Richard Karn was born on February 17, 1956, in Seattle, Washington, the son of Gene and Louise Wilson. He has a sister named Sue. His birth name was Richard Karn Wilson, but he shortened it to Richard Karn because there was already a Richard Wilson registered with the Screen Actors Guild. He did his first acting in the fifth grade and was very active in drama in high school. He spent six months in England and attended the University of Washington, graduating in 1979 with a degree in drama. During his career, Richard has performed in many off-Broadway productions. His filmography includes 11 feature films and several made-for-TV movies and television series, including 8 years as Al Borland on Home Improvement with Tim Allen.