While the Taylors were a big, (mostly) happy family in the '90s sitcom, Home Improvement, there were problems behind the scenes, particularly a large pay gap between Jill actress Patricia Richardson and her co-star, Tim Allen. Running for eight seasons, the sitcom saw Tim "The Toolman" Taylor (Allen) balancing hosting his home improvement show, Tool Time with his hectic family life. Set against the backdrop of a suburban neighborhood, it resonated with many middle-class viewers, who saw themselves in the characters and their relatable storylines. The show also made a huge star out of Randy Taylor actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
While JTT drew in many young people, the chemistry between Tim and his wife, Jill (Richardson) was why mature viewers kept tuning in every week. Jill was the voice of reason in the Taylor household, and though she loved and cared for her family, she wasn't afraid to pursue her own goals, even choosing to attend grad school and inspiring many real-life female viewers to do the same. Defying the nagging wife stereotype, Jill wasn't afraid to call Tim out, but their marriage was a loving one. However, things weren't quite so wonderful between Richardson and Allen behind the scenes.
Patricia Richardson Refused To Do Home Improvement Season 9 After Huge Pay Gap With Tim Allen
TV Executives Refused To Kill Jill Taylor Off The Show, So Season 9 Was Dead In The Water
Home Improvement ran for eight seasons from 1991-1999, and when season 8 came around, the actors were tired, and the quality of the show was diminishing. However, executives wanted to do a ninth season and approached their lead actors with an offer: a 25-episode season 9 with $2 million per episode for Tim Allen and $1 million per episode for Patricia Richardson.
Unsurprisingly, Allen accepted but Richardson wouldn't stand for such a dramatic pay gap. She came back with a proposition of her getting an executive producer credit and the same pay per episode as Allen. She told the LA Times,
I knew that Disney would in no way pay me that much. That was my way to say 'no' and was a little bit of a flip-off to Disney. I'd been there all this time, and they never even paid me a third of what Tim was making, and I was working my a** off. I was a big reason why women were watching.
The producers rejected her offer, and just like that, the plan for Home Improvement season 9 was scrapped — without Richardson, there was no show. Executive producers Carmen Finestra and Elliot Shoenman commented:
Some shows would have had the mom die. I don’t remember one discussion where we said, ‘How can we keep this going without Pat?’ It just couldn’t have worked. (Finestra)
Without her, it just didn’t make any sense. (Shoenman)
It took real bravery and character for Richardson to walk away from a $25 million payday, especially in the '90s when not nearly as many female actors were fighting for equal pay. Adding insult to injury was the fact that, according to Richardson, she had no support from Allen, her co-star of eight years, and he was actually angry with her decision. She said,
I was mad at Tim because he was leaving me alone being the only person saying no, which made me feel terrible and like the bad guy, and he was upset with me for leaving.
Home Improvement ended on May 25, 1999, and the series finale saw the Taylors pick up and move to Indiana so Jill could pursue a new career. So, while, Richardson may not have gotten the pay she deserved, Jill Taylor was in the driver's seat in the end.
While Home Improvement ended with a contentious relationship between Patricia Richardson and Tim Allen, she did reunite with him on his sitcom, Last Man Standing , in which she played neighbor Helen Potts in two episodes.
Richardson Blames Allen's Conservative Politics On Home Improvement's Lack Of Legacy
The Sitcom Isn't Nearly As Iconic As Its '90s Contemporaries Seinfeld & Friends
During its run, Home Improvement was a mainstay in the TV ratings, even cracking the number one spot (via LA Times). However, over 25 years later, Home Improvement hasn't maintained the legacy its popularity suggested it would have. A big reason for this, according to Patricia Richardson, is the controversies surrounding Tim Allen, particularly his conservative politics and support of the Republican Party. She said:
I think it’s about Tim, and it’s about his politics. Of course, I don’t like his politics.
Allen's controversies don't end there. In her 2023 memoir, Love, Pamela, former "Tool Time girl" Pamela Anderson alleged that Allen flashed her on-set. Between his politics and these allegations, it's very possible that Allen has put viewers off rewatching Home Improvement.
While Richardson may be correct in blaming her co-star for Home Improvement's absence in "best shows of the '90s" lists, the reason may simply be that the sitcom, while funny and endearing, isn't as memorable as its contemporaries. As the "show about nothing," Seinfeld was a revelation in finding humor in the mundane. Meanwhile, Friends' complex love and relationship storylines made it a water cooler show when it aired, and it's still finding new fans to this day. And while Home Improvement may no longer be iconic, Patricia Richardson's fight for equal pay certainly is.
Many Actors Have Fought For Equal Pay Since Home Improvement
Actors On Television And Movies Have Fought Against The Salary Gap
Patricia Richardson's fight for equal pay on Home Improvement was a groundbreaking moment for female actors on television at the time, even if the actor and her actions did not get much attention. However, since then, many other actors have also taken a stand to fight against the pay disparity that continues in Hollywood. One of the most notable examples in more recent memory was Emmy Rossum's fight during her time on Shameless.
In 2016, season 8 of Shameless was delayed when Rossum challenged the show's producers to pay her the same as her costar, William H. Macy. While Macy was the bigger name star when the series began, after seven seasons, Rossum was the true lead of the show. Rossum also demanded that her pay be increased above Macy's to make up for the several years when she was paid less. For Macy's part, he supported his costar and her fight for equal pay.
The pay gap issue has even extended to genuine movie stars with Jennifer Lawrence making headlines when she commented on the fact that she was paid less than her male costars in the movie American Hustle. Despite the fact that Lawrence was already an Oscar winner and the lead in the popular Hunger Games movies, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner all received higher pay, with Renner's role in particular being much smaller than Lawrence's role.
Other Actors Who Left A Show Over A Pay Dispute
Neve Campbell's Recent Fight For Pay Increases Awareness Of The Issue
Pay disputes like Patricia Richardson had at the end of Home Improvement are not an uncommon reason for actors to leave their roles in famous shows or movie franchises. One of the most talked-about instances in recent years involved Neve Campbell and her iconic role as Sidney Prescott in the Scream franchise. Campbell declined to return for Scream VI, stating that she felt the pay she was offered did not reflect her standing in the franchise. Campbell seems to have emerged victorious as she will once again be the lead in Scream 7.
On television, there have been several other actors who left famous roles over pay, including Suzanne Somers in the famous sitcom Three's Company, predating Richardson's efforts on Home Improvement. After seeing the show become a success early on Somers sought to be paid similar salaries as her male costars. In response, the show cut back Somers' role on the show until ultimately removing her from the series altogether.
Hawaii Five-O also faced controversy with two costars leading in unison over what they felt were unfair salaries. Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park both left the show in 2017 after they asked to be paid the same as their costars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan. While O'Loughlin and Caan were initially the two leads of the show, Kim and Park had grown to be as big a part of the series and wanted their pay to reflect that.
Tim Allen stars as Tim "The Toolman" Taylor in Home Improvement. This sitcom follows the Taylor family and their neighbors as they navigate the everyday situations in life in Detroit, Michigan. The Taylor family, consisting of Tim, his wife Jill, and their three sons, are prone to comedic incidents due to their quirky traits. Each episode features a particular meta-joke segment emulating a tool-focused television program.
Cast Tim Allen
Release Date September 17, 1991
Seasons 8
Writers Tim Allen
Directors Tim Allen
Showrunner Tim Allen
English (US) ·