Per theNew York Daily News, Hemsley succumbed to superior vena cava syndrome and passed away in 2012. White has continued to guest star on a variety of television shows like Trial and Error and Fresh Off the Boat. In 2019, he reprised his role of Steve Urkel on the TV series, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? He also appeared on the The Big Show Show in 2020 and the Disney Channel series Ravens Home. He has a daughter named Samaya White, who he had with ex-girlfriend Bridget Hardy. After "Good Times," he continued his sweep through television roles, including a stint as a voice on the "Alvin & the Chipmunks," animated series. "You got to be messing with me, dog. Jo Marie Payton played the familys matriarch, Harriette Winslow. Walt Disney Television via Getty Jaleel White Returns as Steve Urkel in New Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? A Steve Urkel Story. Glass' decades-long acting career also included a hilarious stint as Ross Gellar's divorce lawyer on "Friends" in 1999. target_type: 'mix' He started with the Baltimore Colts, won a Super Bowl in 1970, and played until 1976. Landers passed away on March 12, 2015, at the age of 62 from cancer. Michelle Thomas' first role on television was on the hit TV series "The Cosby Show," where she played Theo's girlfriend, Justine. He was 29 years old. While some only appeared a few times and some were on all 215 episodes, you won't believe what the cast of Family Matters looks like now! Carl was seriously irritated by his pesky neighbor Urkel and his annoying antics. The classic TGIF sitcom Family Matters had a consistent main cast until mom Harriette Winslow was abruptly recast during the final season. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. [13] He played air traffic controller Bob Abbot in the 2012 film Air Collision. That said, he also had a memorable guest role in Family Matters, playing Carl's boss, Captain Marion Savage, in a few episodes between 1994 and 1995. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', teacher in Urkel's swim class. White was pronounced dead on arrival after admission to an LA hospital early Monday morning. Shawn Harrison followed his role as Eddie Winslow's friend Waldo on Family Matters with appearances on shows INCLUDING Moesha and Girlfriends. In 2007, he appeared in the short films Reverse, Nerve Endings, and Time Upon A Once which were made during the reality show On the Lot. Murtaugh was a recurring character in Family Matters between 1990 and 1992, and he was able to make a big impact with his silly antics. Thomas died Tuesday in Manhattan, according to her publicist, Kahdijah Bell. Bryton McClure was only 4 years old when he started playing Richie Crawford on Family Matters' second season. He began his career back in the 1950s. The Winslow couple's children would complete the would-be new sitcom's main cast: Eddie (Darius McCrary), Laura Lee (Kellie Shanygne Williams), and Judy (Valerie Jones in the first season and Jaimee Foxworth in the second to fifth seasons before she was eventually written off from the show). Miller died on April 5, 2020, from complications related to heart disease. Unfortunately for the pair, their friendship came to an end after Murtaugh took all of the nerd's money during a poker game. He went on to form his own production company and eventually signed a deal with Warner Bros. TV predecessor Lorimar Television. The show became a major staple on network television and the classic '90s "TGIF" lineup. Actress Michelle Thomas, who had television roles in The Young & The Restless, The Cosby Show and Family Matters, has died of cancer at age 29. He replaced twin actors Joseph and Julius Wright, who alternated in the infant role during the show's first year. Throughoutthe 90s, Family Mattersdominated Friday nights on ABC. joke. She currently lives in Los Angeles and is the mother a 10 year-old son, Michael Douglas Shaw, Jr. 9. Has She Died? The series centered around the Winslows, a middle-class African-American family. Jenner unfortunately passed away in 2016 at the age of 75 following a long battle with leukemia. Naya Rivera was introduced to acting as a child star after she got a role in the sitcom show Family Matters. The Cast of 'Shameless' : Where Are They Now? He's made. Sadly, she passed away that same year of In 1989, VelJohnson was cast as the memorable police officer and family patriarch Carl Winslow in the ABC (later CBS) sitcom Family Matters, alongside Jo Marie Payton, who played his wife Harriette Winslow. On March 17, 2002, LeNoire died from complications from diabetes. ABC/Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images. In 1952 comedian and actor Reginal VelJohnson was born! He appeared as a comic actor, game show panelist and many more. Bubba Smith's character on Family Matters, Bones, is an intimidating muscle to the loan shark the guys got in deep with, complete with a hilarious growling