans' sketch comedy show, In Living Color. His performance proved popular, particularly as characters as Fire Marshall Bill. He parlayed his television success into leading film roles that capitalized on his talent for physical comedy. In 1994 he starred in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective a crude, but nevertheless popular comedy that launched a sequel Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and an animated series. He also starred in The Mask based on the Dark Horse Comic series. The role proved enormously successful for him and also sparked an animated series and a later film in which he did not appear, Son of the Mask.

A string of successful films followed with Dumb & Dumber, the sequel to Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Batman Forever. His roles earned him millions and led to his record-breaking twenty million dollar paycheck for The Cable Guy, directed by Ben Stiller. Unfortunately the film underperformed at the box office. However, Carrey's next film, Liar, Liar was very successful.

In the late 90s, Carrey turned to more serious roles beginning with 1998's The Truman Show. The film was nominated for an Academy Award nomination and Carrey won a Golden Globe for his performance. He then took on Simon Birch and played comedian Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. His performance garnered critical acclaim and earned him his second Golden Globe for Best Actor.

He returned to comedy with Me, Myself, & Irene as a Rhode Island state trooper with multiple personalities and followed up with How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Other notable roles include 2003's Bruce Almighty, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events , Fun with Dick and Jane and The Number 23. In 2008, he'll voice the role of Horton in the animated film Horton Hears a Who. In 2009, he is set to play the title role in a movie based on the life of Robert L. Ripley, creator of Ripley's Believe It Or Not!

Personal Life

Carrey married waitress Melissa Womer in 1987 and had a daughter, Jane. They divorced in 1995, and he married Lauren Holly. The two divorced after less than a year of marriage.

External Links

• Starpulse – Jim Carrey
• Jim Carrey at Internet Movie Database
• Upcoming TV Schedule by Internet Movie Database
• Lemony Snicket movie page at Scifans.com
• Once Bitten movie page at Scifans.com
• Bruce Almighty movie page at Scifans.com

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