Back in 2003, a sitcom was created that starred some of the most prominent actors of our time. Taking the whole world by storm, Two and a Half Men was born. One of the creators, Chuck Lorre, has previously worked on Roseanne, Dharma & Greg, and Cybill, as well as having since created The Big Bang Theory, while Lee Aronsohn had a hand in creating Life… and Stuff before joining forces with Chuck. The show ran for twelve years before the finale in 2015. The show won a staggering 15 awards during its time on air, including various Emmys and People’s Choice Awards, but was nominated for a whopping 45 Emmy Awards in total. Not only was the show a huge success, but all the characters became beloved icons of television all around the world. The show follows the story of the highly successful producer and composer Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) who lives in a beach house in Malibu.
However, his life all changes when his brother Alan (Jon Cryer) is forced to ask to move in after his wife kicks him out. The two men set about trying to live their lives together, but they wouldn’t be complete without their ‘half’; cue Jake Harper (Angus T. Jones). Together the threesome must learn how to live alongside each other without their relationships falling apart at the seams. Plus, having your brother and nephew in your house isn’t the best way for Charlie to pick up new dates. There are plenty of other characters in the show, including Berta (Conchata Ferrell), Evelyn Harper (Holland Taylor), Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher), and Judith Harper (Marin Hinkle) who altogether bring the perfect combination of comical styles as they find themselves in tricky life situations.
However, in 2011 a shocking character dismissal saw the show at make or break. There have been plenty of stories circulating about what happened to the leading cast of the series, but where did these beloved characters come from? After spending so long watching the ‘half’ of the show, Jake Harper, become an adult, it seems only fair that we discover what shaped these actors into the people they are today. The actors on the show all suit their characters so well, but had they always been cast in the comedy roles, or was there a time before sitcoms instead? And for the actors that had troubled childhoods, how were they able to fight their demons to go down as Hollywood legends? It seems as though some of these stars had a long battle before reaching fame, documented by these high school photos…
[post_page_title]Jon Cryer in high school[/post_page_title]
During Jon Cryer’s childhood, he was surrounded by actors as both his parents had taken up a career on camera, as well as dabbling in musical adventures. It was just before starting high school that Jon decided he wanted to follow in their footsteps so spent his teenage years studying at the local performing arts center to perfect his acting skills. There was nothing that was going to stop Jon as shortly after graduating he landed his first Broadway role.
