Tim Allen has been open about the unfortunate fact that his father was killed by a drunk driver when he was young. Now, ahead of the release of “Toy Story 5,” the beloved actor is opening up about how the tragic loss changed who he was as a person. Plus, he’s also giving an update on the “Home Improvement” reboot.
Allen’s father, Gerald M. Dick, passed away in 1964 when the vehicle he was driving, along with Allen’s mother and siblings, was hit by a person who was under the influence. The family was driving home from a football game
Tim Allen Discusses What The Trauma of Losing His Dad Did to Him
GettyAllen interviewed with Us Weekly ahead of the release of “Toy Story 5.” During the lengthy conversation, the reporter asked the “Home Improvement” alum how the loss of his dad impacted his life. He began, “I kind of turned into a different person after that.”
Allen continued, “Trauma has that effect. I turned into my spiritual, metaphysical, or religious self. My blood father was really involved in pruning the car [and] all the stuff I really like now. My dad got me into that. I really missed that connection. I didn’t have that with my stepfather, but he was an extremely wonderful guy.”
After that, the reporter noted how Allen “got off on the wrong foot” when he was younger and asked how that time of his life shaped who he became. The 72-year-old stated, “I’d lost focus after college, where I got into criminal stuff.”
He went on, “When I was incarcerated, I started reading books [about] men and women who had been successful out of nowhere, and I started focusing on where I wanted to be. I did not want to do that ever again. I humiliated my family and friends and myself. I did not want to make that mistake [again].”
The ‘Toy Story 5’ Star Previously Recalled the Aftermath of His Father’s Passing
Allen appeared on Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” podcast in October 2025. During the episode, he recalled painful memories associated with his father’s death. According to him, “My father died in my mother’s lap.”
He continued, “I walked up to the house knowing something terrible happened.” After seeing the police at the family home, for context, Allen was 11 and had not been in the car with his family, his uncle told him, “Man up. Your mom needs you right now, so no crying.”
Additionally, in 2025, Allen stated on social media that he had found the inspiration needed to forgive the drunk driver responsible for the death of his father. This came after Erika Kirk stated publicly that she had forgiven the man who killed her husband, podcaster Charlie Kirk.
He said on X, “When Erika Kirk spoke the words on the man who killed her husband: ‘That man… that young man… I forgive him.’ That moment deeply affected me. I have struggled for over 60 years to forgive the man who killed my Dad. I will say those words now as I type: ‘I forgive the man who killed my father.'”
He Addressed ‘Home Improvement’
GettyDuring his Us Weekly interview, Allen was also asked about the previously discussed “Home Improvement” reboot. Regarding why it hasn’t happened, he stated, “They keep talking about how it could move forward, but they get stuck [because] there are some personality problems right now with the boys.”
He added, “They’ve got their own issues. I always thought it would be cool if it was a story about them. That’s a little challenging right now, to put it mildly.”
His latest movie, “Toy Story 5,” is being released on June 19.
