James Michael Tyler

James Michael Tyler

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Birth name: James Michael Tyler
Date of birth: 28 May 1962
Place of birth: Winona, Mississippi, USA
Nickname: James
Height: 5′ 11″ (1.80 m) 
Spouse: Barbara Tyler (1999 – present)

Famous Quote: “When I first moved to Hollywood, I was too poor to get back to visit. Then, when I had the money, I was too busy. I’m not nearly as uptight or socially inept. Above and beyond having the social life, to have a core group of people that you work with and spend time with and learn how to work with is a nice thing. I always wanted, and still aspire, to be something more than just one thing, just one performance.”

Contact Address and Autograph: Addresses and fan mail information

James Michael Tyler
c/o Thirdhill Entertainment
195 South Beverly Drive, Suite 400
Beverly Hills, CA 90212, USA 

Biography:  James Michael Tyler (born May 28, 1962 in Winona, Mississippi) is an actor, best known for playing Gunther on the NBC and Channel 4 (UK) sitcom Friends.

James Michael Tyler was born the youngest of five children on 28 May 1962 in Winona, Mississippi, USA to a retired Air Force captain and a homemaker. When he was eleven years old, his parents died and James moved to Anderson, South Carolina to live with his sister. He studied at Clemson University and graduated with a degree in Geology. During this time, he was a member of a student theatre group, the Clemson Players. The youngest of five children, he was raised by a retired Air Force captain and a homemaker. 

At age 11, his parents died and he moved to Anderson, South Carolina to live with his sister. Tyler enrolled at Clemson University as a geology major and earned a bachelor of arts degree. He moved to Los Angeles in 1988 and became a production assistant for “Fat Man and Little Boy” and later became an assistant apprentice film editor. He also worked as an extra and practiced music on the keyboard. When not working, Tyler practices the keyboard in his studio at home and writes music. He enjoys playing tennis, golf, and jogging. He is active in the Lili Claire Foundation and AIDS Project L.A charities. James Michael Tyler and his wife Barbara, a personal trainer, live in Hollywood.

This experience sparked his interest in becoming an actor. In 1988 he moved to Los Angeles and became a production assistant for “Fat Man and Little Boy” and an assistant apprentice film editor. He supports the Lili Claire Foundation and AIDS Project L.A charities. James is married to a personal trainer named Barbara and both are currently living in Hollywood. Tyler plays the keyboard in his studio at home and writes music. He also enjoys playing tennis, golf, and jogging.

From 1994 till 2004 James Michael Tyler played Gunther on the hit NBC sitcom Friends. Gunther was a coffee shop worker at Central Perk who had a crush on Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston. Tyler was an extra who was cast as Gunther because he was the only extra who knew how to operate an espresso machine. (Tyler used to work in several coffee shops before acting.) This casting behind the coffee bar led to the semi-recurring speaking part of Gunther. Tyler’s signature peroxide blonde hair was actually accidental. The day before the Friends audition, one of Tyler’s acquaintances, who studied to become a hairdresser, experimented on his hair. When Tyler showed up for the audition, the producer liked it so much they decided to keep it. Like his character Gunther on Friends, Tyler is a cigarette smoker.

Ended up with the role of Gunther on “Friends” (1994) because he was the only extra who could work the cappuchino machine. He attended Clemson University and graduated with a degree in Geology. When he was 11, his parents died and he moved to Anderson, South Carolina, to live with his sister. He attended T. L. Hanna High School in Anderson which is the same school in the movie “Radio” starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris.

Tyler’s signature peroxide blonde hair was actually accidental. The day before the Friends audition, one of Tyler’s acquaintances, who studied to become a hairdresser, experimented on his hair. When Tyler showed up for the audition, the producer liked it so much they decided to keep it. Tyler appeared in 93 of the 238 episodes of Friends. This makes him the actor who has appeared most often in the series, except for the six main cast members.

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