Editing Ryan Stiles

{{Short description|American-Canadian comedian (born 1959)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name          = Ryan Stiles
| image         = File:RyanStilesNov08.jpg 
| caption       = Stiles in November 2008
| birth_name    =Ryan Lee Stiles 
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1959|4|22}}<ref name=tcm>{{cite web |title=Ryan Stiles |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/184864%7C0/Ryan-Stiles |website=[[Turner Classic Movies]] |access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref>
| birth_place   = [[Seattle, Washington]], U.S.
| nationality   = {{hlist|American|Canadian}}
| genre         = [[Improvisational comedy]]
| medium        = [[Stand up comedy|Stand up]], [[television]], [[film]]
| notable_work  ={{ubl|[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK TV series)|British]] and [[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (American TV series)|American versions of ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'']]|[[Lewis Kiniski]] on ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]''|[[Herb Melnick]] on ''[[Two and a Half Men]]''}}
| spouse        = {{marriage|Patricia McDonald|1988}}
| children      = 3
| active        = 1985–present
}}

'''Ryan Lee Stiles''' (born April 22, 1959) is an American-Canadian comedian and actor. His work is often associated with [[improvisational comedy]]. He is best known for his work on ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' (both the [[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK TV series)|original British version]] and the [[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (American TV series)|subsequent American version]]) and for his role as [[Lewis Kiniski]] on ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]''. He also played [[Herb Melnick]] on the [[CBS]] comedy ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'' and was a performer on the show ''[[Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza]]''.

==Early life and career==
The youngest of five children, Ryan Stiles was born in [[Seattle]] to Canadian parents Irene and Sonny Stiles.<ref name=tcm>{{cite web |title=Ryan Stiles |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/184864%7C0/Ryan-Stiles |website=[[Turner Classic Movies]] |access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Tracy |first1=Kathleen |title=Home Brewed: The Drew Carey Story |date=1997 |publisher=Boulevard |page=97 |isbn=9781572973619 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yL6lxnF6rFMC}}</ref> He grew up with his mother, a homemaker, and his father, a supervisor at a Vancouver-based Canadian [[fish processing]] plant. When he was ten, his family moved to [[Vancouver, British Columbia]]. Ryan Stiles attended [[Robert Cecil Palmer Secondary School|R.C. Palmer Junior Secondary School]] and Richmond Senior Secondary in [[Richmond, British Columbia]]. Although he was a good student, Stiles has admitted that "being a high-school senior gave [him] too much freedom." He got so carried away with his flexible schedule that at age 17, he quit school a few months shy of graduation.

Despite his parents' objections, he was able to support himself doing [[Stand-up comedy|stand-up]] routines at clubs near his home in Vancouver. He helped Rich Elwood start Punchlines Comedy Club. During this time, he was the head writer of ''[[Don Harron|The Don Harron Show]]'' on [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] and the host of ''Comedy College'' on [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]. Stiles was a regular improv performer with the Vancouver Theatresports League and Punchlines' "No Name Player" before joining the [[The Second City|Second City]] comedy ensemble at [[Expo 86]]. He continued performing with Second City in [[Toronto]] and later in [[Los Angeles]].

==Career==
===''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' and ''The Drew Carey Show''===
By 1989, Stiles had gained the attention of the producers of the British improvisational comedy show ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'' Stiles was a regular on the show until its end in 1998. His performance on the program earned him both critical praise and a devoted fan following in the United Kingdom. In 1995, Stiles was asked by American comic [[Drew Carey]] to be a regular on his sitcom ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]''. Stiles played Carey's erudite but underachieving best friend, Lewis Kiniski.

In 1998, Carey successfully lobbied ABC to produce an [[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (American TV series)|American version of ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'']] Following the final season of the British version in 1998, the American version premiered, with both Stiles and Carey credited as executive producers. Stiles received a nomination for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program]] in 2002 for his work on the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/whose-line-it-anyway|title=Whose Line Is It Anyway?|website=Emmys.com|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=April 25, 2021}}</ref> A running gag of the show is Stiles' flashy dress shoes as well as his frequent impressions of American actress [[Carol Channing]].

