Two Different Walks Of Life 'A Celebrity and a Average Housewife. She was known for her roles as Justine Phillips on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (198890), as Myra Monkhouse on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters (199398), and as Callie Rogers on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless (1998). See More, Opera News is a free to use platform and the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent, reflect or express the views of Opera News. Ironically, Landers was on the other side of the law in his first appearance on "Family Matters," playing a robber at a convenience store. [15] Her publicist was Kahdijah Bell, daughter of Ronald Bell of Kool & the Gang. over and got the girl of his dreams. Thomas moved on from Family Bill Bickley, a co-creator of the series who also served as producer, agreed. From 1993 to 1998, she portrayed the role of Myra Monkhouse, the girlfriend of Steve Urkel, on Family Matters. Of course, Thomas was much nicer than her on-screen persona. Television actress Michelle Thomas, 30, a co-star on the sitcom "Family Matters," died Dec. 22 after a struggle with stomach cancer. Smith must have enjoyed the bite from the acting bug because he continued acting, now not as himself, on shows like, "Charlie's Angels" and "Eight is Enough," and then landed some regular gigs such as a recurring role on "Open All Night." Jaleel White Breaks Down Over Death of Family Matters Co-Star in Hollywood Medium Sneak Peek See the actor get a sad reminder of his early acting days By Vannessa Jackson Aug 07, 2017 9:30 AM. According to theLos Angeles Times article, LeNoire said in 1992, "I tell people I'm against retirement, I'm for God, I believe in goodness and also luck." Once the series wrapped, Williams hopped onto. She appeared on various television programs, including A Man Called Hawk in 1989 and Thea in 1994. While many of the actors from "Family Matters" kept acting regularly after the show's run came to an end, Kellie Shanygne Williams, who played Laura Winslow, took a different approach. During that time, McCrary also did a stint on "The Young and the Restless" for two years, starting in 2009, alongside his "Family Matters" co-star Bryton James (more on that soon). His final TV spot was "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" in 2014. Per his obituary inThe Hollywood Reporter, Miller's dreams of showbiz came true when he landed his first real gig as assistant to William Self at 20th Century Fox. But have you ever wondered what the cast is up to now? Laura Winslow 174 Episodes 1998. Jo Marie Payton, Now Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. After "Family Matters" ended in 1998, VelJohnson had mostly one-off appearances in movies and television shows, allowing him to remain as Carl Winslow in the minds of "Family Matters" fans over the years. These Celebs May Star in True Detective Second Season, Its a Boy Meets World Reunion on Girl Meets World, Patti Labelle Joins American Horror Story Cast, Five Things We Can Expect on the Netflix Full House Reboot, 20 Female Celebrities Who Had Children in Their 40s, 20 Child Celebrities Who Tragically Died too Young, 20 of Our Favorite Celebrities from Toronto. Mekka continued working until his last credit in 2018, then a few short years later, Mekka died on November 27, 2021, at the age of 79. Then in 1995, Brown appeared in a season 6 episode of "Family Matters" as the character Pastor Fuller, who asks Mr. and Mrs. Winslow to counsel a couple about marriage. Actors From the movie Friday who have lost their lives. Whatever Happened To The Cast Of Family Matters? Kellie Shanygne Williams was born on the 22nd March 1976, in Washington, D.C. USA; growing up, Kellie was a shy girl and barely spoke in her first few years. "September birthday, sudden passing, E-L-L-ENo Google?". Like his TV mom, McCary has also attempted to pursue a singing career, and is currently working on putting out a CD. On December 26, 1998, a Muslim funeral service was held, per her request. She spent her remaining years dealing with health-related complications caused by diabetes. Running for nine seasons starting in 1989, "Family Matters" introduced us all to the Winslow family and their annoying, nerdy next-door neighbor, Steve Urkel. Adventure Comedy Drama The Winslow family deals with various misadventures, many of them caused by their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. In 1992, Carry appeared in an episode of "Family Matters" in which played Harriet's tall, handsome piano teacher that Carl thinks twice about leaving her alone with. Eddie dreamt of being a basketball star but had horrible grades all throughout high school. With the exception of a few TV appearances and small roles here and there, theres a pretty good chance youve been wondering what ever happened to one of your favorite TV families. Sadly, some of those famous faces are no longer delivering lines and laughs. AP. He is an actor and producer, known for Family Matters (1989), A Sitcom for Gio (2021) and Day by Day (1988). ", Indeed, Payton went on to pursue other roles, including a stint on "Will & Grace" and voicing Suga Mama on Disney's "The Proud Family" from 2001 until 2005. [16][17], From 1993 to 1998, she portrayed the role of Myra Monkhouse, the girlfriend of Steve Urkel, on Family Matters. They have two kids, John Ervin and Hannah Belle