James Michael Tyler is an American actor. He is best known for his portraying his role as Gunther in the 2000s hit American TV sitcom Friends.
In 1988 he moved to Los Angeles and became a production assistant for Fat Man and Little Boy and an assistant film editor. From 1994 to 2004, James Michael Tyler played Gunther on the sitcom Friends. Gunther was a coffee shop worker at Central Perk who had unrequited love for Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston.
This led to a ten-year career with appearances in 148 of Friends' 236 episodes. He is the show's most frequently appearing recurring character actor. In 2021, he appeared in "Friends: The Reunion" aired on HBO Max. On Monday 21st June 2021, James opened up about his struggle with prostate cancer since being diagnosed in September 2018. Tyler said that the illness was first caught during an annual checkup.
After additional testing, Tyler was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. He was referred to Dr. Matthew Rettig, a research scientist, and oncologist at UCLA, who was able to use genetic testing to help Tyler determine that the illness was genetic, not environmental.
The friend's actor has also appeared in four big-screen movies: The Disturbance at Dinner as Wilson Pomade (1998), Foreign Correspondents as Randy (1999), Motel Blue as Oscar Bevins (1999), and Jason's Big Problem as Blaine (2010).
James Michael Tyler was born on 28th May 1962 in Greenwood, Mississippi, USA. His birth name is James Michael Tyler. He holds an American nationality and belongs to the white ethnicity. Gemini is his star sign. His parents raised him to adopt Christianity.
James was born the youngest of five children in a middle-class family. His father Dewitt Eugene Tyler (July 21, 1917-April 13, 1973) was a captain in US Air Force while his mother Mary Sue Pullen (April 9, 1922-November 28, 1973) was a housewife. He spent most of his childhood in his hometown Winona, Mississippi with his parents. When he was 11, his parents died and he moved to Anderson, South Carolina to live with his sister named Linda Tyler Clark.
After coming to his sister's house, he attended T. L. Hanna High School which is the same school in the movie "Radio" starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris. After graduating from Anderson College, he enrolled at Clemson University studying Bachelor of Science and later he majored in Geology. Then to pursue an acting career he earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Georgia and head toward Hollywood Los Angeles to achieve his dream.
James Michael Tyler has married two times in his life. His first marriage was at the age of 33 with a lady named Barbara Ruth Chadsey in 1995. Before getting married, the love birds had dated for several years. However, there came a bitter turn in their life and due to irreconcilable differences, the couple parted their ways in 2003 followed by their divorce finalized on 5th November 2014.
At present, the friend's star is married to a woman named Jennifer Carno. As per sources, she has worked in multiple films in different roles, primarily as a script coordinator and production assistant. Although Jennifer Carno rose to fame as James Tyler’s spouse, she is talented and is currently involved in Magpie Funeral as a script consultant. Unfortunately, she is a private person, and thus, there are no details about her whereabouts or professional leads.
James Michael Tyler is a professional actor. The show business and the film industry are the major lifeline and backbone for his earning and living. And James is really doing a great job in this field since 1992. The actor has been able to earn millions from his role in movie projects.
James Michael really seems to be unstoppable despite his age. At the age of 59, he is still giving his best in the showbiz line. This veteran actor is also a business-minded one. He has invested a major part of his income in the share market and other business lines. He is also involved in music videos. He has also worked as a production assistant and film editor.
As of June 2021, the net worth of James Michael Tyler is estimated to be US $4 million. He has accumulated most of his earnings through his acting career. He has been involved in the acting field for more than two and half decades starting from 1992.
The most fascinating thing is that James has made a total of $2.48 million with his role as Gunther in the hit TV series "Friends" where he has appeared in 148 of Friends' 236 episodes. During the first season, James earned $5,000 per episode in which he appeared. He appeared in six episodes during the first season, so his total salary was $30,000. For the second season, he appeared in 16 episodes and earned $10,000 per episode.
That's $160,000 for the season. For seasons three and four, 30 episodes, he earned $20,000 per episode. That's $600,000 for seasons three and four. For seasons 5 and 6, 37 episodes, he earned $30,000 per episode, $1.11 million for the period. For the remainder of the series, 62 episodes in which he appeared, James earned $40,000 per episode. That's $2.48 million for the seasons.
Add it all up and James Michael Tyler earned $4.65 million playing Gunther in "Friends", which after adjusting slightly for inflation is the same as around $6.3 million in today's dollars. He has brought real estate property in New York and Los Angeles. He currently lives in his luxurious mansion in Hollywood. His car collection includes Ford's, Chevrolet, Mercedes.
James Michael Tyler is 5 ft 11 inches tall and his body weight is 88 Kg. He has a well-maintained healthy body. He is known for his signature peroxide blonde hair which is very attractive. He has a pair of Light brown eyes.
The hair color makes him look more young and stylish. Actually, his hairdresser friend experimented on his hair and turned it into bleached blonde color. He is also known for his Deep Baritone voice.