Black TV Legends of the 90s
by HOPSQUIAT | created - 31 Mar 2020 | updated - 31 Mar 2020 | Public
1. Martin Lawrence
Actor | Martin
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an African-American comedian, producer, writer, director and actor. He is known for his roles in the Bad Boys trilogy, Martin, Def Comedy Jam, Big Momma's House, Open Season, House Party, Boomerang, Wild Hogs, What's Happening Now!!, Nothing to Lose, Life and Blue ...
2. Will Smith
Producer | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Smith has been nominated for five Golden ...
3. Tisha Campbell
Actress | Little Shop of Horrors
Tisha Michelle Campbell was born on October 13, 1968 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma & raised in Newark, New Jersey. Her first TV appearance was at the age of 8 on episode #006 of the PBS show, The Big Blue Marble (1974). The show featured stories on the life and culture of children from around the ...
4. Brandy Norwood
Actress | I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Brandy Norwood is an African-American singer-songwriter and actress from McComb, Mississippi. She is known for her roles in Moesha, Osmosis Jones and Cinderella. She has released many R&B albums and singles since the 1990s. She is known as "The Vocal Bible". She gave birth to a daughter named ...
5. Queen Latifah
Actress | Chicago
Often considered hip-hop's first lady, the woman behind the moniker Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, in East Orange, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Rita (Bray), a teacher, and Lancelot Owens Sr. She came from a police family-both her father and her older brother were ...
6. James Avery
Actor | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Although known as the uncle/patriarch and judge "Philip Banks" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), James Avery was a classically trained actor and scholar. A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, he joined the US Navy after graduating high school and served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon...
7. Erika Alexander
Actress | Get Out
Erika Alexander is beloved for the iconic acting roles of Maxine Shaw (Living Single), Detective Latoya (Get Out), Perenna (Black Lightning), and Linda Diggs (Wutang: An American Saga). Erika wears many hats, including actress, trailblazing activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, and director --...
8. Jaleel White
Actor | Family Matters
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. He also acted in "Big Fat Liar" starring Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes, "Scooby-Doo", "Guess Who", "...
9. Reginald VelJohnson
Actor | Die Hard
Reginald VelJohnson was born on August 16, 1952 in Queens, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Die Hard (1988), Ghostbusters (1984) and Die Hard 2 (1990).
10. Tia Mowry
Actress | Sister, Sister
Tia Mowry was born on July 6, 1978 in Gelnhausen, Hesse, Germany. She is an actress and producer, known for Sister, Sister (1994), The Hot Chick (2002) and The Game (2006). She was previously married to Cory Hardrict.
11. Tamera Mowry-Housley
Actress | Sister, Sister
Tamera Darvette Mowry was born on July 6, 1978, two minutes before her twin sister, Tia Mowry, in Gelnhausen, Hesse, Germany, to Darlene Mowry and Tim Mowry, who was serving in the U.S. Army at the time of her birth and later became a custody officer/jailer with the City of Glendale Police ...
12. Terri J. Vaughn
Actress | The Steve Harvey Show
Terri J. Vaughn was born on October 16, 1969 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Steve Harvey Show (1996), Friday (1995) and All of Us (2003). She has been married to Karon Riley since January 19, 2008. They have two children. She was previously married ...
13. Steve Harvey
Producer | The Steve Harvey Show
Broderick Stephen Harvey, Sr. is an American television host, actor, writer, producer, and comedian. He hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, the Miss Universe competition, Family Feud Africa, and the arbitration-based court comedy Judge Steve Harvey.
Harvey began ...
14. Cedric The Entertainer
Actor | Barbershop
Cedric the Entertainer is an African-American comedian and actor known for being one of the Original Kings of Comedy. He is also known for his roles in the Barbershop trilogy, the Madagascar trilogy, The Steve Harvey Show, Ice Age, Planes, The Soul Man and The Neighborhood. He has had three ...
15. Jamie Foxx
Actor | Collateral
Jamie Foxx is an American actor, singer and comedian. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, for his work in the biographical film Ray (2004). The same year, he was nominated for the Academy...
16. John Witherspoon
Actor | Friday
John Witherspoon was an African-American actor from Detroit, Michigan known for playing Granddad from The Boondocks and Willie Jones from the Friday trilogy. He also acted in Boomerang, Little Nicky, Soul Plane, Vampire in Brooklyn, Black Jesus and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He passed away in ...
17. Tahj Mowry
Actor | Smart Guy
Tahj Mowry, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, is known for playing the young prodigy on the Disney sitcom, Smart Guy (1997). He is the son of Darlene Renee (Flowers), who eventually ended up managing the siblings' early career, and Timothy John Mowry, a police officer and a veteran of the war. His ...
18. Kadeem Hardison
Actor | A Different World
Kadeem Hardison was born on July 24, 1965 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and director, known for A Different World (1987), White Men Can't Jump (1992) and Drive (1997). He was previously married to Chanté Moore.
19. Jasmine Guy
Actress | Harlem Nights
Actress-dancer-director Jasmine Guy has enjoyed a diverse career in television, theatre and film. She began her professional career at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City. Jasmine starred on Broadway in the original productions of Beehive and Leader of the Pack, and reprised hit...
20. Alfonso Ribeiro
Actor | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Alfonso Ribeiro was born in New York on September 21, 1971. Alfonso's family is from Trinidad & Tobago. Although rumor has been that he is of Dominican descent, he has stated in an interview that this is false. Neither he nor his family are from the Dominican Republic; they originate from Trinidad ...
21. Thomas Mikal Ford
Actor | Martin
Thomas Mikal Ford was born on September 5, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for "Martin" (1992), "Harlem Nights" (1989), and "Across the Tracks" (1990).
