Personal details
- Birth Date: 1956-02-17
- Height: 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- Birth Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Children: (1 child) Cooper Karn
- Professions: Actor, Producer, Additional Crew
Richard Karn—yeah, the guy who rocked the flannel as Al Borland—was born February 17, 1956, in Seattle. His parents, Gene and Louise Wilson, probably didn’t guess their kid would become a household name on TV. He’s got a sister named Sue, too. His full name? Richard Karn Wilson. But, classic showbiz move—he trimmed it down to Richard Karn because some other dude already had “Richard Wilson” locked down at the Screen Actors Guild. Funny how Hollywood works, right? Karn got his first taste of acting way back in fifth grade. Guess the bug bit him early. In high school, he was that theater kid, always in drama, chewing the scenery, you know the type. Later on, he did a six-month stint in England—probably picked up a love for tea or bad weather—and then went to the University of Washington. He graduated in ’79 with a drama degree. So, no, he didn’t just stumble onto a sitcom set; he put in the work. His career’s not just sitcoms. He’s been on stage—off-Broadway stuff, not just the fancy New York lights. His filmography’s got about 11 feature films, plus a handful of made-for-TV movies. Oh, and can’t forget TV series—he spent eight years as Al Borland on Home Improvement alongside Tim Allen. That beard? Iconic. Karn’s one of those actors who just kind of sneaks into your living room and then, suddenly, you can’t imagine TV without him hanging around.
Before he was cracking jokes and wielding power tools on Home Improvement back in ‘91, this guy was actually working as an apartment building manager. No, really—he wasn’t just lounging around waiting for Hollywood to call. He kept that job even after landing the show, just in case things didn’t pan out. Imagine juggling tenants complaining about leaky faucets by day and then heading over to set, not knowing if the sitcom would take off. Kinda wild, right? It’s one of those classic “don’t quit your day job” stories, only this time, it paid off. He stuck with the property gig for the entire first season, holding down both gigs until it was clear that Home Improvement was actually going to be a hit. Eventually, the show blew up, and boom—he was out of the landlord business for good. Talk about a leap of faith, with a little side of hustle.
Honestly, losing a parent just shatters your world, especially when you’ve spent your whole life thinking they’re untouchable—like superheroes, practically immortal. That’s the gut punch behind this quote about his mom dying of cancer back in '83. He’s not just mourning her loss; he’s wrestling with the idea that the people who raised him could ever be taken away. It's that raw, blindsided feeling, you know? When someone you love is just gone, nothing feels real. Childhood illusions crash down, and you’re left trying to make sense of it all. The grief isn’t just about her being gone, but also about the death of that naive belief that parents are bulletproof. There’s something universal there, that awful realization—one day, you wake up and the world isn’t as safe as you thought. It’s rough, it’s messy, and it sticks with you, long after the funeral.
February 17, 1956
5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Seattle, Washington, USA
Yes, Cooper Karn
69 years old