Jim Carrey’s Story: From Rags to Riches

Prominent for his award winning movies The Truman Show and Man On The Moon, the Canadian born comedian Jim Carrey life’s wasn’t all laughter and joyous like his energetic slapstick performances.

Born January 17, 1962 Carrey being the youngest of three siblings grew up in an ordinary middle class family until his father lost his job at fifty-one. During an interview with James Lipton at the Actors Studio, Jim Carrey opened up about his family’s poverty-stricken life “That was the real "wow", the kick in the guts”.

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he entire Carrey family desperately scavenged for security and janitorial jobs. The star who’s net worth today is worth one hundred fifty million, used to work eight hour days at a factory after school. As a twelve year old balancing school, lengthy work days and residing in a van for a home created a major impact on his grades and self-view. “He said it knocked his confidence so much that he went from being a 'straight-A student to not wanting to know anybody's name, and not wanting to make a friend’.

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Although times were exceedingly difficult for Jim, he didn’t let it influence his trademark impressions. He dropped out of high school senior year and put dedication into his celebrity impersonations and made his first professional stand-up debut in Toronto, Canada at Yuk-Yuk’s. Though sources say his performance was reportedly awful. Later on when Jim was able to afford it, finally moved to Los Angeles- the start of his success.

He was able to impress filmmaker Rodney Dangerfield at a gig which got him signed for the first time to an opening act of a whole season called The Duck Factory (1984). While this may be true, the show failed but nevertheless gave Carrey the confidence he was stripped from as a child back and tackled his acting career more aggressively. He auditioned and successfully achieved roles in movies such as Once Bitten (1985), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) and much more. However, in 1990 the comedy show In Living Color was the major leading point to his success due to his outrageous acts and most popular character, Fire Marshall Bill. The Canadian born actor was no longer just a TV goofball but a “marquee headliner within a year”. In December of 1994, Jim Carrey made his first multi-million dollar movie through the famed film Dumb and Dumber.

From rags to riches, living in a Volkswagen bus to a 13.4 million house nestled in Malibu, through hard work and determination, Jim Carrey was able to achieve the American Dream in the best possible way.