Drew Carey American comedian, actor, photographer and game show host Date of Birth: 23.05.1958 Country: USA

1. Biography of Drew Carey
2. Early Life
3. Comedy Career
4. The Drew Carey Show
5. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
6. Current Ventures

Biography of Drew Carey

Drew Allison Carey was born on May 23, 1958, in Cleveland, Ohio. He is an American comedian, actor, photographer, and game show host.

Early Life

Carey grew up in Old Brooklyn, Cleveland, as the youngest of three sons of Lewis and Billie Carey. When he was eight years old, his father passed away from a brain tumor. According to his autobiography, Drew was born with six toes on his right foot. At the age of six, he played the cornet and trumpet in the marching band of his local high school. He later attended the same school and graduated in 1975. Drew continued his education at Kent State University, but he was expelled twice for academic underachievement. He finally left the university in 1980 and joined the Marine Corps Reserve, serving for six years. In 1982, Drew took a few months off from his service to live in Las Vegas, where he worked as a bank teller and waiter.

Comedy Career

In 1985, Carey pursued a career in comedy at the advice of his friend David Lawrence. After studying several helpful guides in the library, he participated in a comedy contest and won a spot as a DJ at the Cleveland Comedy Club. Over the next few years, Drew performed at clubs in Los Angeles and Cleveland, gaining recognition nationwide. In 1988, he competed in "The Star Search" and caught the attention of the country. In 1991, Carey made appearances on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, the Fourteenth Annual Young Comedians Special on HBO, and "Late Night with David Letterman."

The Drew Carey Show

In 1994, Carey wrote his own stand-up comedy show for Showtime, which won the CableACE Award for Best Writing. Inspired by the early success, he began to pursue acting and landed several supporting roles in various television series, where his trademark image as an unlucky middle-class bachelor was formed. In 1993, Drew made a cameo appearance in the film "Coneheads" and in 1994, he starred with John Caponera in the short-lived comedy series "The Good Life." After the cancellation of the show, Carey and Bruce Helford, one of the writers of "The Good Life," worked as consultants on the TV show "Someone Like Me." During their work on the show, Carey and Helford gathered enough ideas to create their own project, "The Drew Carey Show," which premiered on September 13, 1995, on ABC. In his autobiography, Carey admitted his frustration with censorship and the need to soften his signature raunchy jokes. The show initially earned Drew around $60,000 per episode, which later increased to $350,000 and then to $750,000. While the show had its highest ratings in the early seasons, the quality slowly declined, leading to its cancellation. A total of 233 episodes were produced over nine years, and Carey appeared in all of them.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

In 1998, Drew became the host of the American version of the popular improvisational comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" He announced the participants, conducted the competitions, and actively participated in the final round. The show aired 215 episodes over eight years and enjoyed tremendous success throughout its run. The income from the project placed Carey on the list of highest-paid entertainers, ranking 24th with an annual income of $45.5 million. From 2004 to 2005, Carey also served as a producer for the spin-off show "Green Screen Show" and helped create the show "Improv All-Stars," another comedy improvisation project for American television. The team, including Carey, went on a comedy club tour across the country in 2006.

Current Ventures

Currently, Drew Carey is working on a detailed autobiography and hosting the game show "The Price Is Right" on CBS. He is also an active shareholder in the Major League Soccer team "Seattle Sounders FC." Carey continues to pursue his various interests, including sports and photography.