By Penny Clift
Get the Raylan look with this Justified Stetson Tan Marshall Cowboy Hat
Tim’s father, Bevan Olyphant, was the son of a prominent New York family. He attended boarding school in California and fell in love with the sunny coastal state. After college he joined the Marines and fought in the Vietnam War. While he was in the service he married Tim’s mother Kathryn. The family lived in the Philippines for a time and that is where Tim’s older brother, Andy, was born.
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Tim’s father insisted that each boy choose a sport in which they wanted to participate. Andy chose tennis and was a top rated college player. Tim chose swimming. He was a nationally ranked swimmer during this competitive swimming days at USC. Matthew chose Water Polo and later played for UC Berkeley.
Andy is a record executive at Warner Brothers records and has signed many successful bands including Avenged Seven Fold. He is married and has a little girl. Matthew was front man in the band, Fetish. After the band disbanded he started his own construction company in the San Francisco Bay area. He is also a successful artist.
Tim married his college sweetheart Alexis Knief and they moved to New York City so Tim could pursue an acting career. Even though he majored in Art during college he decided he wanted to try his hand at acting. The newlyweds lived with his wife’s Dad when they first moved to New York. Later they acquired their own apartment, which Tim describes as being so small the shower was literally in the kitchen.
Tim attended acting classes while he waited tables and gave swimming lessons to make ends meet. He made his professional acting debut in1995 in the off Broadway play “The Monogamist” for which he received the Theater World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance. He followed that with David Sedaris’s one man play “The SantaLand Diaries”.
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After his stint on Broadway, Tim began to land television roles. He was the first man Carrie Bradshaw kissed on HBO’s “Sex and the City” in the episode “Valley of the Twenty Somethings”. He landed a small role in the feature film “The First Wives Club” in 1996 as well as a small part in the movie “A Life Less Ordinary”. His first real notice came when he played the villain, Mickey, in “Scream 2”. After that he was cast in the movie “Practical Magic” with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. However, after feeling he was not quite right for the part, he was replaced by Aidan Quinn. It worked out well for Olyphant though as he accepted the part of Todd Gaines in the movie “Go” after being released from “Practical Magic”. Olyphant gave a stand out performance in a talented ensemble production which included Katie Holmes.
Je Freeman, Timothy Olyphant and Katie Holmes
Timothy Olyphant in the movie Go. Get your copy here
He then went on to make several movies, giving outstanding performances in a variety of unusually character roles. His movies include Advice From a Caterpillar, No Vacancy, The Broken Hearts Club, Gone in 60 Seconds, Rock Star, The Safety of Objects, Dreamcatcher, A Man Apart, The Girl Next Door, Catch and Release, Live Free or Die Hard, Hitman, Stop Loss, Meet Bill, A Perfect Getaway, High Life, The Crazies, Eleckra Luxx, I Am Number Four and Rango.
Tim in Girl Next Door. Get it here
Olyphant gained national attention he joined the cast of David Milch’s western for HBO “Deadwood”. He played the part of the cool under pressure, tough as nails Sheriff Seth Bullock. The show was on for three seasons from 2004 until 2006 when the popular show ended due to a dispute between Milch and HBO which could not be resolved.
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In 2010 Olyphant landed the role of Raylan Givens, a character from an Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole”. The show entitled “Justified” is on the FX Network. Givens is a throwback to an old West gunslinger. His steely cool in the face of danger has him someone ladies swoon over and men admire. The show has won a coveted Peabody Award. Olyphant has been nominated for an Emmy as well as a Critics Choice Award. Check out this article on how to create your own Raylan Givens Costume
Justified the Final Season. Get it here.
Olyphant’s portrayal of Givens is short of brilliant to watch. His black and white code of right and wrong enters grey areas as we see Givens struggle with his inner demons and his definition of right and wrong. Olyphant’s subtle portrayal of the inner turmoil and buried pain Givens character deals with has won much acclaim. TV Guide declared “Justified” the best show on TV. The fifth season of “Justified” will begin in January, 2014.
