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. 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. Tragedy struck in 2020, however, when her body was found in a river after she disappeared during a boating trip with her son, Josey. That adorably sweet smile and natural acting ability garnered her more roles on shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Baywatch.". 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. 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! Natalie Desselle-Reid Dead: 'Madea' Actor was 53 - Variety After playing the Winslow family matriarch, Harriette, on Family Matters, Jo Marie Payton continued her television career with recurring and lead roles on several other primetime shows. Im looking at what looks like E and then L-L-E is the only way to describe it, Tylershared. He was 74. 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. Payton got married to her third husband Leonard Downs in 2007 and she has a daughter named Chantale France from a previous relationship. [8][10] He also later reprised the character in the 1990 sequel Die Hard 2. [15] He has never married and has no children. The classic TGIF sitcom Family Matters had a consistent main cast until mom Harriette Winslow was abruptly recast during the final season. nerdy comedic neighbor of the Winslows who was always trying and failing to win Willard went to two military institutes before serving in the US army and being stationed in Germany. 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. The network TV landscape of the 1980s and the 1990s was all about family-oriented sitcoms, with the occasional exception such as Married with Children, which was about a family but courted controversy with its more risque episodes. Per USA Today, years later it was discovered he suffered from CTE, a brain degeneration likely caused by repeated head traumas. The Cast of 'Outer Banks' : Everything to Know, Our Favorite (Underrated!) 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. As a three-year-old in real life, it was his screen debut. Her character was witty, sassy, smart and pretty powerful, much like her mother, Harriette. It was all a send-up, though. As to why it was Jaleel White this time around, the answer is perhaps found in the suicide note he supposedly left behind. Thomas would eventually end up as the real life girlfriend of the actor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo. A spinoff of the hit '80s sitcom Perfect Strangers, Family Matters began life as a modest hit before morphing into one of the most successful comedies on the small screen at the time. Desselle-Reid's manager, Dolores Robinson . Reginald VelJohnson's Life after 'Family Matters' Gay - AmoMama Once the series wrapped, Williams hopped onto. As iconic character actor Julius Carry recalled to the Chicago Tribune in 1990, he got into show business as a teen when he joined a touring play group called the Spartan Players. Dennis died in April 2009 in Shadow Hills Los Angeles. Brown's last role came in 2013. What Happened to the Original Harriette on 'Family Matters'? - Distractify Hopkins made her name in film before she signed onto Family Matters. So he's staying fresh and busy as ever, even at 67 years old. Kellie Shanygne Williams made her name playing Laura Winslow, the seemingly perfect know-it-all daughter of Carl and Harriette on Family Matters. On Will & Grace's second season, Payton was Mrs. Freeman, an assistant at Will's law firm. Urkel iseven though the basis of his show is centered around featuring well known celebs: This is embarrassing, I dont even recognize you, Tyler statedto Jaleel. 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. Over the years, fans watched him grow up until the series ended in 1998. Her birthday is September 23, 1968, Jaleel revealed. She flew home to spend Thanksgiving with family, but unfortunately, that was her last holiday alive. "Did I do that?" 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. 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 . She was a hilarious older female version of Urkel, and when the two started wreaking accidental havoc on the Winslows living room, spilling popcorn and breaking the coffee table, they both exclaimed, "Did we do that?" Television actress Michelle Thomas, 30, a co-star on the sitcom "Family Matters," died Dec. 22 after a struggle with stomach cancer. Jo Marie Payton, Now Well talk about that part later. She was just 30 years old. In 1999, she joined Moesha's season 4 to play recurring character Mrs. Campbell. However, as Variety noted, Jenner, passed away in 2016 at the age of 75 following a long battle with leukemia. Family Matters (1989-1998) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by Series Writing Credits Series Cast Series Produced by Series Music by Series Cinematography by Series Film Editing by Series Casting By Series Art Direction by Series Set Decoration by Series Makeup Department Series Production Management 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. It is believed that Rivera drowned while saving her son's life. Her last role was in Aide-de-Camp" in 2011. in 1983 and finally signed on to Family Matters for its first through fourth seasons. It has nine seasons with a total of 215 episodes. 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.". 