Jonathan Taylor Thomas plays Randy Taylor, Tim and Jill’s middle son, who shares his father’s aptitude for cracking jokes.
Thomas was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and moved with his family to Sacramento, California when he was five. Prior to beginning his acting career in 1989, he worked as a model, appeared in industrial films and commercials, and as Tiny Tim in a regional production of “Scrooge.”
Movie audiences have seen him in a wide range of roles, including the title character in “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” Tom Sawyer in Walt Disney Pictures’ “Tom and Huck” and the voice of cub Simba in the mega-hit, “The Lion King.” He also has appeared in “Walking Across Egypt,” “Speedway Junky,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” the critically acclaimed feature film “Wild America” and “Man of the House.” Recognizing him for his box office appeal, the National Association of Theater Owners named him “1996 Young Star of the Year” at ShoWest.
In addition to his eight years on “Home Improvement,” his TV projects have included “The Bradys” and Terrence McNally’s “Common Ground” on Showtime.
In recognition of his outstanding presence, The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Thomas is articulate on a range of topics, from the importance of soccer to Brazilian culture, to the merits of Carnegie-Mellon University’s business program ... If the young man sounds too perfect, stand in line...”
