The comedian looks back on how his parenting style has changed both on and off screen through his career.

Tim Allen opens up about challenge of mentoring his Home Improvement sons: ‘It was very difficult’

The comedian looks back on how his parenting style has changed both on and off screen through his career.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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January 16, 2026 12:46 a.m. ET

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'Home Improvement' stars Zachery Ty Bryan, Patricia Richardson, Taran Noah Smith, Tim Allen, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Credit:

Bob D'Amico/Touchstone Television/Courtesy Everett Collection

Life wasn't always easy for Tim "The Toolman" Taylor — and that goes for the guy who played him, too.

*Home Improvement* star Tim Allen, who portrayed the character for all of the sitcom's eight seasons, from 1991 to 1999, says he felt somewhat clueless guiding his TV sons Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Randy), Zachery Ty Bryan (Brad), and Taran Noah Smith (Mark).

"When it was easy to be a TV parent, it's easy. When it’s difficult to be a TV parent, you really are of no value," the former stand-up comedian told *Us Weekly* in an interview published Wednesday. "[With the] *Home Improvement* kids, it was so long ago, and I was brand new, and it was very difficult for me to be anywhere near a mentor. It wasn’t until later that I became more of a mentor. But they all had great parents."

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Asked about how his role on sets has evolved, while making not only *Home Improvement *and *Last Man Standing* but also his new show, *Shifting Gears*, which is in its second season, Allen acknowledged that it didn't come naturally.

"It was new to me, and it took a while for me to be that [father figure]," he said. "I felt like more of a funny, mischievous older brother for quite a while — especially to the boys on *Home Improvement*."

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*Home Improvement* is one of his best-known projects. The story of a TV host — of a show called *Tool Time* — also starred Patricia Richardson (as his wife Jill), Richard Karn (as TV sidekick Al), and Earl Hindman (as neighbor Wilson).

He also famously played a dad in many more projects, including his 1994 movie *The Santa Clause* — about a man who discovers that he's mysteriously becoming the actual St. Nick — and its sequels.

A 'Home Improvement' scene with Thomas, Bryan, Smith, and Allen.

In real life, Allen is the father of two daughters: Katherine Allen, 36. Her mother is Allen's ex-wife Laura Deibel, whom he divorced in 2003. His other child, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, whose mom is his current wife Jane Hajduk, is 16.

"I don’t know what it's like to have sons," Allen said. "I like being a father to girls."

In his current show, Allen plays Matt Parker, a stubborn man whose estranged daughter (Riley Parker) suddenly moves in.

*Shifting Gears *airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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