Though he never appeared in the series, Stiles (along with [[Kaitlin Olson]]) performed in the taping of the unaired pilot episode of ''[[Drew Carey's Green Screen Show]]'', which involved improv games similar to ''Whose Line?'' games played in front of a massive [[Chroma key|green screen]]. Animation was later added to the improv footage.

Stiles returned as performer and executive producer for [[The CW]]'s revival of ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' in the summer of 2013.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2013/03/01/whose-line-is-it-anyway-returns-to-television-as-part-of-the-cws-summer-2013-schedule-136011/20130301cw01/|title=''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' Returns to Television as Part of The CW's Summer 2013 Schedule|publisher=[[The CW]]|via=[[The Futon Critic]]|date=March 1, 2013|access-date=April 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/03/cw-brings-back-whose-line-is-it-anyway-for-summer-run-aisha-tyler-to-host-443829/|title=CW Brings Back ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' For Summer Run, Aisha Tyler To Host|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|author=Nellie Andreeva|date=March 1, 2013|access-date=April 25, 2021}}</ref>

===Other television and film work===
{{BLP sources section|date=November 2017}}
Stiles appeared in the 1991 film ''[[Hot Shots!]]'' as Mailman Farnham and its 1993 sequel, ''[[Hot Shots! Part Deux]]'', as marine Rabinowitz. He portrayed recurring character Dr. Herb Melnick on ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'' from 2004 until the show's end in 2015. He made short guest appearances on ''[[Parker Lewis Can't Lose]]'', ''[[Murphy Brown]]'', ''[[Mad About You]]'', ''[[Mad TV]]'', and ''[[Dharma & Greg]]''. In July 2008, he was a guest star on ''[[Reno 911!]]'' as Sergeant Clift, an acting coach.

During the [[1994 Major League Baseball strike]], Stiles appeared in several commercials for [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]], hanging out in an empty ballpark, doing things such as playing the organ and attempting to do the wave alone. The commercials ended with the line: "Play ball. Please."

In 2005, Stiles appeared in the [[mockumentary]] ''Conker: Celebrity Squirrel'' produced for the promotion of the [[Xbox]] video game ''[[Conker: Live & Reloaded]].''<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ia-nqTV0Hs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/4ia-nqTV0Hs| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Conker: Celebrity Squirrel|date=November 9, 2006|access-date=December 26, 2015|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This role led to gamers voting to induct him into the 2015 class of the DK Vine Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoowcvGIYmw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/BoowcvGIYmw| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=DK Vine Hall of Fame 2015 (Part Five)|date=August 10, 2015|access-date=December 26, 2015|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== Philanthropy ==
Stiles has been a frequent fundraiser for children with burn injuries, raising over $500,000 for the Burned Children Recovery Center since 2009 and helping the foundation to recover from the [[Great Recession]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burnedchildrenrecovery.org/ryan-stiles-fundraising|title=Burned Children Recovery Foundation|access-date=December 26, 2015}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In 1981, Stiles met Patricia McDonald at Punchlines, where she was a waitress. They married in 1988 and have three children together.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/story.html?id=b5eb0f39-779d-4a18-a402-eefe2d224d6f |title = Iconic actor likes to stay close to home |last = Spalding |first = Derek |work = [[Nanaimo Daily News]] |publisher = [[CanWest]] |date = May 8, 2008 |access-date = June 22, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140326053415/http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/story.html?id=b5eb0f39-779d-4a18-a402-eefe2d224d6f |archive-date = March 26, 2014 }}</ref>

