Richard Karn Movies
Richard Karn was born Richard Karn Wilson in Seattle, Wash., in 1956. He earned a B.F.A. at the University of Washington in their Professional Actor Training Program and played in off-Broadway and Broadway productions (his Broadway debut was playing the "suit of armor" in Me and My Girl), in the 1980s. However, it was his role as the shy, but confident Al Borland on the 1990s television sitcom Home Improvement that made Karn a star. It was a role he discovered by accident -- or almost an accident -- when he ran a stop sign, was sent to traffic school, and met an agent who told him about the Home Improvement audition. Looking back at the success of the series and Karn's beloved character, it seems hard to believe that the actor kept his job as an apartment manager during the first season, unsure of the fledgling show's future. During his years on the sitcom, Karn appeared as a host for TV specials and in made-for-TV films, including ABC's Picture Perfect (1995) and HBO's Bram Stoker's Legend of the Mummy (1998). Following Home Improvement, Karn found a new niche as a game-show host, replacing Louie Anderson as the host of Family Feud in 2002, and Patrick Duffy as the host of Bingo America in 2008. Karn is an avid golfer and has become a national spokesman for the "Mr. Handyman" franchise. ~ Bill Ecklund, All Movie Guide
This program, produced by the History Channel, examines the lives and challenges of the men who made up the Roman Legions. Who were these foot soldiers who patrolled the known world, from the Mediterranean in the south to the far reaches of Gaul in the Nnorth? Historians paint a picture of the rank and file, using journals and archeological evidence. Colorful reenactments bring to life the excitement of battles, as well as the routines of everyday life, as the foot soldiers waited for their next orders. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
The first season of Home Improvement drew heavily upon the standup comedy routines of series co-creator Tim Allen, herein cast as Tim Taylor, star of the Detroit cable-TV series "Tool Time" -- sort of a low-rent version of Bob Vila's do-it-yourself opus This Old House (Vila in fact guest-starred on the episode titled "What About Bob"). Allen's humor relied upon barbed but affectionate digs at his wife and kids, and his ever-increasing ineptitude in dealing with the follies and foibles of everyday life. In Home Improvement, Tim Taylor was affirmatively master of his domain on "Tool Time" -- even though he relied a bit too extensively on his all-purpose solution to any mechanical problem, "More Power! More Power!" -- but at home he was all thumbs with the household appliances, and a stumbler-bumbler supreme when dealing with his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson), and three sons, Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). As for Jill, she spent much of season one fighting a losing battle to imbue her oafish husband with sensitivity and culture (specifically, trying to get him to accompany her to the opera), but loved him all the same. Jill also yearned to find a job of her own, finally landing a position on a high-profile magazine.
The Taylor youngsters were typically mischievous and sometimes irksome but basically good kids, though youngest son Mark (age 6) tended to be victimized by the prankery of ten-year-old Brad and nine-year-old Randy. During the first season, Brad began squiring a classmate named Jennifer Sudarsky (Jessica Wesson), resulting in a variety of amusing and all-too-human "puppy love" situations. Also in the cast was Earl Hindman as the Taylors' philosophical, advice-dispensing neighbor Wilson, whose face was never clearly seen behind the backyard fence that separated the two neighbors' houses. Showing up on a recurring basis was Tim's long-suffering "Tool Time" assistant, Al Borland (Richard Karn), and the show's pulchritudinous "tool girl" Lisa (Pamela Anderson). Likewise making sporadic "Tool Time" appearances were Rock (Casey Sander), Peter (Mickey Jones), and Dwayne (Gary McGurk), the guys from K&B Construction. Initially telecast on ABC's Tuesday evening schedule, Home Improvement ended its first season as the nation's fifth highest-rated program. The series also earned an Emmy award for Achievement in Lighting Direction (the statuette went to director of photography Donald A. Morgan). