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{{BLP sources|date=April 2010}}
{{Infobox Comedian
| name = Mike Myers
| image = MikeMyersJune07.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Myers at the ''[[Shrek the Third]]'' London premiere in June 2007
| birth_name = Michael John Myers
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|5|25}}
| birth_place = [[Scarborough, Ontario|Scarborough]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]
| othername =
| active = 1975–present
| spouse = Robin Ruzan (1993–2007) (divorced)
| notable_work = ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' <br /> ''[[Wayne's World]]'' <br /> ''[[Wayne's World 2]]'' <br /> ''[[So I Married an Axe Murderer]]'' <br /> ''[[Austin Powers (film series)|Austin Powers]]'' <br /> ''[[Shrek]]'' | occupation = actor, [[comedian]], [[screenwriter|writer]], [[film producer|producer]]
| influences = [[Peter Sellers]], [[Dan Aykroyd]], [[John Cleese]], [[Chevy Chase]]
| module = {{Infobox comedian awards
|child=yes
| emmyawards = '''Writing In A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program'''<br />1989 ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| americancomedyawards = '''Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)'''<br />2000 ''[[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]]''
| awardtitle1 = [[Razzie Award for Worst Actor|Razzie Award]]
| award1 = '''[[Razzie Award for Worst Actor|Worst Actor]]'''<br>2008 ''[[The Love Guru]]''
}}
}}
'''Michael John''' "'''Mike'''" '''Myers''' (born May 25, 1963) is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] actor of [[British people|British]] [[parentage]], [[comedian]], [[screenwriter]], and [[film producer]]. He was a long-time cast member on the [[NBC]] sketch show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' in the late 1980s and the early 1990s and starred as the title characters in the films ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne's World]]'', ''[[Austin Powers (film series)|Austin Powers]]'', the ''[[Shrek (film series)|Shrek]]'' film series, and ''[[The Love Guru]]''.

==Personal life==
Myers was born and raised in [[Scarborough, Ontario|Scarborough]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]], the son of Alice E. ([[married and maiden names|née]] Hind; b. 1926), an office supervisor who was formerly in the [[Royal Air Force]], and Eric Myers (1922–1991), he worked in the insurance business and previously was a [[Corps of Royal Engineers|Royal Engineer]] in the [[British Army]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/35/Mike-Myers.html |title=Mike Myers Biography (1963-) |publisher=Filmreference.com |accessdate=2008-10-23}}</ref><ref name="tiscali1">{{cite web|url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/mike_myers_biog.html |title=Mike Myers Biography |publisher=Tiscali.co.uk |accessdate=2008-10-23}}</ref> Both of his parents are from [[Liverpool]], [[England]]. He has two older brothers, Peter and [[Paul Myers (musician)|Paul Myers]], the latter of whom is an [[indie rock]] [[singer-songwriter]], broadcaster and author. Myers is of English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/wow/films/film_interviews/tm_headline=q-a-mike-myers&method=full&objectid=19392698&siteid=50002-name_page.html |title=icBirmingham - Q&A: Mike Myers |publisher=Icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2008-10-23}}</ref> and was raised [[Protestant]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-89729450.html |title=Mike Myers - International man of Mirth |first=Peter |=Elson |publisher=Daily Post (Liverpool, England) |date=2002-07-27 |accessdate=2008-10-23}}</ref>

He attended [[Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute]] but then changed schools and went to Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute in [[Scarborough, Ontario]]. He began working in commercials at age eight, and at ten he made a commercial for British Columbia Hydro Electric with [[Gilda Radner]] playing his mother. During high school, in an attempt to make girls laugh, he would go into the ''Wayne’s World'' character that later came to be known as Wayne Campbell. The day he finished his high school finals he joined Second City Theatre. Later, he left Second City to tour Britain with comedian [[Neil Mullarkey]].

Mike is a Dungeons & Dragons player<ref>{{cite episode| title = Mike Myers| series = Inside the Actors Studio| serieslink =Inside the Actors Studio| airdate = 2001-02-04| season = 7| number = 9 }}</ref> and was one of several celebrities to have participated in the [[Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/dungeons-and-dragons-game-day-article-5339.html |title=Dungeons and Dragons Game Day at London Dungeon |publisher=Viewlondon.co.uk |date=2007-11-03 |accessdate=2010-06-18}}</ref>

He was married to Robin Ruzan from 1993 until their divorce in 2007.

