BIOGRAPHIES (as of Jan. 2005)

Drew Carey

With the success of The Drew Carey Show and Whose Line Is It Anyway? standup comic turned actor, director and producer Drew Carey has had the rare honor of having two hit shows on the air simultaneously. Carey continued to diversify his career with his cutting edge standup comedy, various cable and pay-per-view television specials and his work as an author. His passion for improv performing led him to create Drew Carey's Green Screen Show, a new series on The WB that combines standard improv games with animation.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Carey began his career as a comedian in 1986 in Cleveland. One of his first breaks was a spot on Star Search in 1988.

In November 1991, Carey landed his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Carson was so impressed that he bestowed a rare honor on Carey by calling him over to the couch, where Carey stayed for the remainder of the show. A portion of that memorable appearance can be seen on the Best of Carson collection. Also in 1991, Carey appeared on HBO's 14th Annual Young Comedians Special and made his first appearance on Late Night with David Letterman.

In 1994, Carey's Showtime stand-up comedy special Drew Carey, Human Cartoon, earned him a Cable Ace Award for Best Writing. That same winter, while starring on the short-lived sitcom, The Good Life, Carey met producer Bruce Helford. Together they created long-running series The Drew Carey Show, which premiered in 1995 and earned Carey two People's Choice Awards for Favorite Male in a New Series. The show has been hugely successful in syndication and lasted for nine seasons and 233 episodes, making it one of the longest-running shows in television history.
Carey has also been lauded for bringing the innovative British improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway? to American television. The show debuted in 1998 and ran for 175 episodes.

In July of 1997, Carey hosted HBO's Mr. Vegas' All-Night Party. He felt right at home as he performed musical numbers and comedy sketches in Las Vegas. In October 1998, Carey was roasted by the Friar's Club on Comedy Central. It was the first time the Friar's Club had ever televised one of their famous roasts.

In 2001, Carey teamed with Showtime for a live pay-per-view improv comedy special Improv Allstars, from the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Featuring many members of the rotating Whose Line cast, the show was one of the highest-rated variety entertainment programs to ever air on pay-per-view. Last year, Carey hosted The WB's game show special Pepsi Play for a Billion.
Also a published author, Carey's debut book, Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined, spent three months on the New York Times' best-seller list.

Carey was also honored to provide the entertainment at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, DC in May 2002.

Jeff Davis

Jeff Davis, a multi-talented actor/comedian, returns for his second series on The WB. He previously starred in the improvisational comedy series On The Spot.

Raised in Southern California, Davis started in commercials when he was 4 years old, and at age 11 was cast as Louis in the Broadway production of The King and I with Yul Brynner. A national tour followed and, after 750 performances, Davis returned home to attend school.

Davis began performing with various improv troupes and soon landed a recurring role on the improv series Whose Line Is It, Anyway? His comedic timing won over comedian Steve Martin and the other producers of The Downer Channel, earning Davis a spot in the cast of the comedy sketch/reality series in 2001. He also has appeared on the television series The Norm Show, The Drew Carey Show and The WB's JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. Davis appeared in the acclaimed telefilm Tuesdays With Morrie and was a series regular on Happy Family, opposite Christine Baranski and John Larroquette, in the fall of 2003.

Davis currently resides in Los Angeles and keeps his improv skills sharp by touring worldwide and performing with Drew Carey and the other cast members of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Davis has also been part of two USO tours.

Chip (Charles) Esten

A veteran of the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Charles "Chip" Esten made his debut in London portraying Buddy Holly in the hit West End musical Buddy. Esten was on stage with Buddy for three years and had the honor of performing for President George H. Bush, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Esten was part of a large extended family. It was in that big group that he found his sense of humor. After graduating from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked and learned improv at the Groundlings Theatre.

Since the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Esten has made regular appearances on the American version of the show. He has also guest-starred on many other shows, including NYPD Blue, Providence, Party of Five, Lois and Clark, Cheers and The Drew Carey Show. He also played the man who married Kelly Bundy in the final episode of Married...with Children.

On the big screen, Esten appeared in the Kevin Costner-directed The Postman, Thirteen Days, and Billy Crystal's 61*. Along with other cast members of Drew Carey's Green Screen Show, Esten is part of the Improv Allstars.
Esten and his wife Patty, whom he met in college, reside in Los Angeles with their daughters, Taylor and Addie, and son Chase.

Kathy Kinney

Kathy Kinney began her career in New York City when she started performing improvisation at local comedy clubs.

