Biography
Harland Williams blends the roles of wildly unpredictable standup comic, musician, actor, and author of children’s books, all marked by an eccentric and unrestrained style. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he first sought to sharpen his skills in drawing and painting at the renowned Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. That same youthful sense of wonder, paired with his devotion to visual art, later inspired him to write and illustrate a series of well-received children’s books whose hero, the inquisitive dinosaur Lickety Split, sets off on remarkable journeys that impart meaningful life lessons.
After leaving Sheridan without completing his studies, Williams spent five years as a forest ranger, during which time poetry and painting served as his primary creative outlets. He eventually relocated to Los Angeles to redirect that energy toward standup comedy and film acting. While performing on the club circuit throughout the 1980s, he independently issued his debut comedy album, When Rhubarb Turns to Radish, as a self-produced cassette-only release. His screen debut arrived in 1994 with a role in Dumb and Dumber. Concurrent late-night talk-show appearances and Comedy Central specials coincided with further Hollywood work, most notably the lead in the 1997 Disney feature Rocketman and a prominent role in the 1998 stoner comedy Half-Baked.
Entering the 2000s, he issued his second comedy CD, Crowd Control, on his own label and formed the band Cousins alongside his cousin Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies. The group’s first album, The Love Song Years, arrived in 2004; twelve months later Williams released his third standup album, Har-Larious, marking his initial project for the Comedy Central label.
After leaving Sheridan without completing his studies, Williams spent five years as a forest ranger, during which time poetry and painting served as his primary creative outlets. He eventually relocated to Los Angeles to redirect that energy toward standup comedy and film acting. While performing on the club circuit throughout the 1980s, he independently issued his debut comedy album, When Rhubarb Turns to Radish, as a self-produced cassette-only release. His screen debut arrived in 1994 with a role in Dumb and Dumber. Concurrent late-night talk-show appearances and Comedy Central specials coincided with further Hollywood work, most notably the lead in the 1997 Disney feature Rocketman and a prominent role in the 1998 stoner comedy Half-Baked.
Entering the 2000s, he issued his second comedy CD, Crowd Control, on his own label and formed the band Cousins alongside his cousin Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies. The group’s first album, The Love Song Years, arrived in 2004; twelve months later Williams released his third standup album, Har-Larious, marking his initial project for the Comedy Central label.
Albums
