Tim Allen

Born: June 25 1953
Where: Denver, Colorado, USA

The former stand-up comedian is the voice of Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear as well as the man who dons the red robe in the Santa Claus movies.

One of nine children, Allen was left fatherless aged 11 when his estate agent dad Gerald Dick was killed in a collision with a drunken driver.

Brought up by his mother and a stepfather, he graduated with a degree in TV production Western Michigan University and went on to work in a sporting goods store and then an advertising agency.

He made his debut as a stand-up comedian at Detroit's Comedy Castle in 1979 but was convicted of dealing cocaine and jailed for 15 months.

On his release, he vowed to stay clean and used his live routines as the basis for the hit American TV comedy series Home Improvement.

Allen made his starring feature film debut in 1994 as Father Christmas/Scott Calvin with the box-office busting The Santa Clause.

The same year, he also published a best-selling book, Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man.

In 1995, he voiced the heroic toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story and published his second book, I'm not Really Here, a more philosophical look at his life, his fame, and his family.

Subsequent big screen appearances included the family comedy Jungle 2 Jungle with Martin Short and he hid among the Amish with Kirstie Alley in For Richer or Poorer.

After reteaming with Disney for Toy Story 2 he portrayed washed-up actor Jason Nesmith and his alter-ego Commander Peter Quincy Taggart in the rich spoof Galaxy Quest.

In 2001, he played a professional hitman in the comedy Who Is Clelis Tout? and also starred opposite Jim Belushi in Joe Somebody.

The following year he partnered Renee Russo in Barry Sonnenfeld's comedy Big Trouble (the movies' nuclear bomb theme meant its release was delayed after September 11)and reprised his seasonal role in Santa Clause 2.

In addition to acting and writing, Allen is involved with Boxing Cat Productions, an advertising agency he founded in 1984 that specialises in television commercials.

Recent feature work includes the lacklustre seasonal comedy Christmas With The Kranks alongside Jamie Lee Curtis.