James Elliot Karz, also known as Jimmy Karz, is an American former child actor renowned for his memorable role as Bruce Bogtrotter in the 1996 film Matilda, in which he portrayed the boy forced to eat an entire chocolate cake, and for his appearances in The Wedding Singer, before retiring from acting to pursue medicine.
Essential Data
- Full Name: James Elliot Karz
- Stage Name: Jimmy Karz
- Born: July 26, 1984
- Age: 42 years old
- Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, United States
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Caucasian (White)
- Occupation: Former Actor, Physician
- Height: Unknown
- Religion: Unknown
- Parents: Mr. Karz and Mrs. Karz
- Siblings: One
- Spouse: None
- Children: None
- Relationship: Single
- Net Worth: $200,000 USD
Early Life and Education
James Elliot Karz was born on July 26, 1984, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Brought up by his parents, Mr. Karz and Mrs. Karz, alongside his brother, in a family supportive of his early acting pursuits.
Details on siblings beyond the older brother remain undisclosed publicly. His ethnicity is Caucasian (White). He attended Millikan Middle School, graduating in 1998, followed by Grant High School, from which he graduated in 2002.
After retiring from acting, he pursued higher education, attending Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree.
He specialized in emergency medicine, transitioning fully to a medical career focused on patient care and service-oriented work.
Career
Jimmy Karz began acting as a child, debuting prominently in 1996 as Bruce Bogtrotter in Matilda, directed by Danny DeVito and based on Roald Dahl’s novel. His scene of eating a massive chocolate cake became iconic, earning lasting recognition.
He followed with a role as the “studliest kid at bar mitzvah” in The Wedding Singer (1998), alongside Adam Sandler, and a guest appearance on an episode of ER (1998).
These marked his final acting credits, as he retired from the industry in 1998 at age 14 to prioritize education and a non-entertainment path. Post-acting, he focused on academics and eventually became a physician specializing in emergency medicine.
He has stayed out of the public eye regarding show business, occasionally referenced in retrospectives on Matilda cast members, but maintains a private life centred on his medical profession and community involvement.
Social Media
- Instagram: @jimmykarz
Personal Life
Jimmy Karz, 41, is currently single, with no publicly known past relationships, marriages, or spouses. No children are known. He has kept his personal life extremely private since leaving acting, focusing on his medical career, family, and personal growth.
He grew up close to his older brother and credits family support for his early opportunities and later shift to medicine. He values stability and service to others through his work as an emergency physician and has avoided the Hollywood spotlight, emphasizing education and professional fulfillment over fame.
Net Worth
Jimmy Karz’s net worth is estimated at $200,000 USD. His income primarily comes from residuals and earnings from his child’s acting roles in films like Matilda and The Wedding Singer, combined with his professional salary as a licensed physician specializing in emergency medicine.
Filmography
- ER
- Matilda
- The Wedding Singer