He recently completed four seasons as the hilarious Pope of Comedy on TV One's hit show "Who's Got Jokes?",...
22. Tichina Arnold
Actress | Little Shop of Horrors
Tichina Arnold was born on June 28, 1969 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Everybody Hates Chris (2005) and Martin (1992). She was previously married to Rico Hines and Lamon Brewster.
23. Sheryl Lee Ralph
Actress | Oliver & Company
Sheryl Lee Ralph was born December 30, 1956 in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA. She is known for her roles in Moesha (1996), Its A Living (1980), and Instant Mom (2013). Her Career Began in the late 1970s. She has been Married to Vincent Hughes since July 30, 2005 a Pennsylvania state senator. She was ...
24. Marlon Wayans
Actor | White Chicks
Marlon Wayans is an American actor, writer and comedian. He is known for playing Tyrone C. Love in Requiem for a Dream, Shorty Meeks from Scary Movie, Marcus Anthony Copeland II from White Chicks and Thunder from Marmaduke. He played Drake Winston/Robin in deleted scenes of Batman Returns and ...
25. Eddie Griffin
Actor | Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
Eddie Griffin was born on July 15, 1968 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), John Q (2002) and Norbit (2007).
26. Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Actor | The Cosby Show
Emmy-nominated actor and director Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was named after Malcolm X and legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal.
Warner first rose to national prominence by starring on the celebrated and long-running classic television series "The Cosby Show." His ...
27. Wendy Raquel Robinson
Actress | The Game
Wendy Raquel Robinson was born July 25, 1967, in Los Angeles, California. She is of African-American and Native American descent. Robinson is a cum laude graduate of Howard University of the School of Fine Arts and received her B.F.A. in drama. She's appeared in several plays, such as "The Vagina ...
28. Shawn Wayans
Actor | White Chicks
Shawn Mathis Wayans is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Along with his brother Marlon Wayans, he wrote and starred in The WB's sitcom The Wayans Bros.(1995-1999) and in the comedy films Don't Be a Menace (1996), Scary Movie (2000), Scary Movie 2 (2001), White Chicks (2004), Little...
29. Marlon Wayans
Actor | White Chicks
Marlon Wayans is an American actor, writer and comedian. He is known for playing Tyrone C. Love in Requiem for a Dream, Shorty Meeks from Scary Movie, Marcus Anthony Copeland II from White Chicks and Thunder from Marmaduke. He played Drake Winston/Robin in deleted scenes of Batman Returns and ...
30. Damon Wayans
Writer | My Wife and Kids
A tall (6'2"), sly, cueball-domed comedian of film and television satire, Damon Wayans hit outrageous 90's TV stardom playing various wise guys and streetwise slick characters on older brother Keenen Ivory Wayans' landmark, black-oriented TV sketch comedy In Living Color (1990). The show was pretty...
31. Tommy Davidson
Actor | In Living Color
Davidson started his career as a stand-up comedian in Washington DC, earning an ardent following with sheer hard work in various comedy clubs. As one of the cutting-edge, young stand-ups, he was spotted by major concert promoters, who booked him as the opening act for A-list touring acts, including ...
32. Janet Hubert
Self | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Reunion
Janet Louise Hubert was born in Chicago, IL. She is best known for playing the sassy, witty, outgoing, protective mom on the hit TV sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).
Janet Hubert spent most of her childhood growing up in Momence, IL. That changed when she won a scholarship to Julliard ...
33. Kim Fields
Actress | The Facts of Life
Kim Fields was born on May 12, 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Living Single (1993) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). She has been married to Christopher Morgan since July 23, 2007. They have two children. She ...
34. Terrence 'T.C.' Carson
Actor | Final Destination 2
T.C. Carson was born and raised in Chicago. He was always encouraged by his family to pursue his dream of becoming a professional performer. He started by performing in many plays and musicals such as "The Wiz", "Dreamgirls" and "Ain't Misbehavin". His stage work earned him awards and credit.
35. Garcelle Beauvais
Actress | Spider-Man: Homecoming
Named one of People Magazine's highly coveted 50 Most Beautiful in 2014, Haitian-born actress Garcelle Beauvais immigrated to the United States at the age of seven with her mother and sisters, and has since charmed audiences with her dramatic and comedic abilities. A seasoned actress, Garcelle ...
36. Garrett Morris
Actor | Coneheads
Garrett Morris was born on February 1, 1937 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Coneheads (1993), Saturday Night Live (1975) and How High (2001). He has been married to Freda Morris since September 20, 1996.
37. Joseph Marcell
Actor | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Joseph Marcell was born on August 14, 1948 in St. Lucia, Caribbean. He is an actor and director, known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), The Exorcism of God (2021) and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019). He has been married to Joyce T. Walsh since June 1995. They have one child. He was ...
38. Karyn Parsons
Actress | Major Payne
Karyn Parsons decided to go into acting at the age of 13. She had her first TV role in the NBC drama The Bronx Zoo (1987), but she made her big break as Will Smith's cousin "Hilary Banks" on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990). During the show's six-year run, she starred in movies ...
39. Kim Coles
Actress | Living Single
Kim Coles was born on January 11, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Living Single (1993), Frasier (1993) and The Geena Davis Show (2000). She was previously married to Reggie Mckiver and Aton Edwards.
40. John Marshall Jones
Actor | John Doe
Critically acclaimed television, film and stage actor John Marshall Jones ("JJ") currently stars as Nelson Bradford in the upcoming "For All Mankind" (APPLE TV+), as Uncle Ronny on "Paradise Lost" (PARAMOUNT), as Andy in "50 States of Terror" (QUIBI), as Malcolm Peters on the ABC drama, "Grand ...
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