Jim Carrey was born in Ontario, Canada, to a pretty regular pair of parents named Percy and Kathleen Carrey on January 17, 1962. The actor’s mom was a typical homemaker, while his dad was an accountant.
The traditional Roman Catholic family was pretty big, and aside from Jim, they had three other kids. Rita, Patricia, and John. Carrey’s father, Percy, was also an out-and-out music lover and loved to play instruments.
A Young Star
As a young boy, Jim Carrey caught the acting bug and would run around the house making hilarious impressions of the things he saw on TV. Initially, the only audience was his family, but very soon, that would all change.
It was his father who supported him and ultimately even encouraged him even to leave school and move to Hollywood. But it wasn't a straightforward step to take.
Predicting The Future
The comedy dreams within were ignited at an extremely young age for Carrey. At just ten years old, the little boy found himself hankering for a part on the classic sketch show "The Carol Burnette Show." Ten-year-old Carrey even wrote a letter to the producers of the show saying that he was great at impressions and that he would love the opportunity to play a boy his age.
Young Carrey also fell in love with "Monty Python" the legendary British sketch show. According to the actor, the cast had a huge impact on him, revealing the insane world of absurdist comedy, silly voices, and more. It would be a dream come true for the comedian that years later, in the year 2014, he would appear in a "Monty Python" special.
Money Troubles
Jim Carrey has over the years achieved mega-star status as a millionaire comedian, but of course, things that like don't happen overnight. The Carreys were riddled with financial issues. As a kid, he and his brother had to work to help support the family.
Young Carrey got a job at a tire factory where his father worked, but the money he was earning there just wasn't going to cut it. Things worsened for some time and the family ended up homeless and started living out of a van.
Big Decision, Little Jim
While trying to hold down the job, Jim Carrey hit the comedy scene in the hopes of making it big. He auditioned for films, tried stand-up, whatever he could that would hone his skills for the big leagues.
It also turned out that school was just getting in the way, which is why he dropped out at 16 years old.