James Michael Tyler was born in Mississippi. The youngest of five children, he was raised by a retired Air Force captain and a homemaker. At age 11, he moved to Anderson, South Carolina to live with his sister. A Tiger fan, he enrolled at Clemson University and majored in Geology. While getting his B.S., Tyler joined the Clemson Players and found a love of theatre and started acting. He went on to receive an MFA in Acting from the University of Georgia. Tyler then moved to Los Angeles, after a brief stint selling cars in Olympia, WA. Upon arriving in Hollywood, he worked in both the service and entertainment industries. He was a bar-back at the Palace, sold keyboards at Guitar Center, and was a barista at the Bourgeois Pig. He also worked his way up as an extra and production assistant. Ultimately, Tyler gained acclaim playing the role of Gunther in Friends.
When not acting, Tyler likes to play Rocket League on PS4 and record music in his home studio. He’s a founding member, along with Keith King, of the collaborative improvisational band Red Felt Pig. Tyler prefers to be called by his middle name, Michael. He lives in Hollywood with his wife Jenn and their leopard gecko, Rodni.