When not working, he lives at his home on [[Lake Samish]], outside [[Bellingham, Washington]],<ref>{{cite news |first= Saint|last= Bryan|title= Ryan Stiles, back home again|url= http://www.king5.com/sharedcontent/northwest/eveningmagazine/stories/NW_032306EMryanstilesKC.547e80d4.html|work= Evening Magazine|publisher= [[KING-TV]]|location= [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]]|date= March 24, 2006|access-date=July 27, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080526023650/http://www.king5.com/sharedcontent/northwest/eveningmagazine/stories/NW_032306EMryanstilesKC.547e80d4.html |archive-date = May 26, 2008}}</ref> where he opened the Upfront Theatre, a small theatre dedicated to live [[Improvisational theatre|improv comedy]].<ref>{{cite news |first= Ian|last= Chant|title= Shooting From the Hip&nbsp;– Upfront Theatre Improv mixes it up|url= http://www.whatsup-magazine.com/index.php?navarea=Archives&storyid=382|publisher= What's Up magazine|location= [[Bellingham, Washington]]|date=June 2006|access-date=July 27, 2008}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
===Film===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Rainbow War]]''
|
| Short film
|-
| rowspan=2|1991
| ''[[Hot Shots!]]''
| Dominic "Mailman" Farnham
|
|-
| ''Public Enemy #2''
| Sidewalk Santa
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Hot Shots! Part Deux]]''
| Rabinowitz
|
|-
| 1997
| ''Courting Courtney''
| Chad Gross
|
|-
| rowspan=2|2003
| ''Nobody Knows Anything!''
| Harold
| Uncredited
|-
| data-sort-value="Devil Made Me Do It, The" | ''The Devil Made Me Do It''
| The Devil
| Short film
|-
| 2006
| data-sort-value="Extra, The" | ''The Extra''
| Clyde
| Short film
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Astro Boy (film)|Astro Boy]]''
| [[Mr. Mustachio]] / Burning Robot
| Voice
|-
| 2011
|''[[Spooky Buddies]]''
| Hoot
| Voice<br/> Direct-to-video
|-
| 2012
|''[[Treasure Buddies]]''
| Slither
| Voice<br/> Direct-to-video
|}