match between Urkel and Bones. Carmine Ragusa was the bright-faced, dancing, on-again-off-again boyfriend of Shirley Feeney. Cherie Johnson from Family Matters has returned to her family sitcom roots after a career shift ABC, Peacock/YouTube Cherie Johnson was no stranger to television when she was cast as Laura Winslow's best friend, Maxine, on "Family Matters" the actress had also enjoyed great success as Punky Brewster's best friend on the eponymous show. The role was initially only meant to be a guest spot, but the audience received the suspenders-clad nuisance so well in the first season that he continued on the show as a main cast member. Confident, hilarious, and kick-a** fighting skills, Carry drew in audiences who couldn't help but fall in love with Sho'Nuff. "She had a lot of friends in the music industry.". 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. The Family Matters character who is famous for walking up the stairs in Season 4 never to come back down again ( until that was debunked by YouTuber Vee Infuso) is the Winslow's youngest. He also credited the writers with taking his character from "just kind of a Black guy who was in the room" to something that more resembled the actor himself. Though his character, often referred to as "Booger" by character Willona, was meant to be an antagonist, Bookman soon became a fan favorite and Brown would always be remembered for this role. The cause of death at the time had been ruled acute drug intoxication and other conditions. "Come on, man. Actress Natalie Desselle Reid, who starred in the 1997 film "B.A.P.S." and played Janie Egins in the 2003-2006 sitcom "Eve," died Monday. At the time of this writing, no further details are available regarding Brown's death. She often portrayed the character as a tough mom with a witty sense of humor, but was also a no-nonsense wife to her husband, Carl. Telma Hopkins played Rachel Crawford, Harriet Winslows sister and aunt to her kids, Eddie, Laura and Judy. She appeared in the show as Gwendolyn and was popularly known as the young child who asked Urkel for love advice. Rumor has it that the character was removed because of budget issues. He died back in 2007 due to respiratory failure at the age of 85. However, some of the show's most memorable denizens have sadly passed away since Family Matters came to an end. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform. VelJohnson was hired after Gene Hackman, originally hired to play the role, became unavailable, and producers decided to hire a relatively unknown actor for the part. His latest acting role was in the 2019 TV movie Fanatic where he played Officer Hardaway. Jo Marie Payton portrayed elevator operator Harriette Winslow on that show, and Family Matters depicted her home life with husband Carl, their three kids, plus Aunt Rachel and Mother Winslow,. It gives me joy that you dont know who I am. Then Jaleel broke down. Michelle Thomas, an actress in the television programs ''The Cosby Show,'' ''Family Matters'' and ''The Young and the Restless'' died on Wednesday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in . He later reprised his role as David Sutton on Disney's Turner & Hooch. It was in 1989 that White landed the role that would make him famous, playing wacky neighbor 'Steve Urkel' on the ABC program "Family Matters. The actress only appeared in three episodes of the sitcom, but her performances caught the eye of television executives and she subsequently landed parts in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Arsenio Hall Show, and The Young and the Restless. Rivera even successfully navigated her way from child actor to adult, most of those years spent on "The Bernie Mac Show" from 2002 to 2006. The Cast of 'Outer Banks' : Everything to Know, Our Favorite (Underrated!) As a three-year-old in real life, it was his screen debut. Sherman Hemsley is perhaps best known for playing George Jefferson in bothAll In the Family and The Jeffersons, the latter of which gained him earned him Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations. They have two kids, John Ervin and Hannah Belle Jackson. It has nine seasons with a total of 215 episodes. Payton got married to her third husband Leonard Downs in 2007 and she has a daughter named Chantale France from a previous relationship. VelJohnson is known for playing police officers in films and on television. There were temples and churches to Gods and they suddenly closed their doors forever. She was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died from stomach cancer quickly. Kelly Shangyne Williams, who played Laura in Family Matters, even described her co-star as "[the] foundation" of the series in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Dennis was a Screen Actors Guild and Drama Logo award-winning English actor. DreamFlix TV is a collaboration between "Family Matters" cast members JoMarie Payton, Kellie Shanygne Williams and