Myers has played for [[Hollywood United F.C.]], a celebrity studded U.S. soccer team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Philip |first=Robert |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2293564/Frank-Leboeuf-ready-to-act-on-the-ball.html |title=Frank Leboeuf ready to act on the ball |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |date=2008-03-05 |accessdate=2010-06-18}}</ref> He played in the 2010 [[Soccer Aid]] for [[UNICEF UK]] soccer match, England vs. R.O.W (Rest of the World) and successfully scored his penalty during a sudden death shootout after the game ended 2-2 (June 6, 2010).
The Rest of the World team beat England for the first time since the tournament started.

Myers is a passionate [[Liverpool F.C.]] supporter, and a huge fan of the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]].

==Career==
===Early career===
One of Myers's first acting jobs was in a TV commercial when he was ten years old.<ref name="tiscali1"/> [[Gilda Radner]] played his mother. A few months later, according to Myers, his brother was teasing him about his "girlfriend (Radner) being on some stupid show on Saturday." Myers swore that one day, he too would be on that show.

Myers graduated from high school in 1982 and was immediately accepted into the ''[[The Second City|Second City]]'' Canadian Touring Company, after which he moved to the UK where in 1985 he was one of the founding members of [[The Comedy Store Players]], an improvisational group based at [[The Comedy Store, London|The Comedy Store]] in London. Myers then attended Tufts University where he played football and lacrosse. He was the team captain of both before quitting school to pursue his acting career. The next year, he starred in the British children's TV program [[Wide Awake Club (television)|''Wide Awake Club'']], parodying the show's normal exuberance with his own "Sound Asleep Club", in partnership with [[Neil Mullarkey]]. He returned to Toronto and [[The Second City|Second City]] in 1986 as a cast member in the Second City's Toronto main stage show. In 1988 he moved from Second City in Toronto to Chicago. In Chicago, he trained and performed at the [[Improv Olympic]]. He made numerous appearances, including as Wayne Campbell, on Toronto's [[Citytv]] in the early 1980s, on the alternative video show ''City Limits'' hosted by [[Christopher Ward (songwriter)|Christopher Ward]]. Myers also appeared as his Wayne Campbell character in the music video for Ward's Canadian hit "Boys and Girls". Later, Ward would appear as one of [[Austin Powers (character)|Austin Powers]]' band members in Ming Tea in Myers's popular movie series. The Wayne Campbell character was featured extensively in the 1986 summer series "It's Only Rock & Roll" produced by Toronto's Insight Production Company for [[CBC Television]]. Wayne appeared both in studio and in a series of location sketches directed and edited by [[Allan Novak]]. Myers wrote another sketch, Kurt and Dieter co-starring with Second City's Dana Andersen and also directed by Novak, which would later turn into the popular "[[Sprockets (Saturday Night Live)|Sprockets]]" sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''.

===''Saturday Night Live''===
{{Main|Saturday Night Live}}
He was a member of the cast of [[NBC]]'s ''Saturday Night Live'' television program from 1989 to 1995, where he performed characters such as Simon, [[Sprockets (television)|Dieter]], [[Coffee Talk|Linda Richman]], and Wayne Campbell from ''[[Wayne's World]].
[[Image:Myers.JPG|thumb|Mike Myers's star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]]]

===Film===
In 1992, Myers and [[Dana Carvey]] adapted ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne's World]]'' into a full-length motion picture based on the ''SNL'' sketch. It was among the most successful movies of the year and the following year a sequel was released - ''[[Wayne's World 2]]''. That year Myers also starred in ''[[So I Married an Axe Murderer]]'' which garnered a cult following. After Wayne's World 2, Myers took a hiatus from television. The characters in the movie were based on people Myers knew growing up in the Bridlewood section of Scarborough.

After four year hiatus from television, Myers returned to acting in 1997 with the film ''[[Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery]]'', then a sequel in 1999, ''[[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]]'', finally topping it off with ''[[Austin Powers in Goldmember]]'' in 2002. Myers played both the title role ([[Austin Powers]]) and the villain ([[Dr. Evil]]), as well as other characters, in all three Austin Powers films. In 1998, he played one of his rare non-comedic roles in the film ''[[54 (film)|54]]'': [[Steve Rubell]], proprietor of New York City's famous [[Studio 54]], a 1970s [[discotheque]]. The film was moderately successful, and Myers's performance was widely praised. Myers later parodied the club as "Studio 69" in Goldmember.

