Began performing stand-up comedy at the age of 15 at Yuk Yuks, a comedy club in Toronto

Appeared in Las Vegas as opening act for comedian Rodney Dangerfield

Portrayed a struggling stand-up comic in "Rubberface" a 48-minute Canadian TV-movie

Moved to L.A. at the age of 19

Appeared on "The Tonight Show"

Feature acting debut, "Finders Keepers"

TV series debut as star of "The Duck Factory" a short-lived NBC sitcom

Portrayed a vampire's victim in "Once Bitten"

Played a back-up singer to Nicolas Cage in "Peggy Sue Got Married"

Featured in two Clint Eastwood vehicles, "The Dead Pool" (1988) and "Pink Cadillac" (1989); hired after Eastwood had seen Carrey do impressions of him

In the late 1980s, teamed with Judd Apatow writing stage material, creating characters like Fire Marshal Bill

Hired as an ensemble member of the FOX sketch comedy show "In Living Color"; depicted a series of memorable characters such as Fire Marshal Bill and female body builder Vera De Milo; also wrote for the show (sometimes billed as James Carrey)

Headlined the Showtime comedy special, "Jim Carrey's Unnatural Act"

Had rare TV dramatic role as a troubled alcoholic son in the Fox TV-movie "Doing Time on Maple Street"

First film in a starring role, the surprise hit, "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"

First film with credit as song performer, "The Mask"

Initial screen collaboration with the Farrelly brothers, "Dumb and Dumber"

Signed contract for $20 million to appear in feature "The Cable Guy"

Cast in the Ben Stiller directed, "The Cable Guy"; film broke Carrey's four-picture string of pictures that had grossed $100 million domestically; film earned around $60 million domestically

Rebounded with the successful "Liar Liar"; film grossed $20 million its first week; film reunited Carrey and "Ace Ventura" director Tom Shadyac

First dramatic lead in features, "The Truman Show" directed by Peter Weir

Narrated "Simon Birch" based on John Irving's novel A Prayer for Owen Meany; also appeared in a cameo

Portrayed late comic Andy Kaufman in Milos Forman's "Man on the Moon"

Reteamed with the Farrelly brothers for the comedy "Me, Myself and Irene" co-starring Renee Zellweger

Had title role in the live-action "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" directed by Ron Howard

Played an amnesiac screenwriter in "The Majestic"; set against the 1950s blacklist in Hollywood

Co-starred with Jennifer Aniston in the metaphysical comedy "Bruce Almighty"

Co-starred with Kate Winslet as a couple who have their memories erased in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"; penned by Charlie Kaufman; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor

Portrayed Count Olaf in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"; based on the children's book by Daniel Handler

Co-starred with Téa Leoni in "Fun with Dick and Jane" an update of the 1977 comedy

Played a man obsessed with the number 23 in the Joel Schumacher thriller, "The Number 23"

Voiced Horton the Elephant in the animated feature, "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!"