Harland Williams

Harland Williams was born on November 14, 1962, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His mother, Lorraine Mary O’Donnell, was a social worker and writer, and his father, John Reesor Williams, was a lawyer who served in the Ontario legislature. Williams grew up in Toronto’s Willowdale neighborhood alongside his four sisters. He briefly attended Sheridan College in 1983 to study animation and media arts before pursuing a career in comedy. Williams also worked as a forest ranger in Fort Frances during his early life. He became an American citizen around 2009.

Williams began his career in stand-up comedy in Toronto in 1984, performing for seven years before moving to Los Angeles in 1992. His appearance on “Late Night with David Letterman” in 1993 marked a turning point in his career, bringing him broader recognition. Jim Carrey later introduced Williams to the Farrelly brothers, leading to his film debut as a police officer in the 1994 film “Dumb and Dumber.” Throughout his career, Williams has showcased his comedic talent in various memorable film roles, including Kenny in “Half Baked” (1998), the hitchhiking serial killer in “There’s Something About Mary” (1998), Fred Z. Randall in “RocketMan” (1997), and Sonar in “Down Periscope” (1996). His improvisational skills were recognized when he won the ‘Best Improviser’ award on NBC’s “Thank God You’re Here” in 2007.

Beyond acting, Williams has contributed his voice to animated projects such as “Robots” (2005) and “Meet the Robinsons” (2007), and starred as ‘Monster’ in Nickelodeon’s animated series “Robot and Monster.” He is also an author and illustrator, publishing a series of children’s books featuring a brontosaurus named Lickety Split, along with books for adult audiences. Williams created the Disney Junior series “Puppy Dog Pals,” which premiered in 2017, demonstrating his creative versatility as a show creator, writer, and voice actor. He has also appeared on late-night talk shows like “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brian,” and delivered solo stand-up specials for HBO, Comedy Central, CTV, and CBC.