• Jimmy Karz is an American former actor, best known for portraying Bruce Bogtrotter in “Matilda” (1996)
• He graduated from Grant High School (2002) and later enrolled at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• He appeared in several movies and TV series, including “The Wedding Singer” (1998) and “ER” (1997)
• He is now a doctor, working at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey
• He has an estimated net worth of over $1.5 million
Who is Jimmy Karz?
Jimmy Karz is a former American actor, who is perhaps best known for being a child movie star most famous for portraying the role of Bruce Bogtrotter in the 1996 family comedy fantasy film “Matilda”. Additionally, he is recognized for appearing in several supporting roles in 1998, such as in the comedy movie “The Wedding Singer”, as well as in an episode of the Golden Globe-winning TV medical drama series “ER”.
Bio and Early Life
James Elliot ‘Jimmy’ Karz was born under the astrological sign of Aquarius on the 26th January 1984, in Los Angeles, California, and is of American nationality and white ethnicity. Except the known fact that he has an older brother, there are no any other relevant yet available details regarding his family members, their background, or his early childhood. When it comes to his education, Karz attended Millikan Middle School before enrolling at Grant High School in 1998 from which he matriculated in 2002.
Jimmy Karz later continued his education by enrolling at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Jimmy’s Acting Career
Growing up in the world’s ‘capital’ of the moviemaking industry, young Jimmy managed to fulfill what many can only dream of – trying his luck in front of the cameras, as an actor!
Karz made his acting debut as an almost teenager, at the age of 12, when he was cast in one of the supporting roles in Danny DeVito’s critically acclaimed movie “Matilda“, which is based on the eponymous novel written by Roald Dahl.
The main story follows a six-year-old girl Matilda, and her daily adventures, opposing her neglectful parents – father Harry who is a car salesman and mother Zinnia who is an addicted Bingo player, as well as the ‘tyrannical’ principal of the Crunchem Hall Elementary School – Miss Trunchbull. Jimmy was cast as one of Matilda’s fellow school friends, a chubby boy named Bruce Bogtrotter; his character came to prominence for stealing a piece of Miss Trunchbull’s ‘beloved chocolate cake’.
After being caught, Bruce was punished by being forced to eat an entire 18-inch chocolate cake which he managed to successfully complete, causing Miss Trunchbull to hit him on the head in anger with the cake’s platter.
Although the movie was a genuine ‘box office bomb’, failing to become a commercial success by grossing around $33 million on a $36 million budget, this appearance earned Jimmy some popularity, and brought him several other on-camera acting appearances.
For his cake-eating scene, he earned a bit of a cool kid status among 1990s teenagers.
In 1998, he appeared briefly alongside Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in the critically praised Frank Coraci’s comedy movie “The Wedding Singer”, after which he got a chance to appear in the first episode of the fifth season of the world’s most popular TV medical drama series, “ER”, starring opposite George Clooney, Noah Wyle and Anthony Edwards.
In 2013 Jimmy Karz reunited with all the other crew members and appeared in the short documentary entitled “Afternoon Tea, a Matilda Reunion”.
Personal Life
The child actor who earned himself a fandom for eating an entire chocolate cake, eventually abandoned acting and the moviemaking industry, and turned to a different profession. After serving as a production associate at MTV for a couple of years, Karz dived into community gardening.
WHAAAA?! #Matilda #BruceBogtrotter #JimmyKarz #TransformationTuesday #fb pic.twitter.com/5BcOu8WRUp
— Joshua King (@wandererking) June 3, 2014
Over the years he developed an ‘urge’ to help others, and orientated to service work. After volunteering, teaching and spreading awareness of the positive effects of self-grown food, Jimmy engaged in biology, chemistry and later biochemistry studies, before enrolling at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Part of Jimmy’s training involved a stint in Ecuador, and since qualifying as a doctor, he’s been working at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he is now living.
The details about his personal life, including any romantic connections, have never been publicly revealed.
Net Worth
According to sources, as of late 2020, the 36-year-old former child acting star Jimmy Karz has a net worth of over $1.5 million, acquired not only through his career in the movie-making industry during which he appeared in a couple of movies and TV series, but also through his efforts in the world of medicine.