In June 2000, Myers was sued by [[Universal Pictures]] for $3.8 million for backing out of a contract to play Dieter, the ''SNL'' character, in a feature film. Myers said he refused to honor the $20 million contract because he did not want to cheat moviegoers with an unacceptable script - one that he himself had written. Myers countersued, and a settlement was reached after several months where Myers agreed to make another film with Universal. That film would be ''[[The Cat in the Hat (film)|The Cat in the Hat]]'', released in November 2003 and starring Myers as the title character. In 2001, Myers played the [[Shrek (character)|title character]] in the [[DreamWorks Animation|DreamWorks]] animated film ''[[Shrek]]'' (2001). He reprised this role in ''[[Shrek 4-D]]'' in 2003, ''[[Shrek 2]]'' (2004), ''[[Shrek the Third]]'', and the Christmas special ''[[Shrek The Halls]]'', both in 2007. In 2010 Myers returned for what is apparently the last in the ''Shrek'' series, ''[[Shrek Forever After]]''.
Myers made a cameo apperance in [[Britney Spears]]' music video '[[Boys]]' as his film character [[Austin Powers]].
Myers is a member of the band [[Ming Tea]] along with [[Bangles]] guitarist and vocalist [[Susanna Hoffs]] and musician [[Matthew Sweet]]. They performed the songs ''BBC'' and ''Daddy Wasn't There'' for the Austin Powers movies.
[[File:Mike Myers David Shankbone 2010 NYC.jpg|thumb|Myers at the 2010 [[Tribeca Film Festival]].]]
In a 2005 poll to find ''[[The Comedian's Comedian]]'', he was voted among the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. As of 2005, Myers was signed on to play the lead role in the upcoming biopic of [[The Who]] drummer [[Keith Moon]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Weinberg |first=Scott |url=http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/news/1645812/mike_myers_to_play_who_keith_moon |title=News Mike Myers to Play Who? Keith Moon |publisher=Uk.rottentomatoes.com |date=2005-09-30 |accessdate=2010-06-18}}</ref> The film would be produced by [[Roger Daltrey]] and [[Nigel Sinclair]].

During a CBS interview in 2007, Myers noted that he normally takes three years between films. He spends one year "living his life" and then writes various screenplays, develops characters, practices them in front of live audiences, and then selects one of the screenplays to film. Myers noted that this was the [[Marx Brothers]]' procedure for developing their film material.

Myers received the MTV Generation award in June 2007, making him the 2nd Canadian to win the award ([[Jim Carrey]] was the first in 2006), for bringing his unique style of comedy to small and big screens alike.

In June 2008, Myers's film ''[[The Love Guru]]'' met with negative reviews, prompting cable news network [[MSNBC]] to brand Myers "The Antifunny" in its June 24, 2008 online news edition.

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
|| 1992
| ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne’s World]]''
| Wayne Campbell
| Also Writer
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1993
| ''[[So I Married an Axe Murderer]]
| Charlie McKenzie/ Stuart McKenzie
|
|-
| ''[[Wayne's World 2|Wayne’s World 2]]''
| Wayne Campbell
| Also Writer
|-
|| 1997
| ''[[Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery]]''
| [[Austin Powers (character)|Austin Powers]] / [[Dr. Evil]]
| Also Writer/ Producer
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1998
| ''[[54 (film)|54]]''
| [[Steve Rubell]]
|
|-
| ''[[The Thin Pink Line]]''
| Tim Broderick
|
|-
| ''[[Pete's Meteor|Pete’s Meteor]]''
| Pete
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1999
| ''[[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]]''
| Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / [[Fat Bastard (character)|Fat Bastard]] / Austin-Ten-Minutes-From-Now
| Also Writer/ Producer
|-
| ''[[Mystery, Alaska]]''
| Donnie Shulzhoffer
|
|-
|rowspan=’’1"| 2001
| ''[[Shrek]]''
| [[Shrek (character)|Shrek]]
| Voice
|-
|| 2002
| ''[[Austin Powers in Goldmember]]''
| Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / Fat Bastard / [[Goldmember]]
| Also Writer/ Producer
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2003
| ''Nobody Knows Anything!''
| 'Eye' Witness
|
|-
| ''[[The Cat in the Hat (film)|The Cat in the Hat]]''
| The Cat
|
|-
| ''[[Shrek 4-D]]''
| Shrek
| Voice
|-
| ''[[View from the Top]]''
| John Witney
|
|-
|| 2004
| ''[[Shrek 2]]''
| Shrek
| Voice
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2007
| ''[[Shrek the Third]]''
| Shrek
| Voice
|-
| ''[[Shrek the Halls]]''
| Shrek
| Voice
|-
|| 2008
| ''[[The Love Guru]]''
| Guru Maurice Pitka
| Also Writer/Producer<br>[[Golden Raspberry Award|Razzie Award]] for [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor|Worst Actor]]
|-
|| 2009
| ''[[Inglourious Basterds]]''
| Gen. Ed Fenech, British Army
| [[Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast]]<br>[[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
|-
|| 2010
|''[[Shrek Forever After]]''
|Shrek
| Voice
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2011
|''[[Marvin the Martian (film)|Marvin the Martian]]''
|Marvin the Martian
| Voice <br> in production
|-
| ''[[Elvis (film)|Elvis]]''
| [[Colonel Tom Parker]]
| '''''Post-Production'''''
|-
|''Bunnicula''
|Harold
| Voice
|-
|| 2012
|''See Me Feel Me: Keith Moon Naked for Your Pleasure''
|Keith Moon
| in production
|-
|| 2013
|''[[Austin Powers 4]]''
|Austin Powers / Dr. Evil
| Also Writer/ Producer
|}

