Ryan Stiles

Ryan Stiles
Born	Ryan Lee Stiles
Spouse	Patricia McDonald

Ryan Lee Stiles (born April 22, 1959) is an Emmy-nominated American-Canadian actor and comedian, whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. In 2002, Stiles and Sean Masterson finished work on a screenplay entitled Live Bait, which is reportedly in production.

Biography

Early life and career

Stiles was born in Seattle, Washington, the youngest of five children. When he was ten, his Canadian-born parents moved the family to Richmond, British Columbia. At the age of seventeen, he dropped out of high school to pursue a career in comedy. He worked in his father's fish-processing plant to earn a living while doing stand-up in Vancouver-area nightclubs and performing improv with Vancouver TheatreSports League. In 1986, Stiles successfully auditioned for a berth at Toronto's renowned Second City comedy ensemble. By 1990, he had gained the attention of the producers of the British improvisational comedy show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Stiles was a regular on the show until 1998, and the show's short production season allowed him to make numerous television and motion picture appearances in the United States.

Work with Drew Carey

In 1995, Stiles was tapped by American comic Drew Carey to be a regular on his sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. Stiles played Drew's smart but underachieving best friend, Lewis Kiniski. Stiles's first line in the pilot episode of the The Drew Carey Show, "And that's why the French don't wash," is a line he'd previously used in an episode of the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Stiles and Carey continued work on the comedy even as they brought Whose Line Is It Anyway? to American television, with Carey as the new host. Both men appeared weekly on the program and were its executive producers. Stiles did several impressions for the program, most notably Carol Channing and John Wayne as well as frequently showcasing his mastery of dialects. He passionately despises singing in the Hoedown segment of Whose Line, to the point that he often ad-libs various insults at the expense of hosts Clive Anderson or Drew Carey during the segment, or at the hoedown itself. In the Season 1 DVD special features, one gag reel shows Ryan singing:

"Singing a song about a vending machine.
Don't you know that it's really not my scene.
Try to think of something clever with a little twist.
If we do another hoedown, I'll slit my fucking wrist".

Also, on the Season 1 Volume 2 DVD bloopers, he makes fun of the director:

"When it comes to hoedowns, I'm doing another one.
After the first one, I thought that I was done.
I feel like such a fool, and I feel like such a twit.
This is what I have to do to please the fucking brit. "

Also, during an episode that aired (aired as ep419 but filmed as ep411), he became totally lost for a verse, sitting down and telling Drew when his turn came that he was 'phased out'. This resulted in Carey standing behind Ryan, and singing Stiles' part for him.

Notable roles

Stiles had appeared in the movies Hot Shots! and Hot Shots! Part Deux (playing different roles). He also appeared in the Academy Award-nominated short, "Rainbow War". On the TV screen, he has appeared as a guest star in several TV-series such as Mad About You, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, and Dharma & Greg. He currently has a recurring role on Two and a Half Men as Judith's (Marin Hinkle) fiance. He has also appeared in commercials for Slim Jim, Pizza Hut, Lotto 6-49, FedEx Kinko's, and Progressive Auto Insurance. He has also appeared in Whose Line is it Anyway?.

He also hosted a season 2 episode of MAD TV, where he performed a song in the show's monologue portion about his very large bare feet (featured prominently, soles in the camera) entitled "Huge Toes".

In 2004, Stiles appeared on the pilot filming of Drew Carey's Green Screen Show but his one filming was never aired during the run of the short-lived 12 episode series. In 2005, he appeared in the Conker: Live & Reloaded videogame's promotional mockumentary.

He was photographed for life-size stand-ups displayed at Kinko's stores. His name tag said "Kenny", though, as that was the name he introduced himself as in his commercials with Kinko's.

Stiles also appeared in a television advert for KFC Fillet Tower burger and KFC Mega Bucket on British television in 1997.

In September 2007, Ryan began appearing in "Believe in Play" commercials for toy company Playskool. Ryan Stiles is the only American Whose Line regular NOT to host a game show.

Personal life

In 1989, Stiles married Patricia McDonald, and they have three children (Sam, Mackenzie and Claire). When not working in Hollywood, he lives at his home outside of Bellingham, Washington , where he has opened the Upfront Theatre, a small theatre dedicated to live improv comedy.

He was rumored to be a diabetic, as he occasionally played on this idea on WLIIA, although on the April 7, 2007 episode of Outlaw Radio, he laughed at and denied the rumor. He also denied it in several interviews of that year, including one with the Eugene, OR Register-Guard and one with the Idaho Statesman Stiles reportedly has trouble finding shoes that fit him because of his very large shoe size, 15. He often has custom-made shoes by George Esquivel. Jokes pertaining to Stiles' shoes on Whose Line Is It Anyway? are quite common.

Stiles once lived in a house previously owned by Liberace in Sherman Oaks, California, but sold the house several years ago.

Ryan's best friend is his fellow comedian, Colin Mochrie. According to Mochrie, one reason Stiles doesn't tour with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood is that Stiles suffers from aerophobia.

Other Appearances

Ryan has recently appeared in a new ad campaign for Playskool, talking to babies in a manner as if they were adults, for example 'Where do you see yourself in ten years?'

Ryan appeared in the 1993 comedy Hot Shots: Part Deux, as marine Rabinowitz. In the film, he is heard to say to Charlie Sheens character, Topper Harley;

"Know what I'm gonna do if we make it? I'm gonna go back to Eagle River and marry my gal, Edith Mae. Gonna get us a nice little place with a white picket fence. You know the kind. Two-car garage. Maybe a fishing boat. And in 15 years, when they're all paid for... I'll set my charges and blow the shit out of them."

External links

• Ryan Stiles at IMDb
• Ryan Stiles biography
• The Up Front Theatre, an improv theatre in Bellingham, Washington founded by Ryan Stiles