Richard Karn became a beloved part of sit-com history the moment that he appeared on TV as Al Borland in Home Improvement alongside Tim Allen.
The hit show ran from 1991 until 1999, and showcased a slew of stars like Pamela Anderson and Jonathan Taylor Thomas as audiences followed Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor and the escapades of his three sons.
Richard played the lovable and long-suffering sidekick on the show, starting out as a guest in season one and becoming a series regular. His character co-hosted the show-within-a-show, Tool Time, with Tim’s character.
The 69-year-old was unrecognizable in a photo taken to ring in 2025, which saw the actor beaming alongside his wife, Tudi Roche, in a black top hat that read, “Happy New Year” in gold lettering.
He was surrounded by sparklers and gold decorations as he celebrated the holiday with his friends and family.
Richard sported gray facial hair in the snap, conjuring images of his thick brown beard on Home Improvement.
He shared his incredible weight loss journey with Fox News Digital in November, revealing that he had lost 30 pounds with a few key lifestyle changes.
“We did this weight loss thing where we [ate] four ounces of meat, four ounces of vegetables…no carbs or not as much carbs…we did that for six weeks…it really helped,” he shared.
He continued: “It kind of realigned what you need…you don’t pile your plate as high anymore, because you don’t need it…after six weeks, I think your body and your mind…realizes that helped.”
© Disney General Entertainment Con“If you can…don’t have five desserts, have a bite of one,” he added.
Richard explained that during his time on Home Improvement, the readily available food on set made it difficult for him to maintain a healthy diet.
“All of a sudden, you had food on the set…You could just eat whatever you wanted,” he recalled.
© Getty Images“You were going out to events where they give you food. At some point, you kind of have to stop and go, ‘You know I really could eat all of this, but I shouldn’t. I can’t…and look at me, I’m 10 pounds more than I want to be.'”
After changing his diet and working towards a weight goal, he explained how unrecognizable his reflection became. “I went down to where my doctor was very, very happy…I almost felt like I looked too thin,” he said.
Richard has had a steady flow of work since the series wrapped in 1999, including a run as the host of Family Feud from 2002 to 2006.
© FilmMagicHe also appeared in two episodes of Tim’s sitcom Last Man Standing in 2013, with plenty of references to their shared history on the hit ’90s show.
His most recent credit on IMDb was in Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction in 2023 and 2024, appearing in two episodes as Bill. Richard also joined the cast of the acclaimed comedy series PEN15 from 2019 until 2021 alongside Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle.
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