Johansson, Philip.Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other
Repetitive Strain Injuries. Berkeley Heights, N.J.:
Enslow, 1999.
Virginia L. Salmon
See also Computers; Internet; Medicine.
Carrey, Jim
Identification Canadian American actor and
comedian
Born January 17, 1962; Newmarket, Ontario,
Canada
During the 1990’s, comedian Jim Carrey showcased his
goofy talents in many films, having opened up the decade by
appearing in television’s edgy sketch comedy seriesIn Liv-
ing Color. Not since Jerr y Lewis, Lucille Ball, and Charlie
Chaplin had audiences been so entertained by someone so
adept at physical comedy.
Drawn at a young age to performing clownishly for
his peers, James Eugene Carrey dropped out of high
school, moving to Los Angeles in 1979. The 1980’s
were a time of struggle for the young artist. He ap-
peared in supporting roles in several films and even-
tually found regular work as a stand-up comedian. In
1990, he joined the cast in the sketch comedy series
In Living Color. Immediately his particular brand
of exaggerated lunacy became a favorite of many
fans. Outrageously funny, Carrey specialized in over-
the-top, extreme body and facial movements in his
manic antics.
Carrey’s film career took off during the 1990’s.
He tirelessly threw himself into a rigorous sched-
ule, developing eccentric characters for various
films, includingAce Ventura: Pet Detective,The Mask,
andDumb and Dumberin 1994;Batman Forever(play-
ing the Riddler) andAce Ventura: When Nature
Callsin 1995;The Cable Guyin 1996;Liar, Liarin
1997;The Truman Showin 1998; andMan on the
Moonin 1999. In these last two films, Carrey ex-
tended his reach into dramatic roles that earned
him two Golden Globe Awards. InThe Truman Show,
he played a man exploited by the entertainment in-
dustry. His uncanny portrayal of the late comedian
Andy Kaufman inMan on the Moonwas critically ac-
claimed.
In 1997,Peoplemagazine named Carrey one of
the fifty most beautiful people in the world. Carrey
divorced twice during the 1990’s. He has one
child, Jane, with his first wife, Melissa.
Impact One of the great comedic actors of the
1990’s, Jim Carrey amazed audiences with his flair
for physical fun and, late in the decade, with his dra-
matic performances. He continued to star in a vari-
ety of films in the early twenty-first century, includ-
ing the highly acclaimed romantic dramedyEternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind(2004).Further Reading
Knelman, Martin.Jim Carrey: The Joker Is Wild. Buf-
falo, N.Y.: Firefly Books, 2000.
Trakin, Roy.Jim Carrey: Unmasked!New York: St. Mar-
tin’s Press, 1995.
Jan HallSee also Comedians; Film in Canada; Film in the
United States;In Living Color; Television.The Nineties in America Carrey, Jim 153
Jim Carrey does a comic routine before presenting an award at the
1996 Academy Awards.(AP/Wide World Photos)