Taran Noah Smith

Taran Noah Smith is an American businessman and former actor. He played Mark Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement, for which he won two Young Artist Awards in 1992 and 1994.

Personal life At 18, he gained control of his $1.5 million trust fund, which he accused his parents of squandering by purchasing a mansion for themselves. His mother, Candy Bennici, stated in 2015, "Of course we didn't touch his money... It was in a trust fund. We couldn't have touched it if we wanted to. They were trying to get it when he was 17, and we were trying to protect it. Luckily the Marin courts were very good about it and didn't give it to them". He later said, "I'd gotten out of the teenage phase and realized my parents weren't doing anything wrong but were trying to protect me." At the age of 17, Smith married Heidi van Pelt on April 27, 2001. The marriage sparked much controversy due to the couple's age difference, as van Pelt was 16 years older. The couple filed for divorce on February 2, 2007.

Smith is a vegan.

Smith is also the Technical Manager for the Community Submersibles Project, where he teaches people how to pilot submarines.

Filmography

Awards

Nominations 1993, Young Artist Award, Home Improvement, Outstanding Actor Under Ten in a Television Series 1999, Young Artist Award, Home Improvement, Best Performance in a TV Drama or Comedy Series – Leading Young Actor

Won 1992, Young Artist Award, Home Improvement, Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor Under Ten 1994, Young Artist Award, Home Improvement, Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series (shared with Zachery Ty Bryan and Jonathan Taylor Thomas)