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The Taylor youngsters were typically mischievous and sometimes irksome but basically good kids, though youngest son Mark (age 6) tended to be victimized by the prankery of ten-year-old Brad and nine-year-old Randy. During the first season, Brad began squiring a classmate named Jennifer Sudarsky (Jessica Wesson), resulting in a variety of amusing and all-too-human "puppy love" situations. Also in the cast was Earl Hindman as the Taylors' philosophical, advice-dispensing neighbor Wilson, whose face was never clearly seen behind the backyard fence that separated the two neighbors' houses. Showing up on a recurring basis was Tim's long-suffering "Tool Time" assistant, Al Borland (Richard Karn), and the show's pulchritudinous "tool girl" Lisa (Pamela Anderson). Likewise making sporadic "Tool Time" appearances were Rock (Casey Sander), Peter (Mickey Jones), and Dwayne (Gary McGurk), the guys from K&B Construction. Initially telecast on ABC's Tuesday evening schedule, Home Improvement ended its first season as the nation's fifth highest-rated program. The series also earned an Emmy award for Achievement in Lighting Direction (the statuette went to director of photography Donald A. Morgan). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
Inasmuch as Home Improvement had closed out its first season as the nation's fifth highest-rated TV program, neither its producers nor the ABC network saw the need to make anything but superficial changes for the series' second season on the air. ABC moved the program from its Tuesday night slot to an even better Wednesday-night berth, while one of the recurring characters, long-suffering "Tool Time" assistant Al Borland (Richard Karn), was promoted to "series regular" status. Otherwise, things remained pretty much the same as they'd been during season one. Protagonist Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) was still a fount of wisdom and expertise on his Detroit-based "do it yourself" cable TV series, "Tool Time" but a momument to ineptitude and insensitivity in his own home. Tim's wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson), now employed at a Detroit magazine, continued in her efforts to force culture and class upon her husband, all the while struggling to prevent him from "repairing" the household appliances. The Taylors' three sons -- eleven-year-old Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), ten-year-old Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and seven-year-old Mark (Taran Noah Smith) -- persisted in causing trouble for themselves and their parents, though it was clear that there was a lot of love and mutual respect in the family's household. Of the remaining characters, ubiquitous neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman) continued to dispense advice and philosophy to Tim and his brood -- and also continued to remain a somewhat shadowy figure, never showing his face to anyone. Buxom "tool girl" Lisa (Pamela Anderson) was still a fixture of Tim's TV series, seldom saying much but certainly making a big impression whenever she wriggled into camera range. And in a new development, Maureen Binford (Vicki Lewis), ditzy daughter of "Tool Time"'s primary sponsor, became the series' producer, saddling Tim with all manners of idiotic format changes to boost his ratings. Moving from fifth to third place in the real-life ratings, Home Improvement was the second most popular sitcom of 1992-1993, beaten out only by another ABC offering, Roseanne. And for the second year in a row, an Emmy award was bestowed upon the series' director of photography, Donald A. Morgan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
Tim Taylor (Tim Allen), self-assured authority on all things mechanical while starring in his own cable-TV series "Tool Time," continues to be an all-thumbs prophet without honor in his own home as Home Improvement enters its third season. With Tim's on-air "Tool Girl" Lisa having left for greener pastures (much like the actress who played her, Pamela Anderson), Debbe Dunning joins the regular cast as new Tool Girl Heidi, every bit as voluptuous as her predecessor. In another season-three development, Tim's "Tool Time" helper, Al (Richard Karn), a lifelong bachelor, begins yearning for a wife and kids on the occasion of his 35th birthday, thus Tim's helpful missus, Jill (Patricia Richardson), fixes Al up with her friend Ilene Markham (Sherry Hursey) -- whereupon the overwhelmed Al proposes to Ilene during a "Tool Time" broadcast! Finally, Robert Picardo joins the cast as Tim's explosive new neighbor Joe Morton, as does Mariangela Pino as Joe's wife, Marie Morton. Even as Heidi, Ilene, and the Mortons come on board, another recurring character passes from the scene: Mr. Binford, Tim's boss, sponsor, and friend. The death of Binford culminates in a touching (but still very funny) episode in which Tim is afraid to cry upon hearing the news. For the third year in a row, the series' season finale finds Tim locked in deadly competition with rival do-it-yourself TV host Bob Vila, playing "himself" for the last time (on this show, at any rate!) in "The Great Race II." Also for the third year in a row, the series' lighting director, Donald A. Morgan, picked up an Emmy award. Home Improvement closed out season three as America's second most popular series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
