Introduction
Tim Sims was a Canadian actor and comedian.
He is known for his roles as Jack the Cave Man on The Red Green Show and as Circle Researcher Rory Tate in a series of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercials in the 1990s. He also performed sketch comedy with The Second City.
Sims died at the age of 33 from AIDS-related causes. The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award and Tim Sims Playhouse, a Toronto venue used by The Second City, are both named in his honour.
Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award
The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award is an annual award given to Toronto's "most promising new comedy act." It was established by Sims' widow, comic actor Lindsay Leese. The Award is given annually as part of the Cream of Comedy showcase at The Second City, which features performances by that year's five finalists and which is televised by The Comedy Network.
Winners
- 1996 – Jason Thompson: "Horror Clown"
- 1997 – Fast & Dirty (Gord Oxley & Robert Hawke)
- 1998 – Gavin Crawford
- 1999 – Fraser Young
- 2000 – Laurie Elliot
- 2001 – Levi Macdougall
- 2002* – Brad Hart & Tim Polley
- 2003 – Ron Sparks
- 2004 – Katie Crown
- 2005 – Jeff McEnery
- 2006 – Nathan Fielder
- 2007 – Nathan MacIntosh
- 2008 – 7 Minutes in Heaven (Josh Saltzman & Laura Cilevitz)
- 2009 – Calvin Storoschuk
- 2010 - Mike Rita
- 2011 - British Teeth
- 2012 - Christi Olson
- 2013 - Nigel Grinstead
- 2014 - Caitlin Langelier
*in 2002 Hart and Polley tied for the award after the jury became hopelessly deadlocked; a new rule was made that Lindsay Leese would receive a tie-break in future years, if necessary, to avoid the same problem.