| The Life of James Eugene Carrey |
| Born to Kathleen (Kay) Marie Carrey and Percy (Perce) Joseph Carrey, James Eugene Carrey was a happy addition to his new family. The last newborn of his family, he was a great joy to his father Percy, he was a little comedian just like him. One of Jim's first jokes was discovered during his feeding time. He would go spastic making funny faces and completely discourage his parents from feeding him. Kay would warn Perce not to laugh at his son because it would only encourage Jim, but Perce couldn't help it "I guess I did encourage him. He says he gets it from me, and maybe that's true. I think it's better to go through life laughing instead of crying. If I ever stopped laughing, I'd probably kill myself." His siblings, Patricia, John, and Rita, and mother knew he would be trouble. His father however knew he would be the special one in the family, what he always wanted, a son like him. |
| Born January 17th, 1962 in Newmarket Memorial Hospital, in Newmarket, Ontario, CANADA, young James was the comic relief of his family. His mother was a daughter of alcoholic parents and his father was the breadgiver of their lower-middle-class family. However, they never lost their faith and happiness throughout their troubled times. Patricia was already married when Jim was growing up, John was totally opposite of Jim, shy, serious and withdrawn, but Jim's sister Rita was outgoing and sociable, although not as much as her younger brother. Jim was the one who would bring the Carrey name to fame. |
| By the time Jim was ready for school, his family moved from Aurora to Willowdale, a suburb of Toronto. Jim was enrolled in Blessed Trinity, a local Catholic School. He was a shy, quiet kid, he didn't have any friends until he showed his comedic talents. He realized that if he made people laugh, they'd want to talk to him. His teacher Mrs. Hays would write on his report card, "Jim finishes his work first and then disrupts the class." Jim would sit in the back of his class and mimick the violin played on the record player in his third grade music class. His teacher challenged him to do the same in front of his classmates, and he did. Everyone laughed hystarically. He was offered to do this for their Christmas play, only dressed as Santa. This, Jim claims to be his first stand-up routine with a public audience. From this point, he always wanted to be a comedian. |
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| Jim had a trademark look to him as well. (SO CUTE! oops had to add that sorry) He had a chipped tooth which was a result of his friend, Clark LePrarie, jumping on his head during detention in third grade, when they were supposed to be quiet. He also had a Prince Valiant haircut and was so thin that he was taunted with the nickname "Jimmy Gene the Stringbean." First of all, Jim didn't care much for his middle name Eugene, he figured his father gave it to him to make him humble. Second, he didn't like being teased, but he learned to live through it by laughing at himself first. |
| At home, his parents suffered from cronic depression, so Jimmy was the one who was needed to cheer them up. His father would often come into his room and say "Your mother and I could use a good laugh, you're on in five." Jim would put on comic routines of slapstick and impressions of his favorite television and movie stars. He often did John Wayne, Don Addams and Frank Goshin. He would practice these in front of a mirror until he felt they were perfect imitations. Next he would try and match the voice. Jim also imitated singers such as Elvis Presley and Tom Jones, body movements and all. A Christmas tradition in his family would be Jim doing an hour-long show for his family. Percy always loved Jim's performances, but his mother Kay was often alarmed and haunted him that he would go to the devil if he continued his silly antics. She would get fed up and send him to his room, which Jim didn't mind because he had his mirror to be his audience. He also had a 4'x4' closet space where he would practise his faces, as well as write poetry, paint and draw. A very creative child, this was his way of expressing himself, and absorbing himself in his work. Of course, Kay would often interupt him with a chore to do (as all mothers do) and this would turn Jim into a wild monster, hating his personal time interupted, causing him to break things in the house. Jim also found inspiration from comedians such as Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Lewis and even Buster Keaton, a silent films comedian. At age ten, he sent his resume to Carol Burnett, listing all his impressions, which were in the hundreds at that point, hoping to be discovered. Perhaps Jim's favorite actor of all was Jimmy Stewart, an actor of very little comic art. He loved all his movies ranging from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It's A Wonderful Life to The Spirit of St. Louis and Rear Window. He loved Jimmy's morality and strive to always be a "good loving man." |
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| When Jim was 9, his family moved to Burlington, near Lake Ontario. He was then enrolled in St. Francis Xavier because of his learning disability, dyslexia. However, that never stopped him, he obtained an exceptional memory which allowed him to succeed in school. When he was in seventh grade, 1974, he met his teacher Lucy Dervaitis (Belvedere). Jim and Lucy obtained instant attachment. "Other teachers might have regarded Jim as a disturbance and a pest." Lucy recalls. "I never found him a serious behavior problem. I don't even remember giving him detentions. I thought is was great that this funny little guy was showing such talent at a young age." |
| Seriously, I will update this someday!!!! I MUST!! LOL! =-X and stop taking my pics |
| Jim Carrey as a baby |
| Jim and Rita |
| Jim at age 5 |
| Jim in third grade |
| Jim goofing off at home, not sure of age |
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