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Jim Turner
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Jim Turner

Jim Turner is entering his 7th season in HBO's hit comedy series ARLI$$ as lovable lout, Kirby Carlise. Playing ex-football-star-turned-agent and old college buddy of sports super agent Arliss Michaels (Robert Wuhl), Turner renders Kirby as endearingly ineffective and accidentally destructive. On the street, most folks know Jim from somewhere: former classmate? Sister's beau? Dog park Guy? Nope, it's just his familiar, affable, utterly fifth banana presence. Jim Turner, boyishly blond behind Clark Kent glasses, is at once ubiquitous and indefinable. In person, he seems almost too normal to play Kirby but€¦he's not.

Even Kirby isn't as goofy as some of the wacko roles Turner has crafted in his diverse acting career. Comprised of feature and short films, television series and numerous appearances, and with over 20 stage plays, one-man-shows and comedy tours, he has the odd distinction of creating the weirdest group of cult favorites imaginable.

Turner seemingly burst onto the scene as MTV's spokesman Randee of the Redwoods. He did hundreds of spots over four years for RANDEE FOR PRESIDENT ads (1987-90) but he had been acting in television, movies, theatre and touring the nation since 1975 in the five-member comedy troupe DUCKS BREATH MYSTERY THEATER.

Turner's film credits run from big studio releases for Warner Brothers (JACK FROST and THE LOST BOYS) and Columbia (ST. ELMO'S FIRE) to the very independent films OFF THE LIP; THE POMATUS OF LOVE (with Kristen Scott Thomas and Michael McKean) and ZADAR! COW FROM HELL.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2002.

Jim Turner Facts

OccupationActor

Selected Filmography

Not available.