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Thank you for this summary of Tim’s career. I’ve just discovered him. I saw Live free or Die Hard, loved his seriousness and droll wit. He wasn’t anything special. HOWEVER, just finished watching “Hitman” and oooh la la. I am a fan.
Thank you for visiting. I am working on more pages and I have written several articles about Tim on Street Articles and HubPages I will be posting the links on the website. I am glad you became a Tim fan!
Really? Only 2 comments preceed this 2014 comment? Crazy. Justified series is entertaining to say the least. Got hooked after watching season 1; now have seen seasons 1-4. JPMorgan Chase foreclosure scam has my house in pre-foreclosure, so Justified serves as a welcome distraction from worry. Its a cheap fix. Anyway, too bad Raylen isn’t with Ava – that would be a beautiful thing to watch! Maybe Boyd will end up in prison and the Rayland/Ava romance will ensue . . And what’s up with Winona having Raylands oh-so- soap-opera- like baby? Pretty much ruins the whole show. Tom O has just about perfected Clint Eastwoods body/style – skinny, 501 button flies riding low – look of Rowdy from the Rawhide series. Too many similarities between Rayland and Rowdy to not be just a little offended. And I’m wondering if Tim-O got his boots from the same place I got my lizard skin Lamas at age 20, I’m also still wearing them. Best thing about Tim-O’s Rayland, unlike any of Clints characters, is Rayland is funny -Way funny! Worst thing is Tim-O himself makes me ache to be back home in Southern Cal where 40’s is the new 30’s, damn straight. Kathryn M.
Where to begin…discovered the great talent of Timothy in the pilot/first episode of Justified. Became a fan one minute into that show and have watched each episode too many times to count. He is a truly gifted actor and what he creates with Raylan Givens is nothing short of fantastic. The writers and Graham Yost were so smart keeping Boyd Crowder alive…the sizzle of those two – Walton and Timothy as Raylan and Boyd…OMG. And now as we come to season 6 and sadly the final season of Justified…how will we many fans survive. From Justified I have searched and watched his other TV performances and many of his movies. Wish he would get a starring role in a blockbuster…just so more fans could see his work.
Thanks for your comments. I believe Olyphant is a very underrated actor. His understated performance as Raylan Givens is nothing short of brilliant. I will disagree with you on one point Boyd Crowder. While I do agree that the scenes between Raylan and Boyd are delightful and brilliantly played by both actors, over the course of five seasons the show has gradually shifted its focus from Raylan and more to Boyd. I feel that has changed the whole dynamic of the show and diminished Elmore Leonard’s character to a side player. I also think that the writers have glorified Ava and Boyd at the same time they portray them as murderers, drug dealers and pimps. I am hoping that the final season of the show will get back to what should be the focal point which is Raylan Givens. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out our Justified reviews when season six begins.
Wow!! What a great article on Timothy! 🙂 Love it! Anyway, do you have any photos of his brothers? Would you like to share some as well? Thanks!! 🙂
There are pictures of Tim’s oldest brother in my article Timothy Olyphant Parties and Spends Time with brother Andy. Here is the link . Thanks for visiting our site.
I love Timothy Olyphant !! He is wonderful!
Thanks for visiting my site! I think Mr. Olyphant is pretty good too.
I love Timothy Olyphant . He is wonderful. Hugs Uruguay .
Thanks for visiting my site. I will update with any news I find on Mr. Olyphant so keep visiting.
I’ve. been watching Timothy since Dreamcatcher, after that movie I tried to see what ever he was in I enjoy just laid back look when he’s acting.
I’m huge fan of Timothy Olyphant from South of KOREA.
I’d like to send a fanmail to him.
I want to know is this address is correct?
I Found the fanmailbiz site.
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Brillstein Entertainment Partners
9150 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 350
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
USA
Yes that is the address I have found for him.