Stand-ups on screen

Jim Carrey

On the stage… A headliner in Canada at the age of 19, and discovered shortly thereafter in Los Angeles by Rodney Dangerfield, Jim Carrey combined the absurdity of Steve Martin and the relentless energy of Robin Williams. His work on the Fox sketch comedy series “In Living Color” caught Hollywood’s attention.

On the big screen… Cheaply-shot and underwritten, 1994’s “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” nevertheless connected with teen boys, who also lined up for “The Mask” and “Dumb and Dumber.” A fast-rising star, Carrey found himself in a “Batman” sequel and earning a groundbreaking $20 million for Ben Stiller’s dark comedy flop “The Cable Guy.” The Oscar pedigree of “The Truman Show” [pictured] demonstrated his range, but his last attempt at a major stretch, “The Number 23,” was a big miss.