Characters

Series Development & Early Recasts

• Home Improvement had been in the works between Tim Allen and the writing/producing team of Carmen Finestra, David McFadzean and Matt Williams since the summer of 1990. Originally, the project's proposed title was Hammer Time, both a play on the catchphrase made popular by artist MC Hammer and the name of the fictional fix-it show within the series, which was also called Hammer Time. By the time ABC committed to the project in early 1991, Allen and his team had already changed the title to Home Improvement, although the show hosted by Tim Taylor in the scripts was still called Hammer Time at this point. The catalyst for the series' name change was to represent the aspect of fixing problems within the family and homelife, as well as the use of mechanics and tools. Once the second phase of the pilot was produced, with all the actors that made the final cut into the series, Tim Taylor's Hammer Time became Tool Time.
• The first version of the pilot was produced in April 1991, in which Frances Fisher played Jill Taylor. Fisher, primarily known as a dramatic actress, was well qualified for the co-starring role but was viewed by the studio audience as not being comedic enough, and too serious in her line delivery. The producers tried to work with Fisher on adapting to the situation comedy setting, but shortly after the pilot wrapped post-production, they decided to recast her. Carmen Finestra later remarked that the staff was afraid of Fisher's lover Clint Eastwood retaliating against the show over the dismissal of the actress, but no incidents or bad press ever came from Eastwood. All other actors who made it into the series' original on-air cast lineup were present in this version, which remains unaired.
• Before the first pilot was shot, actor John Bedford-Lloyd was in the running for one of two roles; that of Tim's Tool Time assistant, who was in this stage of development named Glen, and for the role of Wilson. Bedford-Lloyd eventually got the part of Wilson, but his agent later made claims that he was unaware that most of his scenes would require his face to be partially hidden behind a fence. One day prior to taping, the crew received news that Bedford-Lloyd had dropped out. Casting immediately contacted the other man considered for the role, Earl Hindman.
• Stephen Tobolowsky was tapped to play the Tool Time co-host, Glen. However, he was still busy with a movie that was in the middle of production at the time the first pilot was set to be shot. Therefore, the producers set out to cast an alternate character that would stand-in as Tim's co-host for the pilot only, or for however many episodes until Tobolowsky was available. Casting auditioned Richard Karn, for what would be his first major appearance on a TV sitcom; the character of Al Borland was created from there. Karn knew off the bat that he was only in the series for the pilot; after working through both pilots, Tobolowsky was still busy, so the producers kept extending Karn's stay by a few more episodes until Tobolowsky contacted the show and said he had decided not to do the series in favor of more movies. The character of Glen never came into existence.