# Josh Ryan Evans
**Josh Ryan Evans** (birth name Joshua Ryan Evans; 1982–2002) was an American actor, 3 feet 2 inches (97 cm) tall because of a congenital growth disorder, who played the living doll Timmy on the NBC soap opera *Passions* and the 8-year-old [Grinch](https://www.edgepedia.org/grinch) in the 2000 film *Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-23-ca-56130-story.html). He died at 20 on August 5, 2002, during a medical procedure related to a congenital heart condition, on the same day his *Passions* character died on screen[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/) • [4](https://www.jason47.com/days/joshevans.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982, Hayward, California[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/) |
| Died | August 5, 2002, San Diego, California, during a medical procedure related to a congenital heart condition, aged 20[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/) |
| Height | 3 feet 2 inches (97 cm); CBS News reported he had the inherited disorder achondroplasia, which restricts cartilage growth and physical development[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/) |
| Signature role | Timmy, a doll brought to life by the witch Tabitha (Juliet Mills) on *Passions*, 1999–2002, about 316 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/) |
| Film role | The 8-year-old Grinch in *Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas* (2000), with makeup requiring 5 1/2 hours a day[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html) |
| Awards | Two Soap Opera Digest Awards for outstanding male scene stealer, a YoungStar Award, and a Daytime Emmy nomination for outstanding younger actor in a drama series[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/josh-ryan-evans/bio/3030479709/) |
## Health and early life
Evans was born in [Hayward, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/hayward-california), in 1982[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/). [CBS News](https://www.edgepedia.org/cbs-news) reported that he suffered from achondroplasia, an inherited disorder that restricts cartilage growth and physical development[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/); the Los Angeles Times profile of 2000 described it as a rare disease that halted his growth at age 2[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-23-ca-56130-story.html). He also had a congenital heart condition and underwent three heart operations before his teens[7](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/josh-ryan-evans-43551.php).
He said he chose acting because long recoveries from surgeries left him watching movies and television for hours. "Watching movies took me away from my own problems and gave me a total escape," he told CBS News, adding that helping one person escape the way movies had helped him would be "a great way to spend my life"[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/).
## Getting started
At age 12, Evans had business cards printed reading "Joshua Ryan Evans: Kid" and handed them to entertainment industry acquaintances, which led to a contract with a Hollywood agent[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/). His first national exposure came as the Dancing Baby in a Dreyer's Ice Cream commercial that won a Clio Award[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/). Early work often involved head replacement: in *Baby Geniuses* (1999) he played the babies and did the dancing, and he served as a stunt double on that film[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/) • [8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joshua_ryan_evans).
His screen debut came in two [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) episodes of *Family Matters*, playing Stevil, the murderous ventriloquist's dummy of [Steve Urkel](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-urkel) ([Jaleel White](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaleel-white))[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joshua_ryan_evans). His big break, as he described it, was the recurring guest role of Oren Koolie, a child prodigy lawyer who clashed with Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart), on the first season of *Ally McBeal*; his *Baby Geniuses* co-star Peter MacNicol introduced him to the series' producer David E. Kelley[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/) • [5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html). "It's so funny, I am a five-year overnight success," Evans told the Los Angeles Times in 2000[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-23-ca-56130-story.html).
## Passions
In 1999, at 17, Evans joined the new NBC daytime soap *Passions* as Timmy, a doll brought to life by the witch Tabitha, played by [Juliet Mills](https://www.edgepedia.org/juliet-mills), to join her schemes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/). It was his first contract role in a television series, and he appeared in about 316 episodes through 2002[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/). The role made him a cult favorite and earned him two consecutive [Soap Opera Digest Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/soap-opera-digest-awards) for outstanding male scene stealer[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html). He was the first actor from *Passions* to receive a Daytime Emmy Award nomination, in the outstanding younger actor in a drama series category[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/josh-ryan-evans/bio/3030479709/).
Mills, who became a close friend, recalled him as "a showbiz kid through and through"[9](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/remembering-josh-0/).
## The young Grinch
Director [Ron Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-howard) had conceived the young Grinch in *Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas* as a brief sight gag, a miniature version of [Jim Carrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-carrey)'s Grinch, but said Evans "was able to create a character and generate a lot of heart for the story"[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-23-ca-56130-story.html). The character had essentially no written lines, so Evans and Howard developed him together[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-23-ca-56130-story.html). His Grinch makeup took 5 1/2 hours a day to apply, two more than Carrey's[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html).
## Death and aftermath
Evans died on the evening of Monday, August 5, 2002, at a San Diego hospital from complications stemming from his long-time congenital heart condition, while being evaluated for surgery[4](https://www.jason47.com/days/joshevans.html) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/). By coincidence, the *Passions* episode airing that same day, taped the previous month, showed the death of his character Timmy[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/). NBC at first re-edited all future episodes to remove Timmy scenes, then decided to air two shows as originally scripted featuring Evans[4](https://www.jason47.com/days/joshevans.html) • [10](https://sitcomsonline.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-41945.html). The show dedicated an episode to him and included a scene of Timmy in heaven[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joshua_ryan_evans).
He was survived by his parents, Chuck and Cheryl Evans, his older brother James, and his grandparents Gene and Belle Riding; the family asked that memorial donations go to the Make-a-Wish Foundation[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html). His personal motto, printed in his obituaries, was: "It's not the size of the dreamer, it's the size of the dream"[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/).
## Other work
Beyond his best-known roles, Evans played [General Tom Thumb](https://www.edgepedia.org/general-tom-thumb) opposite [Beau Bridges](https://www.edgepedia.org/beau-bridges) in the A&E miniseries *P.T. Barnum* (1999), appeared on *7th Heaven* and in Showtime's *Poltergeist: The Legacy*, and did voice work on *Rugrats* and *Hey Arnold!*[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html) • [11](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/josh-ryan-evans/credits/3030479709/). He was also a frequent game show guest, appearing on *Hollywood Squares*, *Weakest Link*, *Who Wants to Be a Millionaire*, and *The Rosie O'Donnell Show*[11](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/josh-ryan-evans/credits/3030479709/).
## References
1. [Josh Ryan Evans – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0262924/bio/)
2. [Green Becomes Him, Los Angeles Times, November 23, 2000](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-23-ca-56130-story.html)
3. [Actor Joshua Ryan Evans Dead, CBS News, August 7, 2002](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-joshua-ryan-evans-dead/)
4. [Josh Ryan Evans – NBC statement and memorial, Jason47's Days site](https://www.jason47.com/days/joshevans.html)
5. [Joshua Evans, 20; 3-Foot, 2-Inch Actor Starred in TV's 'Passions', Los Angeles Times, August 7, 2002](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-07-me-evans7-story.html)
6. [Josh Ryan Evans Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/josh-ryan-evans/bio/3030479709/)
7. [Josh Ryan Evans Biography, The Famous People](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/josh-ryan-evans-43551.php)
8. [Josh Ryan Evans, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joshua_ryan_evans)
9. [Remembering Josh, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/remembering-josh-0/)
10. [Passions/Timmy death discussion, Sitcoms Online forums](https://sitcomsonline.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-41945.html)
11. [Josh Ryan Evans List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/josh-ryan-evans/credits/3030479709/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Child and youth screen performers › Child performers born before 1986*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license