Home Improvement enters its fourth season with do-it-yourself expert Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) continuing to hold court on the cable-TV show "Tool Time," but with his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson), being laid off from her job. Jill subsequently decides to go back to college, opening a whole new realm of story possibilities as Tim begins to worry that his wife will become "too smart" for him (which, truth to tell, she's been all along!). In other developments, Blake Clark becomes a semi-regular in the role of Harry, a hardware-store owner whose heart attack at age 40 sets his contemporary Tim a-worrying about his own wellbeing. Eventually, Harry sells his store to Tim's TV assistant, Al (Richard Karn), who becomes so obsessive about his job that he nearly breaks up his engagement to Ilene Markham (Sherry Hursey). In previous years, Home Improvement's season finale would concern itself with the ongoing rivalry between Tim Taylor and real-life home-improvement expert Bob Vila. This year, however, the season's last episode involves Tim's always-heard, never-seen neighbor Wilson Wilson (Earl Hindman), who upon deciding to go on his first date in 20 years, falls into the clutches of irrepressible matchmaker Jill Taylor. Ranking number three in the Nielsen ratings throughout its fourth season, Home Improvement also brought home a fourth Emmy award for the series' lighting director, Donald A. Morgan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
- 1995
Big-hearted Shawn (Rider Strong) adopts "Little Cory", an abandoned baby pig. Though Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) allows Shawn to keep the pig in the apartment, Topanga (Danielle Fishel) insists that the animal would be better off on a farm. As the debate heats up between Shawn and Topanga, Cory (Ben Savage) finds himself stuck in the middle--or should that be "pig in the middle"? Meanwhile, Eric (Will Friedle) tries to bribe his way into a prestigious college by taking Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) to an opera...and guess who ends up getting the most out of the experience! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since do-it-yourselfer Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) hosted his first episode of cable TV's "Tool Time" in the opening season of Home Improvement. As the series enters its fifth season, Tim's son Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), ten years old when the series started, is just about to begin his first year in high school, where he is destined to excel as a hockey player (and also to lose his trademarked ponytail). Season five also introduces a new recurring character: Tim's new boss, Bud Harper (Charles Robinson), who takes an instant dislike to Tim's on-air assistant, Al (Richard Karn). Additionally, more screen time is allotted to Irene Markham (Sherry Hursey), Al's off-and-on fiancée. Down from third place in the 1994-1995 ratings, Home Improvement still closed at a strong seventh place at the climax of its fifth season. And, for the fifth year in a row, and Emmy award was bestowed upon the series' lighting director, Donald A. Morgan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
Beginning with the sixth season of Home Improvement, Tim Allen could not only be seen each and every week as Tim Taylor, affable host of the cable TV do-it-yourself series "Tool Time," but was also kept busy behind the scenes as one of Home Improvement's executive producers. One imagines that such a job requires a lot more skill than was exhibited by poor Tim Taylor whenever he tried (and failed) to fix some appliance or other in his own home, while wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) looked on in stoic silence (until she started complaining, that is). While Tim and Jill look none the worse for wear after being in the public eye for six years, their sons continue to grow apace: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan) is beginning his sophomore year in high school, Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is pursuing a very serious relationship with a socially conscious girl named Lauren (Courtney Peldon) (who, much to Tim's delight, is a car enthusiast!), and youngest son Mark (Taran Noah Smith) has developed a taste for "grunge" music. Speaking of developments, there are plenty of them this season, beginning with Tim's boss, Bud (Charles Robinson), breaking up with his wife. Also, the Taylor household is besieged by Jill's loony sisters, Linda (Carlene Watkins), Tracy (Maryedith Burrell), Carrie (Tudi Roche), and Delores (Shirley Prestia), on the occasion of their parents' 50th anniversary; "Tool Girl" Heidi (Debbe Dunning), pregnant for months and months, goes into labor during an awards ceremony; we find out that Tim's never-seen neighbor Wilson Wilson (Earl Hindman) is related to the Beach Boys (no kidding); and after three seasons of emotional hills and valleys, Tim's assistant, Al (Richard Karn), and his girlfriend, Ilene (Sherry Hursey), break off their engagement -- on the eve of their wedding. The season finale finds former Tool Girl Lisa (Pamela Anderson) making an encore appearance. For the first time in six years, Home Improvement's lighting director, Donald A. Morgan, did not win an Emmy award, though he'd make up for this lapse the following year. Home Improvement itself fared pretty well ratings-wise, ending up as the ninth top-rated show in America. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
Louis Gossett Jr., Richard Karn, and Amy Locane star in this supernatural horror tale about a mummy with a heart that bears a power beyond that of our world. When the mummy attacks archaeologist Dr. Trelawny, his colleagues have to trace the source of the ghoul's power and find a way to stop it. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
"More power! More power!" And more laughs as Home Improvement launches its seventh season. As ever, Tim Allen stars as Tim Taylor, host of the popular cable-TV fix-it series "Tool Time," with Patricia Richardson as Tim's wife, Jill, and Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Taran Noah Smith as the Taylors' ever-growing sons Brad, Randy, and Mark. With this season, Debbe Dunning moves out of the "recurring" category to become a full-fledged regular in the role of Tim's TV "Tool Girl" Heidi. Episodes worth noting during season seven include "Losing My Religion," with Dan Aykroyd appearing as Father Mike Weber, the actor's character on the like-vintage sitcom Soul Man; "The Dating Game," in which Tim's assistant, Al (Richard Karn), must face the fact that his former fiancée, Ilene, has found someone else; "Bright Christmas," featuring Polly Holliday as Jill's flibbertigibbet mother; "An Older Woman," wherein son Brad may or may not be getting married to a college girl; and the season's next-to-last installment, "Tool-Thousand-One: A Space Odyssey," featuring guest appearances by real-life astronauts Ken Bowersox and Steve Hawley. Home Improvement tied with Frasier as America's tenth most popular series during the 1997-1998 season. Also, after missing out the previous year, lighting director Donald A. Morgan won his sixth Emmy award. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
- 1998
New visitors to cyberspace, as well as more experienced ones, may find some tips on this tape that will improve their web-surfing abilities. Suggestions are provided for finding such diverse things as free merchandise on the Internet and street maps to help viewers reach their real world destinations. Also covers more about finding quality medical, legal and travel services on the Internet and where the lyrics to over 60,000 songs are kept. Ways to obtain free Internet access are also addressed and information is included about the many email scams that must be avoided. This is a general primer that provides a basic overview for navigating the Internet. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
Home Improvement begins its eighth and final season with one fewer regular than in previous seasons. Jonathan Taylor-Thomas, who since the series' debut had been seen as Randy Taylor, the middle child of cable-TV star Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) and his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson), had decided to briefly quit acting to devote himself to his college studies. Thus, it was explained on the series that Randy had left home in the company of his socially conscious girlfriend, Lauren, to go to Costa Rica in hopes of rescuing the rain forest. However, Brad's brothers, Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith), remained in the family fold. The series' final episode is truly one for the ages. After yet another fight with his sponsor, Binford Tools, Tim quits his TV show "Tool Time" cold, and prepares to move to faraway Bloomington with wife Jill, who has landed a job at a medical clinic. Since they cannot bear to leave their old house behind, the only solution is to take it with them -- which they do! Elsewhere, Tim's assistant, Al (Richard Karn), heartbroken since the breakup of his engagement to Ilene Markham, finds a happily-ever-after in the arms of his new bride, the pleasantly plump Trudy (Megan Cavanagh). And, in a moment the world has been waiting for, we finally get to see the complete face of Tim's philosophical neighbor, Wilson Wilson (Earl Hindman)! Finally, the terminal season of Home Improvement won an Emmy award for the series' lighting director Donald A. Morgan -- his seventh such Emmy in eight years! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, (more)