===Television===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Television
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1985
| data-sort-value="Beachcombers, The" | ''[[The Beachcombers]]''
| Leo aka Tall Suit
| Season 14, episode 6: "Halibut Stu"
|-
| 1986
| data-sort-value="Hitchhiker, The" | ''[[The Hitchhiker (TV series)|The Hitchhiker]]''
| Maker
| Also known as ''Deadly Nightmares'' in the United Kingdom; ''Le Voyageur'' in France<br/> Uncredited<br/> Season 3, episode 7: "O.D. Feelin'"
|-
| 1988
| ''110 Lombard''
| 
| TV movie
|-
| 1989–1999
| ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]''
| Himself 
| UK series, 92 episodes
|-
| 1990
| ''[[It's Garry Shandling's Show]]''
| Kenny Tuchman / Bob #2
| Season 4, episode 13: "Chester Gets a Show"
|-
| rowspan=2|1991
| ''[[Who's the Boss?]]''
| Bobo the Clown
| Season 7, episode 20: "Party Politics"
|-
| ''Life As We Know It!''
|
| TV movie
|-
| 1991-1992
| ''[[Parker Lewis Can't Lose]]''
| Weather Guy / Clerk / Sweepstakes Guy 
| 3 episodes<br/> Uncredited - 2 episodes
|-
| 1992
| ''Say What?''
| Actor
| TV movie
|-
| rowspan=2|1993-1994
| ''[[Mad About You]]''
| Boss / Video Vogue Manager
| 2 episodes
|-
| data-sort-value="John Larroquette Show, The" | ''[[The John Larroquette Show]]''
| CIA Agent Kinkaid / Mac / Dave
| 3 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2|1994
| ''[[Weird Science (TV series)|Weird Science]]''
| Dale Griffin
| Season 2, episode 13: "Unplugged"
|-
| ''L.A.X. 2194''
|
| TV pilot
|-
| 1995–2004
| ''{{sortname|The|Drew Carey Show}}''
| Lewis Kiniski
| Main role; 231 episodes<br/> Director - Season 5, episode 23: "Kate vs. Speedy"
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Saturday Night Special (TV series)|Saturday Night Special]]''
| {{N/A}}
| Creative consultant
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Murphy Brown]]''
| Acolyte Monk #2
| Season 9, episode 19: "Desperate Times"
|-
| 1998–2006;<br>2013–present
| ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]''
| Himself 
| US series, 335 episodes<br/> Executive producer; 294 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2|1999
| ''[[TGIF (TV programming block)|ABC TGIF]]''
| Lewis Kiniski
| Segment: "Drew Clues 2"
|-
| ''[[The Norm Show|Norm]]''
| 
| Uncredited<br/> Season 2, episode 8: "Gambling Man"
|-
| rowspan=2|2000
| data-sort-value="Cartoon Cartoon Show, The" | ''[[What a Cartoon!#The Cartoon Cartoon Show|The Cartoon Cartoon Show]]''
| Vivian
| Voice<br/> Episode: "Foe Paws"
|-
| ''[[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]''
| Professor Spyro Lepton / Von Madman
| Voice<br/> Episode 37: "Eye of the Tempest"
|-
| rowspan=3|2001
| ''[[Hollywood Squares]]''
| Himself / Panelist
| 10 episodes
|-
|-
| ''Improv All Stars''
| Himself
| TV special
|-
| ''[[Dharma & Greg]]''
| Abraham Lincoln
| Uncredited<br/> Season 4, episode 10: "Dutch Treat"
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Rugrats]]''
| Ralph
| Voice<br/> Season 8, episode 4: "Bow Wow Wedding Vows"
|-
| 2004–2015
| ''[[Two and a Half Men]]''
| Dr. Herb Melnick
| Recurring role; 30 episodes, Seasons 2, 4–10, 12
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Reno 911!]]''
| Sergeant Clift
| Season 5, episode 15: "Undercover Acting Coach"
|-
| rowspan=2|2009
| ''Memory Lanes''
| Ryan Murray
| TV movie<br/> Writer<br/> Producer
|-
| ''Bless This Mess''
| Paul
| TV movie
|-
| rowspan=2|2011
| ''[[Working Class (TV series)|Working Class]]''
| Dr. Edwin Gould DDS
| Episode 2: "Dental Claims"
|-
| ''[[Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza]]''
| Himself
| Recurring performer, 34 episodes<br/> Producer; 7 episodes
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Are You There, Chelsea?]]''
| Jerry
| Episode 9: "Fired"
|-
| 2013
| ''Bellingham T'Nite''
| {{N/A}}
| TV short<br/> Writer<br/> Director<br/> Executive producer
|-
| 2019
| ''[[American Housewife (TV series)|American Housewife]]''
| Bill Doty
| Season 4, episode 3: "Bigger Kids, Bigger Problems"
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Young Sheldon]]''
| Dr. Bowers
| Season 3, episode 20: "A Baby Tooth and the Egyptian God of Knowledge"
|-
|2023
| ''[[Ted Lasso]]''
| Bruce (voice)
| Season 3, episode 10: "International Break"
|}

===Commercials===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Commercials
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1991
| [[Chrysler]]
| Miming Pitchman
| New Yorker Fifth Avenue, in comparison to the Cadillac DeVille
|-
| 1993
| [[Kellogg's]]
| Himself
| All-Bran
|-
| 1994
| [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
| Organ Player
| Pleading for the end of the 94/95 MLB strike
|-
| rowspan=2|1998
| [[KFC]]
| "Famous Actor"
| New Hot 'N' Spicy Chicken
|-
| [[Kwik Save]]
| Customer
| Kwik Save Hotline
|-
| 2001
| [[FedEx Office|Kinko's]]
| "Kenny"
| Various
|-
| 2004
| Progressive Automotive Insurance
| Himself
| Various
|-
| 2005
| [[Pizza Hut]]
| Himself
| Various
|-
| 2007
| [[Playskool]]
| Professional
| Various
|-
| 2011
| [[Zaxby's]]
| Himself
| Birthday cake milkshake
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ryan Stiles}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0830198|name=Ryan Stiles}}

{{WLIIA}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stiles, Ryan}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century American comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian comedians]]
[[Category:American expatriates in Canada]]
[[Category:American impressionists (entertainers)]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:Canadian impressionists (entertainers)]]
[[Category:Canadian male comedians]]
[[Category:Canadian male voice actors]]
[[Category:Canadian stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:Comedians from Vancouver]]
[[Category:Male actors from Vancouver]]
[[Category:People from Richmond, British Columbia]]
[[Category:Comedians from Seattle]]