Darius McCary, along with entertainment industry veterans, Ervin Williams, ShahRon Vaulx and producer Peggy . Hopkins made her name in film before she signed onto Family Matters. It has been over 16 years but the show still remains one of the greatest show of its time. To make matters worse, her mother fell into a drug habit, leaving the teenager to handle the household finances alone. Watch the shocking reveal in the clip above! The actress could also be seen starring in Bounce TV's Mann & Wife as Lorraine Mann from 2015 to 2017. In 1986, he would go on to star in another series, "Amen," where he played a deacon who was also a lawyer. On the show, Jaleel sat down for a reading with Tyler Henry. Once the series wrapped, Williams hopped onto another ABC show, What About Joan?, to play Alice Adams, a coworker and friend of the protagonist, played by Joan Cusack. The show was filled with fond memories that most fans will probably never forget. In the sitcom show Family Matters, he got a role as mother Winslow's husband. Al Powell - Die Hard. This granny was hip and street-wise and also had plenty of love and advice to offer everyone. She was only 33 at the time. As Today pointed out, some of the adults who worked with her back in the day claimed that she was wise beyond her years and had a natural gift for the craft. Once the series wrapped, Williams hopped onto. In the years after, he provided the voices for Jazz in the original Transformers movie and Tarix in. But it took more than one character to make this show a hit, and after nine seasons, America was entertained by dozens of talented actors who stepped onto the set and into the Winslows' living room. Unfortunately, Payton left the series halfway through the final season, and actress Judyann Elder took over the role. Before she was on Family Matters, Johnson was on another sitcom called Punky Brewster where she played Punkys best friend, Cherie. After leaving the series, Foxworth grew up struggling with mental health and controlled substance issues. Television actress Michelle Thomas, 30, a co-star on the sitcom "Family Matters," died Dec. 22 after a struggle with stomach cancer. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Johnson died in Los Angeles at the age of 78. Known for. That adorably sweet smile and natural acting ability garnered her more roles on shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Baywatch.". cancer-related complications. He has also appeared in the comedy film, The Formula, starring alongside Brandon Baker and Sasha Jackson. Adventure Comedy Drama The Winslow family deals with various misadventures, many of them caused by their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. You've got to be Googling this stuff before you come in here." Well talk about that part later. This is crazy. He said, "So actually we ended up with a really really, totally well-rounded, totally wonderful character to play.". But by the end of the series, Urkel finally won Laura On February 18, 2020, he announced via his Instagram that he was working on the upcoming web series A Sitcom for Gio, as its director. One of the first additions to the "Family Matters" cast was Bryton McClure, who played the role of Richie Crawford, the son of Rachel Crawford. While the rest of his career primarily consisted of supporting roles, he continued to act until 2011, making appearances in shows like Family Guy and Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Poston was a jack of all talents. Tragedy struck in 2020 after her body was found in the river after disappearing during a boat trip. Family Matters attracted a lot of cast members but this article will feature some of the cast members who died in real life. She finished out the series with the rest of the cast and then jumped right over to a recurring role on "The Young and the Restless.". Lenoir was a broadway star working as an actress, producer and even casting agent. White is far from the first celebrity to be made the butt of a "He's dead!" Willard also portrayed Vice Principal Mallet on "Family Matters" from 1994 to 1996, appearing in three episodes. In the end, she saved the day singing her iconic song "Last Dance" at a talent show. News ), 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. The Captain wasn't the most popular character, presumably because of his tendency to cheat at golf and make life difficult for Carl. Michelle Thomas is another cast member from the show Family Matters that has passed away. The group talked about their experience on the show and revealed that, like the title dictated, the family did matter to them. His comedic talent on shows "Modern Family" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" earned him multiple Emmy noms, and he was a fixture of Christopher Guest's mockumentary troupe. Payton also has a busy career in voice acting: She voiced The Proud Family's Suga Mama Proud, the unpredictable grandmother of