Harland Williams

Quirky Canadian comedic actor Harland Williams left behind a career as a forest ranger to try his hand at stand-up comedy, and soon made the transition to acting, quickly moving from obscure character player to lead in the 1997 feature "RocketMan." Dark-haired and cute with cartoonishly prominent ears, a slightly weak chin and expressive buggy eyes, the children's book writer and illustrator and trained animator made his feature film acting debut in 1994's "Dumb and Dumber," starring fellow Torontonian Jim Carrey. That same year he had an early TV credit with a memorable cameo as a ticket taker on "These Friends of Mine," an early incarnation of the ABC sitcom "Ellen" (1994-98). Williams was cast in his own comedy series playing the eponymous cockeyed optimist on The WB's "Simon" from 1995-1996. More film work followed in 1996 when the actor was featured as a sonar expert in the inane comedy "Down Periscope."