==Awards==
Myers has won the following awards:
*Four [[American Comedy Awards]] (Best Film Performance (Male) and Best Writing in 2003 and 2000, for ''Austin Powers in Goldmember'' and ''Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'', respectively)
*The 2000 [[American Comedy Award]] for Best Lead Actor for ''The Spy Who Shagged Me''.
*An [[Emmy Award]] in 1989 for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, for ''Saturday Night Live''. He has also been nominated for two other Emmy Awards.
*He has won seven [[MTV Movie Awards]].
*Nominated for the Worst Actor and Worst Screen Couple [[Razzie Awards]] in 2004, for ''[[The Cat in the Hat (film)|The Cat in the Hat]]''.
* For contributions to the motion picture industry, Mike Myers was honored with a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 7042 [[Hollywood Boulevard]].<ref name="HWOFDB">{{cite web|url=http://www.hwof.com/stars?recipient=Mike_Myers|title=Hollywood Walk of Fame database |publisher=HWOF.com}}</ref>
*He was awarded the [[Lucille Ball]] Legacy of Laughter Award at the 2008 [[TV Land Awards]]. His award was presented to him by [[Justin Timberlake]], his co-star in ''[[The Love Guru]]''.
*Two [[2008 Golden Raspberry Awards|Razzie Awards in 2008]], for Worst Actor and along with co-writer Graham Gordy Worst Screenplay for ''The Love Guru''. The film also won Worst Film and secured 4 other nominations.
* In 2003 he was inducted into [[Canada's Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductee/mike-myers| title=Mike Myers| work=Canada's Walk of Fame}}</ref>

==Notable characters==
The following characters were created and played by Myers:
*[[Sprockets (Saturday Night Live)|Dieter]] (SNL) - host of [[Sprockets (Saturday Night Live)|Sprockets]]
*[[Coffee Talk|Linda Richman]] (SNL) - hostess of [[Coffee Talk]]
*Simon (SNL) - a little boy who does drawings in the bath and complains about having "prune hands" (the theme song for this segment was a slightly modified version of the theme song from "[[Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings]]" by [[Edward MacLachlan]])
*Wayne Campbell (SNL, the ''[[Wayne's World]]'' films)
*Pat Arnold (SNL, [[Bill Swerski's Superfans]])
*Stuart Rankin (SNL) - proprietor of "All Things Scottish"
*Stuart McKenzie (''So I Married an Axe Murderer'')
*Charlie McKenzie (''So I Married an Axe Murderer'')
*Middle-Aged Man (SNL) - An older man who helps young people with their problems.
*[[Austin Powers (character)|Austin Powers]] (the ''Austin Powers'' films)
*[[Dr. Evil (character)|Dr. Evil]] (the ''Austin Powers'' films)
*[[Fat Bastard (character)|Fat Bastard]] (''Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me'' and ''Austin Powers in Goldmember'')
*[[Johann van der Smut|Goldmember]] (''Austin Powers in Goldmember'')
*Donald Q. Cashington, Jr. III (Featured in The Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Event for Autism Education) - An [[Eccentricity (behavior)|eccentric]] billionaire that requests buying the rights to name [[autism]] after himself.
*Guru Pitka (''[[The Love Guru]]'')
*[[Shrek]] - (the ''[[Shrek]]'' films)
*Gen. Ed Fenech (''[[Inglourious Basterds]]'')

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons|Mike Myers}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikinews|Rapper Kanye West denounces Bush response, American media at hurricane relief telethon}}
* {{National Public Radio|94804987}} in 2008
* {{IMDb name|0000196|Mike Myers}}
* {{tv.com person|62767|Mike Myers}}

{{MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Villain}}
{{Wayne's World}}

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|NAME= Myers, Mike
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|SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer
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|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Scarborough, Ontario]], Canada
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
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[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Canadian film actors]]
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[[Category:Canadian_people_of_Irish_descent]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate actors in the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian television actors]]
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[[Category:Hollywood United Hitmen players]]
[[Category:ImprovOlympics]]
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[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Scarborough, Ontario]]
[[Category:Second City alumni]]

[[Category:Canadian television comedians]]

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Revision as of 07:39, 19 December 2010