Born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Kinney's big break came in 1986 when she starred in Parting Glances, a film that would later be recognized as Best Film at the USA Film Festival that same year.

Kinney moved to Los Angeles in 1987 and since then has guest-starred on numerous television series, including Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Grace Under Fire, and Dream On. She appeared for two seasons as Miss Goddard, the town librarian on Newhart, before she landed the role of the over-the-top Mimi Bobeck on the long-running series The Drew Carey Show. She has also done a varied range of voice-over work, and can currently be heard as Jenny the monkey on the animated series The Big Guy and Rusty The Boy Robot.

Kinney's feature film credits include This Boy's Life, Arachnophobia, Stanley & Iris, Scrooged and Picking Up The Pieces.

In addition to appearing in many off-Broadway productions in New York, Kinney has been seen onstage in Los Angeles in Jeffrey Essmann's Triplets in Uniform and Bob Koherr's The Dying Art. She also appeared in productions of Woman From Samos and Casina at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
Kinney has headlined to sellout crowds at Caesar's Palace and Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. She also tours with the Improv Allstars.

Julie Larson (guest star)

Julie Larson has been appearing regularly with Drew Carey and the Improv Allstars throughout the United States, Canada and abroad for the past seven years.

Born and raised in Geneva, Illinois, Larson has been performing improv since she was a teen with such groups as the Second City Alumni and The Groundlings. For the past six years, Larson's primary focus has been writing and producing television.

In 1998, Larson joined the writing team of Dharma and Greg, where she stayed for three years before moving to writing and producing The Drew Carey Show.

Larson is busy raising her daughter Joan. She devotes her free time to Soka Gakkai International (SGI-USA), an American Buddhist association that promotes world peace and individual happiness based on the teachings of the Nichiren school of Mahayana Buddhism.

Jonathan Mangum

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Jonathan Mangum was 6 years old when his family moved to Mobile, Alabama. After high school, Mangum attended the University of Central Florida, where he earned a B.S. in Psychology, though he says that a career in psychology never felt right to him.
Mangum began to pursue performing at improv/comedy clubs in Florida, but it wasn't until he landed at SAK Theatre in Orlando and befriended fellow comedian Wayne Brady that things turned around. Mangum, Brady and the SAK troupe performed 13 sold-out shows a week.

After four years, Mangum and the SAK troupe moved to Los Angeles, where they performed as the much-lauded Houseful of Honkeys. Mangum continued to sharpen his skills, performing with improv groups Comedy Sportz, TheatreSports and the Drew Carey's Improv Allstars.

Mangum has made guest appearances on ER, Reno 911 and Just Shoot Me. He was a series regular on Comedy Central's Strip Mall, on Brady's primetime variety series, The Wayne Brady Show and on the last two seasons of The Drew Carey Show.

Mangum continues to perform with Houseful of Honkeys and tours with Wayne Brady & Friends, a live improv show that continues to sell out the nation's top comedy clubs.

Mangum and his wife Leah, a casting director, reside in Los Angeles with their baby son Chase. You can learn more about Jonathan at his official website: www.jonathanmangum.com.

Sean Masterson

An alumnus of Chicago's famous comedy troupe, Second City, Sean Masterson comes from a show business family.

Born in New York City, Masterson and his family moved to Los Angeles, California, when he was just a toddler. In the early 1950's, his father, John Masterson, produced Bride and Groom, a television show where couples were married in front of live audience. It was his father's career that brought the family west.

After graduating high school in Los Angeles and acting in many commercials, daytime serials, and school plays, Masterson briefly attended college. When he realized that people actually got paid to do what he had been doing his whole life - making people laugh - he moved to Chicago to begin pursuing his career. After bartending and working odd jobs for only nine months, he landed a spot with Second City.

Masterson spent four years with the Chicago improv group before returning to Los Angeles. With Second City alums Julie Larson, Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie, he began the improv touring group known as Larson, Masterson, Mochrie and Stiles. After catching one of their performances, Drew Carey was inspired to bring the British improv series Whose Line Is It Anyway? to the United States.
Masterson's many television appearances include guest roles on JAG, 3rd Rock From The Sun, The Drew Carey Show and The WB's Grounded For Life.

Masterson, single and now living in Malibu, is part of the Improv Allstars, along with Carey and several cast members.

Colin Mochrie (guest star)

Born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, Colin Mochrie and his family moved to Canada when he was just 8 years old.

