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Ryan Stiles
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Ryan Lee Stiles (born April 22, 1959) is an Emmy-nominated American-Canadian actor and comedian, whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy, and is best known for his work on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and The Drew Carey Show. In 2002, Stiles and Sean Masterson finished work on a screenplay entitled Live Bait, which is reportedly in production.
BiographyEarly life and careerStiles was born in Washington, the youngest of five children. His father, Sonny, was a fishing plant supervisor. 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 at Punchlines Comedy Club in Vancouver, British Columbia and performing improv with In 1986, Stiles successfully auditioned for a berth at Toronto's renowned Second City comedy ensemble.
Television workBy 1989, he had gained the attention of the producers of the British improvisational comedy show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
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Ryan Lee Stiles (born April 22, 1959) is an Emmy-nominated American-Canadian actor and comedian, whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy, and is best known for his work on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and The Drew Carey Show. In 2002, Stiles and Sean Masterson finished work on a screenplay entitled Live Bait, which is reportedly in production.
BiographyEarly life and careerStiles was born in Washington, the youngest of five children. His father, Sonny, was a fishing plant supervisor. 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 at Punchlines Comedy Club in Vancouver, British Columbia and performing improv with In 1986, Stiles successfully auditioned for a berth at Toronto's renowned Second City comedy ensemble.
Television workBy 1989, 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.
In 1995, Stiles was tapped by American comic Drew Carey to be a regular on his sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. He played Drew's smart but underachieving best friend, Lewis Kiniski. Stiles' 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?. In 1998, Carey successfully lobbied ABC to get an American version of Whose Line? produced. Following the final season of the British version in 1998, the American version premiered, with both Stiles and Carey credited as executive producers. Stiles featured in every episode of the American series, which was produced until 2003. New episodes continued to air, however, for several years subsequent.
Work on Whose Line?Stiles was the most prolific performer on the original UK version of Whose Line?, appearing in 76 of the series 136 episodes (including compilations). He first appeared in the fifth episode of the second season, which aired in late 1989. He appeared in one other episode of that season, before returning for four episodes of the third season. His prominence increased with each season, ultimately appearing in every episode from the sixth season on.
He and Colin Mochrie were the only two performers to appear in every episode of the US version, though Wayne Brady also became a regular near the beginning of the second season.
Stiles was known for several recurring impressions he performed on the shows, performed both at his own decision, and as an assignment in games. These included Carol Channing, John Wayne, and that of a deer. He made clear his dislike of the musical segments of the show, particularly the game "Hoedown," often reacting negatively to its being announced. Other than in early UK playings, Stiles was always the last performer to sing in "Hoedown" and other similar musical games, allowing him more time to devise lyrics, and giving him the final punchlines, as well as injecting (usually not-so subtle) jabs at the hoedown itself, or of the host for having him perform in it. Stiles developed a professional rapport with fellow regular Mochrie on the UK version which continued on to the American series. There were a number of games which exclusively paired Mochrie and Stiles at every playing. Though other performers did so, he was the most common performer to make bald jokes at Mochrie's expense. In return, Mochrie often jokes about Stiles's height and attractiveness.
Stiles took part in the regular practice of mocking host Clive Anderson on the UK series, though he did so with less frequency than others. On the American version, however, he was among the most frequent mockers of Carey.
Stiles almost always dressed in a button-up shirt; typically a dress shirt, and was one of the few performers to commonly wear a Necktie. One of Stiles's notable trademarks on the US series were his dress shoes, many of which were an unusual color, or had a flashy pattern of several colors. Stiles shoes were sometimes mocked by Carey and the other performers. In addition, a running gag on the American version of the show had the producers trying (and invariably failing) to stump Stiles, by giving him increasingly bizarre mannerisms or characters in the games that require him to act them out. When reading them just prior to the scene, he and Carey would often laugh at what was written on the cards.
Other appearancesStiles has a new ad campaign for Playskool, talking to playful toddlers in a manner as if they were adults. For example: "Where do you see yourself in eighteen months?"
Ryan appeared in the 1991 film Hot Shots as Mailman Farnham, and also starred in the 1993 sequel Hot Shots! Part Deux, as marine Rabinowitz. In the film, he is heard to say to Charlie Sheen's 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.
Recently, from 2004-2008, Stiles has been seen as the recurring character Dr. Herb Melnick in several episodes of the comedy Two and a Half Men which stars his Hot Shots co-stars Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer.
He also made a guest appearance on Reno 911! as an acting coach.
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