Jim Carrey was born in Newmarket, a small community north of Toronto. It’s hard to believe that this major film star was once a struggling stand up comic. His early impersonations bombed and he had a difficult time finding work. Like many comics, his act became more polished over time. Carrey was noticed by comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who signed him to open his tour performances.

In 1980, he auditioned for Saturday Night Live but didn’t make it. He continued to do stand up. From 1990 to 1994, Carrey was a regular cast member of the ensemble comedy television series In Living Color. In 1994, he landed his first film role, Ace Ventura, Pet Detective and his career finally took off.

Below is some of his stand up work from the early 1980s.