protagonist Penny Proud, on Disney Channel from 2001 through 2005. because of health issues. At a recent cast reunion at 90s Con, the Family Matters cast was asked about whether they'd be interested in revisiting the Winslow family with a series revival. His final TV spot was "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" in 2014. Come on, man. Of course, most Family Matters fans remember Steve Urkels fascination with Laura Winslow and how his special bond with the Winslow family was one of the most memorable dynamics of the show. One year later, her ex husband, Ryan Dorsey, said in anInstagram post, "Fly high, Rest In Peace, knowing he's doing okhe's being raised right, and he's got a lot of family and people around him that love him, and you. Following the adventures of the Winslow family (and their friends and neighbors), the sitcom starred (pictured from left in this 1992 photo) Bryton James, Telma Hopkins, Reginald VelJohnson, Rosetta Lenoire (she played Estelle "Mother" Winslow, and died in 2002), Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Jaimee Foxworth (who played daughter Judy Winslow but was written out of the show in the middle of season 4 and not mentioned again), Shawn Harrison, Kellie Shangyne Williams and Jaleel White. She underwent surgery to remove a tumor in 1998 and returned home to her family to recover. "I love these people Every one of them," a teary-eyed VelJohnson stated at the time. Laura Winslows heart. But have you ever wondered what the cast is up to now? In August of 1997, Michelle Thomas life was forever changed when she was diagnosed withintra-abdominaldesmoplastic small-round-cell tumor,a rare form of stomach cancer. [8] VelJohnson played alongside Tom Hanks, as Det. Under that theory, the "news account" of the former child star's suicide serves as the set-up for that line. Hemsley made the sitcom show family memorable when he got a chance as a guest cast and Carl's obnoxious boss, Captain Marion Savage. Born in 1952 to an Armenian father and an Italian mother, Eddie Mekka told Broadway.comhegot the performing bug when he was asked to be the emcee of their variety school, so of course his next stop was the stage. In my opinion, Google appears to be Henrys best friend, because everything he told Jaleelabout Michelleis easily verifiable on Googlebut I digress. (per Today), White broke down in tears as he fondly remembered Thomas, who passed away in 1998 at the young age of 30. The series ran for nine seasons and featured 215 family friendly episodes. She was my old co-star fromFamily Mattersand she died from stomach cancer quickly. Steve was a complete misfit, but he was hilarious, endearing, and a complete fixture as part of the cast of 'Family Matters.' In fact, the character's entrance onto the show saved it from being canceled. After appearing in all 8 seasons, Mekka went on to a myriad of guest roles in both movies and series, including two different characters on "Family Matters." As of 2009, VelJohnson had homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles, and resided primarily in Oceanside, New York. He later said he changed the spelling "because I wanted a name people would remember."[7]. May Michelle Thomas continue to rest peacefully. According to CNN, Rivera had gone out on a rented boat with her then-four-year-old son. 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. Buddy was the star of a show the Winslow family was obsessed with and Carl ended up arresting him for assault. As to why it was Jaleel White this time around, the answer is perhaps found in the suicide note he supposedly left behind. 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. He was able to make it big in the show with his silly antics. "Family Matters" was a popular American television sitcom that aired nine seasons from 1989 to 1997. In the spring of 1998, she underwent surgery to have the lemon-sized tumor removed shortly before she landed a role on The Young and The Restless. Where is Kellie Shanygne Williams Now? With the exception of The Golden Girls, grandparents are never the main stars of sitcoms. A child actor on "Family Matters," Darius McCrary was only 13 when he first began playing the role of Eddie Winslow, and audiences watched him grow up over the show's nine-season run. Per The New York Times, this is when her illness, a rare form of stomach cancer, seemed to take a foothold, and Thomas had to take a medical leave from filming. We'll talk about that part later. Youve got to be Googling stuff. Years active. Black-Led TV Shows. Her birthday is September 23, 1968,"Jaleel revealed. Family Matters. This is crazy. She then went on to appear as a regular cast member on Half & Half and Are We There Yet? Unsurprisingly, Rivera's stardom continued into adulthood, especially with her role as Santana Lopez in the musical-comedy Glee. May 13 2020, Updated 10:30 p.m. 