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. Kellie shaygne Williams also died. She was Lauras friend, but she also put the moves on her brother, Eddie, and started going out with him instead. In addition to his longtime work on the CBS soap opera, McClure has lent his voice for several animated series including Nickelodeon's Zevo-3, Cartoon Network's Young Justice: Invasion and in Disney+'s 2022 miniseries Tales of the Jedi. Tammy Townsend played Greta McClure for 14 episodes. (per Today), White broke down in tears as he fondly remembered Thomas, who passed away in 1998 at the young age of 30. VelJohnson was born Reginald Johnson on August 16, 1952, in the Queens borough of New York City, the son of Eva, a nurses aid, and Dan, a hospital attendant. In 1952 comedian and actor Reginal VelJohnson was born! It gives me joy that you don't know who I am." Family Matters (TV Series 1989-1998) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Youve got to be Googling stuff. Why Family Matters Recast Harriette Winslow For Its Final - ScreenRant If you havent seen the show,it captures moments where Henry showcases his alleged psychic capabilities. The actress, a former child model, remained a fixture on TV post . Glass' decades-long acting career also included a hilarious stint as Ross Gellar's divorce lawyer on "Friends" in 1999. and "Whoa, mama." Bryton McClure was only 4 years old when he started playing Richie Crawford on Family Matters' second season. She was known for her singing voice, her eccentric hats and how driven she was to become an entrepreneur. Authorities state that upon entering the home they discovered a young African-American male with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 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 . Her birthday is September 23, 1968,"Jaleel revealed. Unsurprisingly, Rivera's stardom continued into adulthood, especially with her role as Santana Lopez in the musical-comedy Glee. In 1975, Mekka received a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in "The Lieutenant." In 2018, "Family Matters" star Reginald VelJohnson told Today that Miller helped him land the role of Carl. His work ranged from Avengers to Sideways. Barry Jenner was a recurring character in the sitcom show Family Matters. Michelle Thomas from 'Family Matters' Lived a Vibrant Life before Her On the big screen, he held small roles in films like Like Mike and You Again in 2002 and 2010, respectively. Jaleel White Breaks Down Over Death of Family Matters Co-Star in White shed tears as he remembered actress Michelle Thomas, who played Myra, the girlfriend of his nerdy character, Steve Urkel, on his hit '90s sitcom. In both the comic and the television series, the main character attends a high school named after the actor, and the character itself is named after his previous role of Carl Winslow from Family Matters. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. He also joined fellow Family Matters alumni Kellie Williams, Jo Marie Payton and Darius McCrary at the 2022 '90s Con event. Davenport, Misha. They even developed a bond over root beer and romantic woes. Menteer also popped up in variety shows like "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show" before he began his career behind the camera. However, much like her boyfriend before her, Myra was soon promoted to a recurring role and eventually became an integral part of the Family Matters ensemble. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. By Variety. She passed away in 2002. Jaleel White tearfully remembers late 'Family Matters' co-star on Sherman Hemsley is probably one of the funniest actors in the sitcoms. But they have been an essential function of some of the most iconic family units in small-screen comedies. Bryton Eric McClure. joke. Actor. In his latest work, the former child star starred as Connor on the drama series Monogamy, which aired its third season in 2021. According to the story, White took his own life after becoming obsessed with the Steve Urkel character he'd played on "Family Matters" and growing despondent, presumably over the cancellation of the show. (She also played the girlfriend of Malcolm . But Jaleel wasn't biting just yet. It was a spinoff of the popular show Perfect Strangers on which he appeared only once, though Harriette appeared as a re-occurring guest star. 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. He was also the Winslow childrens adorable youngest cousin. 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. 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." Hemsley made the sitcom show family memorable when he got a chance as a guest cast and Carl's obnoxious boss, Captain Marion Savage. Jaleel White says he was 'not welcomed at all' to 'Family Matters' cast Jaleel White Tributes 'Family Matters' Star Michelle Thomas - VIBE.com In 1998, Michelle passed away shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. It happened after Lauras boyfriend, Ted, got tired of Urkel trying to put the moves on his girlfriend. Thomas was born in Boston, Massachusetts on September 23 . Aside from his voice work, McCrary appeared in films like 15 Minutes, which starred Robert De Niro, in 2001, and Saw IV. The series ran for nine seasons and featured 215 family friendly episodes. target_type: 'mix' On August 3, 2011, Smith died at the age of 66. On May 15, 2020, Willard died of natural causes at the age of 86. 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." Where Are They Now? The Cast of "Family Matters" - Obsev Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. They got divorced in 2019, and have a daughter together named Zoey. Thenthe 21-year-old psychic claimed that he didnt even know who Jaleel White a.k.a. The sitcom starred Reginald Vel Johnson (Carl Winslow), Jo Marie Payton (Harriet Winslow), Darius McCray (Eddie. He was also a contestant on season 14 of Dancing with the Stars, placing 8th. In 2004, McClure scored his next big gig on The Young and the Restless playing Devon Hamilton, a struggling teen who was living on the streets before the Winters family took him in.