Man - this guy is a performer if there ever was one. Before becoming the power-tool-wielding star of the hugely successful ABC sitcom Home Improvement, Tim Allen suffered through comedy club obscurity, prison and even a job in advertising. Allen first took to the stage on a dare by one of his friends, and found he had a talent for eliciting guffaws. As his reputation as a comedian grew, Allen retooled his act into a grunt-punctuated routine called Men Are Pigs, which focused on men's love of hardware. The material quickly caught on and before long, Allen succeeded in packaging it for a 1990 Showtime special of the same title. The special came to the attention of Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and Home Improvement was soon born. TV viewers loved it and Home Improvement managed to break into the Nielsen top ten list during its first season on the air. And it only went up from there. Allen's first book, Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man, and first feature film, The Santa Clause, both ascended to number one at the box office. Since them, Allen has starred in numerous movies including The Santa Clause II, For Richer or Poorer, Toy Story, Joe Somebody and Galaxy Quest. Allen currently stars as Mike Baxter in the ABC sitcom Last Man Standing. His stand-up is something to been in person, up front, close and personal.