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. The cast of "Family Matters" (Warner Bros. Television) On Sept. 22, 1989, "Family Matters" debuted on ABC with the pilot "The Mama Who Came to Dinner" as Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform Jaleel recently appeared on the show,Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry. Although the sitcom achieved decent ratings in its first season, it wasn't until the character of Steve Urkel, portrayed by Jaleel White, was introduced that the show really took off. Beyond TV, Williams appeared in Usher's 2005 crime-dramedy In The Mix and in the 2009 film Steppin: The Movie. All rights reserved. Audiences fondly remember these characters and the actors who portrayed them. Eddie dreamt of being a basketball star but had horrible grades all throughout high school. He started out in the mid-1980s getting bit parts, usually as a white-collar guy. The actress, a former child model, remained a fixture on TV post . Youre talking aboutMichelle Thomas. Kellie Shanygne Williams made her name playing Laura Winslow, the seemingly perfect know-it-all daughter of Carl and Harriette on Family Matters. Clip The sneak peek also features White, 44, reminiscing on his. Jaleel Whitemay bebestknown for playing hilariously nerd Steve Urkel on the '90s sitcom Family Matters, but there's nothing funnyabout theshocking revelation he receives from Tyler Henry on Wednesday night's Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry episode. LOS ANGELES, California (AP) Jaleel White, who played 'nerdy' neighbor Steve Urkel on "Family Matters" found dead Monday. Jaleel White, who portrayed Steve Urkel on the television sitcom "Family Matters," committed suicide in 2006. He has starred in Fresh Prince Of Bel-air and he was popularly known for his character in the sitcom The Jeffersons. (She also played the girlfriend of Malcolm . LOS ANGELES, California (AP) Jaleel White, who played 'nerdy' neighbor Steve Urkel on "Family Matters" found dead Monday. September birthday, sudden passing, E-L-L-ENo Google?. In addition to Family Matters, Jenner had a notable role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, portraying Starfleet Admiral William Ross in 12 episodes of the beloved sci-fi series. [15] He has never married and has no children. . May Michelle Thomas continue to rest peacefully. with a rare stomach cancer in 1997 and died in 1998 at . LeNoire spent more than three decades on television with roles on "Another World," "Ryan's Hope," "Gimme a Break," and "Amen," before landing her spot in the cast of "Family Matters." The sitcom show was created by William Bickley and Michael Warren. Reginald VelJohnson played Carl Winslow, the familys patriarch who made a living as a cop and was always annoyed by his nerdy neighbor, Steve Urkel. She had a lot of friends in the music industry." NFL defensive end Bubba Smith was born in 1945 in Texas. He was survived by his wife and two children. Like many actors of his time, he started on the stage in the 1950s. His work ranged from Avengers to Sideways. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. [4] He later obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from New York University, where he had a chance to work with Joseph Papp's Black/Hispanic Shakespeare Company, in which Morgan Freeman and CCH Pounder were among his fellow actors. Thomas appeared on the CBS soap opera The . 9 June 2002 (p. 11). They even developed a bond over root beer and romantic woes. But during the fourth season, Judy seemingly vanished and was never mentioned by anyone again. In October of that year, she underwent a second surgery to have another growth removed. Thomas joined the cast team later in the fourth season and appeared in several seasons as Steve Urkel's lover Myra Monkhouse. Al Powell" character from the Die Hard series in an episode of NBC's Chuck titled "Chuck Versus the Santa Claus", as the cousin of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence). Image Via Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. If you havent seen the show,it captures moments where Henry showcases his alleged psychic capabilities. Landers' next time on "Family Matters" was in 1997, and he played a pirate named Flint when Urkel and Carl went back in time. In 1975, Mekka received a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in "The Lieutenant." McClure eventually became known as Bryton James, but most soap fans know him as Devon Hamilton on The Young and the Restless. According to IMDB, he has done about 1,104 episodes of the classic soap. After her TGIF run, she played Lillian Roanoke in Mike Myers' 2008 film The Love Guru, and most recently she acted as Freya in 2021's The Matrix Resurrections. Neighbor and friend, Bradley Spencer alerted police after hearing what he described as "a loud bang" coming from White's Los Angeles apartment. Who is that? Tyler questioned. Over the years, fans watched him grow up until the series ended in 1998.