Mochrie realized his talent for comedy when he was a shy teenager growing up in Vancouver. At age 16, he was dared by a friend to audition for a school play and landed the role. He went on to attend Langara College's Studio 58, a theater conservatory in Vancouver, and worked several improv shows at Expo 86, an event marking Vancouver's 100th anniversary. He later moved to Toronto and was hired by the show's touring manager - and his future wife Debra - to star in Second City's comedy troupe. He remained with Second City for three years before becoming the director of the touring company.

Mochrie first auditioned for Whose Line Is It Anyway? during the show's second season, but did not receive the part. Never one to be easily discouraged, he auditioned again two years later and landed a position on the show.

Born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, Colin Mochrie and his family moved to Canada when he was just 8 years old.
Mochrie realized his talent for comedy when he was a shy teenager growing up in Vancouver. At age 16, he was dared by a friend to audition for a school play and landed the role. He went on to attend Langara College's Studio 58, a theater conservatory in Vancouver, and worked several improv shows at Expo 86, an event marking Vancouver's 100th anniversary. He later moved to Toronto and was hired by the show's touring manager - and his future wife Debra - to star in Second City's comedy troupe. He remained with Second City for three years before becoming the director of the touring company.

Mochrie first auditioned for Whose Line Is It Anyway? during the show's second season, but did not receive the part. Never one to be easily discouraged, he auditioned again two years later and landed a position on the show.

Greg Proops

A native of San Francisco, California, Greg Proops is best known for his appearances on the British and American versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Proops has performed in cities all over the world, including Paris and Milan, as well as in Turkey and New Zealand. He is currently part of the Improv Allstars group, along with Drew Carey and many others from the cast, who also had the honor of performing for the troops as part of a USO Tour.

Proops' topical humor can be heard on "AudibleProops," a bi-weekly show on audible.com, which he hosts. Also, he regularly hosts "The Greg Proops Chat Show," a nightclub show in Los Angeles.

Additionally, he has contributed voices to Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as Lover Bear in the Disney animated feature Brother Bear and as Bernard, a mad scientist, on Pamela Anderson's animated series Stripperella.

Proops and his wife Jennifer currently live in Los Angeles.

Brad Sherwood

Brad Sherwood is another alumni of both the British and American versions of the hit comedy series Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Sherwood was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up Santa Fe, New Mexico. Having performed in school and local theater since he was 8 years old, Sherwood attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he majored in acting.

After college, Sherwood packed his bags and moved to Los Angeles to begin his career. He worked several jobs in television and learned about what goes on the behind-the-scenes. He continued to perfect his improv craft and became part of Theatre Sports, along with Colin Mochrie and Greg Proops. Mochrie and Proops are now co-starring with Sherwood in Drew Carey's Green Screen Show.

His first professional on-screen job was a recurring role on the long-running drama LA Law. His other appearances include The Drew Carey Show, and it wasn't long before Sherwood became a rotating panel member on Whose Line Is It Anyway? He continues to tour with Drew Carey and the Improv Allstars and has had over 100 appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Sherwood currently lives in Los Angeles and, with his busy travel schedule, considers a full night of sleep a luxury.

Ryan Stiles (guest star)

It's not surprising that Ryan Stiles would feel comfortable doing a comedic turn in the role of Lewis, one of Drew Carey's ever-present friends in the TV sit-com, "The Drew Carey Show." After all, the first job Stiles ever had was that of a stand-up comedian. Although he was a good student, Stiles admits that "being a high-school senior gave me too much freedom." He got so carried away with his flexible schedule that he quit school a few months shy of graduation and got a job doing stand-up comedy in Vancouver. In spite of his parents' objections, he was able to support himself for several years, but "I got out of stand-up when everybody else started doing it," he says.

He didn't stray too far from the world of comedy. In 1986, he joined the highly acclaimed Second City comedy ensemble in Toronto, where he honed his improvisational skills. In 1990, Stiles moved to Los Angeles to perform with the Los Angeles Second City group. Film and television roles soon followed, including roles in "Hot Shots" and "Hot Shots, Part Deux." Stiles' television credits include "Parker Lewis Can't Lose," "Mad About You" and cable's "The Hitchhiker." He was a series regular on the British improvisational series, "Whose Line Is It, Anyway?," which has been nominated for three CableACE awards, as well as performing in and being an executive producer on the American version.

During the 1994-95 baseball strike, Stiles and acclaimed director Joe Pytka made some memorable commercials for Nike. That was Stiles in the empty baseball stadium doing the wave solo. When he's not at work, Stiles spends his time thinking about work.