Tim Allen recently shared an update on where he stands with his former “Home Improvement” costars.
Allen, 72, played family patriarch Tim Taylor on the ABC sitcom from 1991 to 1999. His character had three sons: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). During an interview with Us Weekly published Wednesday, Jan. 14, Allen said he’s still in touch with his TV children.
“We do holidays, birthdays, weddings and unfortunately, funerals. Their lives have moved on, [but] I’ve done the Buzz Lightyear voice for [their kids],” Allen quipped.
After starring on “Home Improvement,” Allen went on to play a TV dad on “Last Man Standing” (2011-2021) and “Shifting Gears” (2025-present). He told Us Weekly that it “took a while” for him to feel like he could be a father figure to his young costars.
“I felt like more of a funny, mischievous older brother for quite a while — especially to the boys on ‘Home Improvement,’” he recalled. “On ‘Last Man Standing’ with Kaitlyn Dever, I was a mentor because I aligned myself with her comedy style. I really was all about encouraging her the best I could. She listened and I didn’t know that she was picking it up until every now and then in her scenes.”
Conversely, Allen found it “very difficult” to be “anywhere near a mentor” to his “Home Improvement” children.
“It wasn’t until later that I became more of a mentor. But they all had great parents,” he said.
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Allen was 38 when “Home Improvement” premiered. The actors who played his sons are all in their 40s now.
Bryan, who played the oldest Taylor son, has been arrested multiple times in recent years. In November 2025, he and his fiancée Johnnie Faye Cartwright were arrested in Oregon. Cartwright was charged with DUI, three counts of reckless endangering and attempted first-degree assault, while Bryan was arrested for a probation violation on an original charge of assault in the fourth degree.
The charges stemmed from Cartwright allegedly attempting to run over Bryan and crashing a truck with the couple’s three children inside, WCNC Charlotte reported. Cartwright pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Bryan admitted to three probation violations. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February, according to ABC News affiliate KEZI 9.
Bryan’s “Home Improvement” brothers, Thomas and Smith, have both stepped back from acting. Thomas’ last role was a 2015 appearance on “Last Man Standing.” Smith now works as a sea recovery technician for SpaceX, according to his LinkedIn page.
As for Patricia Richardson, who played Allen’s wife Jill on “Home Improvement,” she recently shut down Allen’s past comments about rebooting the show.
“It was so weird, I would hear [Tim] was coming out publicly and saying this stuff about everyone was on board to do a ‘Home Improvement’ reunion, but he never asked me and he never asked Jonathan,” Richardson said during a 2024 appearance on the “Back to the Best” podcast. “I called Jonathan one day and said, ‘Has he asked you about this?’ He went, ‘No.’ So, why is he saying everyone is on board when he hasn’t talked to you or me?”
Richardson went on to say that she “would not want to” reprise her role as Jill. She pointed out that her onscreen sons likely wouldn’t participate in a reboot either.
“I mean, Zach is now a felon,” she said. “Taran hasn’t acted since he left the show; he’s not an actor anymore. And Jonathan’s not really interested in acting. He wants to direct and write.”
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Allen has traded in TV sons for a TV daughter. Kat Dennings plays Allen’s adult daughter Riley in his latest sitcom, “Shifting Gears.” Dennings sang Allen’s praises during a January 2025 interview with People.
“He’s a big part of my consciousness growing up, so it was very surreal to work with him, but in a great way because he’s a very kind person,” she said.
“Shifting Gears” airs on ABC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu the day after they air.
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