Richard Karn
The beloved, flannel-clad sidekick on 'Home Improvement' who parlayed TV handyman fame into a real-life passion for building and game show hosting.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American actor·Birthday: February 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Richard Karn will forever be Al Borland, the patient, mustachioed foil to Tim Allen's chaotic Tim Taylor on the sitcom 'Home Improvement.' With his signature flannel and muttered "I don't think so, Tim," Karn crafted a character who was the show's warm, competent heart. But his career extended far beyond the Tool Time set. He leveraged that everyman credibility into hosting 'Family Feud' for four years, bringing a genial, unflappable energy to the role. In real life, Karn is a genuine enthusiast for construction and craftsmanship, co-authoring books on home improvement and hosting shows like 'Bargain Hunt.' His path reflects a rare Hollywood arc: an actor who became so authentically associated with a skilled trade that he seamlessly built a second career around it.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Richard was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played Al Borland for all eight seasons of the hit ABC sitcom 'Home Improvement,' which consistently ranked in the Nielsen Top 10.
- Hosted the syndicated version of 'Family Feud' from 2002 to 2006, presiding over over 1,000 episodes of the classic game show.
- Co-authored the book 'House Broken: How I Remodeled My Home for Just Under Three Times the Original Bid' with his wife, Tudi Roche.
- Executive produced and starred in the DIY Network series 'The Garage' with former 'Home Improvement' co-star Tim Allen.
Did You Know?
He is an accomplished stage actor and performed in a production of 'The Foreigner' at the Arizona Theatre Company.
Karn is a graduate of the University of Washington, where he originally studied business administration.
He is an avid golfer and has participated in numerous celebrity golf tournaments.
“Measure twice, cut once. That's not just for wood.”