Jackson. She appeared in all nine seasons and unlike most of the other Winslow clan, she actually liked their neighbor Steve Urkel. Her love for Steve Urkel knew no bounds, even once he gets engaged to Winslow. He was also the Winslow childrens adorable youngest cousin. In an interview with UPI, VelJohnson revealed that he was the one who pushed for the role. She also got a role in the sitcoms show Young And Restless as Callie Rogers and as Justine Phillips in The Cosby Show. Townsend has remained active in Hollywood since moving on from Family Matters. She appeared as Candace in the TV series Stuck With You in 2020. Although the producers of Family Matters had attempted to help him shed his nerdy image by introducing the smooth Stefan Urquelle, it was too little too late. LeNoire, who played Mother Winslow on "Family Matters," started with the first episode of the series when her character moved in with the Winslows after the death of her husband. Presently, White is the proud father of one, and is also still working on a few TV projects. But the actress didnt stick with Hollywood. Arnold Johnson But, like many shows that found success in the 90s, Family Matters and its legacy continues to live on. I don't think there's any good explanation. Before Captain Savage became Carl's boss at the Chicago Police Department, the patriarch of the Winslow gang served under Lieutenant Lou Murtaugh, played by Barry Jenner. His other popular credits include St. Its been over 30 years since the ABC sitcom Family Matters first aired. A year after Family Matters ended, LeNoire guest-starred as a nurse on the TV series Cosby in 1998. At the same time, Hemsley delivered a terrific performance that proved why he's regarded as sitcom royalty. Lenoir championed diversity in the arts and ultimately led the prestigious Rosie awards being created in her name. LeNoire's championing of diversity in the arts ultimately led to the prestigious Rosie Award being created in her honor, forever cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats. The cast talks about what it was like raising him after that traumatic experience. In 1999, Thomas was nominated for an NAACP award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series for her role on "Young and the Restless.". Her character was witty, sassy, smart and pretty powerful, much like her mother, Harriette. But, Johnson will always be an actress, as she, herself, confirmed in 2021 with a return to "Punky Brewster" in the 2021 reboot on Peacock more than 30 years since the original. Per BlackPast, Sherman Hemsley dropped out of school in the tenth grade to join the air force and served four years in Japan and Korea. Glass' decades-long acting career also included a hilarious stint as Ross Gellar's divorce lawyer on "Friends" in 1999. "She had a lot of friends in the music industry.". On August 3, 2011, Smith died at the age of 66. Jo Marie Payton played the family's matriarch, Harriette Winslow. Shehas alsopursued a career in music. Thomas had a role in Dream Date in 1989 and had a small role in Hangin' with the Homeboys in 1991. From 1988 to 1990, Thomas portrayed Justine Phillips, the girlfriend of Theo Huxtable, on The Cosby Show. Thomas L. Miller produced some of the most memorable television shows in TV history including hits like "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley," "Family Matters," and "Full House." "Family Matters" was no doubt a jumping off point for Brown, who went on to appear in "Two of a Kind" alongside the Olsen twins and to voice Sticky Webb on "The Proud Family" alongside "Family Matters" co-star Jo Marie Payton. Unfortunately, LeNoire is no longer with us. Michelle Thomas played Myra Monkhouse, who was introduced as a love interest for Urkel. In 2021, however, VelJohnson reprised a different role: David Sutton (now mayor) in the Disney+ television sequel for "Turner & Hooch," which picks up 30 years after the movie ended. Sadly, she passed away that same year of During her hiatus, Williams focused on other things like, most notably, working on the Kellie Williams Programs, a fine arts program she started in 2006 that was inspired by her own time with the Howard University Children's Theatre (via The Washington Post). After being released from the hospital, Thomas flew home to New Jersey to spend Thanksgiving with her family in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hes also rumored to be dating his co-star Brytni Sarpy. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. Shawn Harrison was born on 28 December 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA. As a youngster, Rivera was known for her confident performances and upbeat charisma. For starters, it remains one of the longest-running series in the history of television to revolve around African American characters, only exceeded by Tyler Perry's House of Payne and The Jeffersons, respectively. Jaleel White is an American actor, producer and writer who is known for playing Steve Urkel from Family Matters and voicing Sonic the Hedgehog in three cartoon series released during the 1990s. Williams married President and CEO of the IT firm Y-Tech, Hannibal Jackson in 2009. In the season 2 episode, "Flash Pants," Mekka plays Charlie, a transfer who competes against Carl in a dance contest. White, 44, looked back on joining Family Matters as a child star and how his adult costars reacted. [3] Thomas grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, and graduated from West Essex High School in 1987. Come on, man. Shes continued to work as an actress, even taking on some voice roles for cartoons including Disneys short-lived, The Proud Family. On stage, the young actress starred in Betsey Brown at the. Kellie Shanygne Williams spoke of just how important LeNoire was to the cast during the reunion photoshoot with Entertainment Weekly. But after "Family Matters," he really grew up. Trending pages Estelle Winslow Jimmy Baines Stevil (character) Samuel Winslow Oona Urkel Aunt Clotilda Charles Mallory All items (14) # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other A Aunt Clotilda C Charles Mallory D Doc Urkel E Estelle Winslow F Fat Steve J Jimmy Baines Jimmy'father O She was 90 years old at the time, and she left behind an impressive body of work in television, film, music, and theater. teacher in Urkel's swim class. Jaleel said dumbfounded. On May 15, 2020, Willard died of natural causes at the age of 86. She appeared in the show as Gwendolyn and was popularly known as the young child who asked Urkel for love advice. shirt depicting Waldo, and fans who love the clips he shares on Instagram went wild, leading him to start selling them more widely. She was buried in New Jersey. The actor had, in fact, already made memorable turns in 1988's "Die Hard" as Sergeant Al Powell and in 1989's "Turner & Hooch" as Detective David Sutton. As of this writing, he has three more production credits in various stages of production (via IMDb). Speaking in an episode of TV One . He has starred in Fresh Prince Of Bel-air and he was popularly known for his character in the sitcom The Jeffersons. Williams is also a wife and a mother of two. Her last role was in Aide-de-Camp" in 2011. She had a lot of friends in the music industry." Judy was the youngest child of the Winslow family for the first two seasons of the show anyway. ", While White could have rested on his laurels after his iconic portrayal of Steve Urkel, the actor has continued working a lot. Watch a. Just a few short years later, she was cast in Season 4 of "Family Matters" as Myra, who for some reason, sees Urkel as the man of her dreams. lineup. In 1975, Mekka received a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in "The Lieutenant." Apparently, Miller had seen an early screening of "Die Hard" and thought he'd be perfect for the show. She underwent surgery to remove a tumor in 1998 and returned home to her family to recover. Actor. Two years later, on November 25, 2016, Glass died of respiratory failure. He spent much of the '80s in guest roles on television shows including recurring parts in "Bay City Blues" and "The New Leave It to Beaver," but it was his 1985 appearance in the classic martial arts spoof film "The Last Dragon" as Sho'Nuff, the villain in the movie, that would forever cement him a place in Hollywood history. Hemsley continued his reign on TV, garnering guest spots on shows like, "Designing Women," "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper," and 3 episodes of "Family Matters," in which he played the wise-cracking Captain Savage who has an instant connection to Urkel and cheats at golf, much to Mr. Winslow's dismay. Her body couldn't take it. Miller died on April 5, 2020, from complications related to heart disease. However, as Variety noted, Jenner, passed away in 2016 at the age of 75 following a long battle with leukemia. It introduced us to the legendary Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) and it was an important part of ABC's Friday night TGIF lineup. He is best known for playing police officer characters, such as Carl Winslow on the sitcom Family Matters, which ran from 1989 to 1998, and LAPD Sergeant Al . He diedon March 2, 2022, at the age of 84. She died on December 26, 1998, surrounded by her family as well as former boyfriend Malcom-Jamal Warner with whom she had remained close friends, according toPeople. McCrary has also taken on the role of producer, beginning as a co-producer in 2009 on the movie "Steppin: The Movie" and then again in 2010 on "Church," before becoming an executive producer for the 2015 documentary "Where Have All The Fathers Gone" and for five episodes of the TV series "Monogamy" in 2019. So he's staying fresh and busy as ever, even at 67 years old. According to an article from Jet magazine at the time, she took amedical leave from the show in October 1998. On March 17, 2002, LeNoire died from complications from diabetes. "They were happy to have me involved in it. She was 30. "When I heard they were doing a series, I had my agent reach out to them," he said. on some very memorable episodes, we got to know the characters on the show well, for better or for worse. He recently completed the comedy film The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee which is scheduled for release in 2020. 1979-present. Dont let her age fool you, though. Since "Family Matters" ended, McCrary has appeared injust about everything(or so it seems),including both TV series and movies. The show, a spinoff of Jo Marie Payton's "Perfect Strangers" character Harriette Winslow, has left us with fond memories of The Urkel , the sweet sounds of the accordion . Telma Hopkins played Rachel Crawford, Harriet Winslows sister and aunt to her kids, Eddie, Laura and Judy. 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