Apparently, Miller had seen an early screening of "Die Hard" and thought he'd be perfect for the show. Stars From Family Matters You Didn't Know Died, Rivera drowned while saving her son's life, He diedon March 2, 2022, at the age of 84. She broke into the world of sitcoms with the early '80s series Bosom Buddies, continued on with Gimme A Break! "She was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died of stomach cancer quickly, White said. She was known for her singing voice, her eccentric hats and how driven she was to become an entrepreneur. Her birthday is September 23, 1968,"Jaleel revealed. "Jaleel was an uncommonly good man, an exceptional role model and a great comedic actor," said William Bickley, who created the series, and Thomas L. Miller, one of the executive producers, in a joint statement. Jaleel White, who played . Jaleel White played Steve Urkel, the It seemed there was no limit to her talent, no height her star couldn't reach. 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. Per theNew York Daily News, Hemsley succumbed to superior vena cava syndrome and passed away in 2012. [14] VelJohnson also voices several minor characters in the series. Lenoir died in 2002, just four years after the final season of Family Matters was aired. Then: James start playing Richie Crawford, Rachel's daughter, in the second season of 'Family Matters,' when the character miraculously aged from an infant to a three-year-old. He also portrayed a member of the LAPD in the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film "Commando." May Michelle Thomas continue to rest peacefully. 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. Bryton Eric McClure. 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 playing Rachel Baines-Crawford, the younger sister of Harriette Winslow, Hopkins starred in Getting By, another TGIF show that aired from 1993 to 1994 (its second season aired on NBC). Kellie Williams - Carl Winslow's smart-aleck daughter and object of Steve Urkel's affections was portrayed by Kellie Williams. The show was filled with fond memories that most fans will probably never forget. With the exception of The Golden Girls, grandparents are never the main stars of sitcoms. Following a childhood rickets diagnosis that put her in leg braces for some time, LeNoire took up dance and musical theater. Known for. It has been over 16 years but the show still remains one of the greatest show of its time. By LawBlessing (self media writer) | 1 year ago. Also found was a note, which read simply "Did I do that? Thenthe 21-year-old psychic claimed that he didnt even know who Jaleel White a.k.a. On July 8, 2020, Rivera died at the age of 33. Unfortunately, LeNoire is no longer with us. It happened after Lauras boyfriend, Ted, got tired of Urkel trying to put the moves on his girlfriend. Rumor has it that the character was removed because of budget issues. (White is also listed as the movie's producer.). Her career however was short-lived as she passed away in 1998 at the young age of 30 years after battling with stomach cancer for a while. Their love/hate relationship was one of the reasons that the show was such a hit. Menteer passed away on January 18, 2016, at the age of 72. He started out in the mid-1980s getting bit parts, usually as a white-collar guy. 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. Most recently, the former TGIF star played Reggie in the 2020 Australian comedy The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, which was Olivia Newton-John's last film before her death in 2022. Apart from Family Matters, Jenner had notable roles in Star Trek, Deep Space and many more. 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. ", Emmy-nominated actor Ron Glass was a staple of American television starting in 1973 with his first role on "All in the Family." 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. Well talk about that part later. His character was described as totally dim-witted, and he often annoyed Steve Urkel by saying the silliest things. He'll be missed and remembered every day by his many, many friends," they said. She appeared in all nine seasons and unlike most of the other Winslow clan, she actually liked their neighbor Steve Urkel. Jo Marie Payton, Now [8] VelJohnson played alongside Tom Hanks, as Det. 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. Family Matters premiered on September 22, 1989, and ran for nine seasons. He recently completed the comedy film The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee which is scheduled for release in 2020. When Donna Summer died of lung cancer on May 17, 2012, many singers and industry professionals mourned her, some attending her service, others voicing their feelings on social media. Kellie Shanygne Williams is a now retired American actress, best known to the world as Laura Lee Winslow in the TV family comedy-drama series "Family Matters" (1989-1998). She was just 30 years old. 9 June 2002 (p. 11). Opera News furthermore does not condone the use of our platform for the purposes encouraging/endorsing hate speech, violation of human rights and/or utterances of a defamatory nature. 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. Telma Hopkins played Rachel Crawford, Harriet Winslows sister and aunt to her kids, Eddie, Laura and Judy. She also completed the project The Friend Zone and is currently working on A Road to Daisies and Dandelions," which is currently in post-production. 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. Eddie Mekka, top right, died in Newhall on Nov. 27, 2021, at age 69, according to a friend's social media post. It gives me joy that you dont know who I am. Then Jaleel broke down. 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. In the years after, he provided the voices for Jazz in the original Transformers movie and Tarix in the animated film Bionicle: The Legend Reborn. 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. The group talked about their experience on the show and revealed that, like the title dictated, the family did matter to them. 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. 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. At the same time, Hemsley delivered a terrific performance that proved why he's regarded as sitcom royalty. Although it seemed like Urkel and Myra were two peas in a pod whod live happily ever after, sadly, life didnt pan out the way most would have expected for the beloved Michelle Thomas. 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. White was pronounced dead on arrival after. 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. Characters who have died in the Family Matters. The cause of death at the time had been ruled acute drug intoxication and other conditions. In a 2014 Boston Globeinterview, Mekka mused, "I got to do a great jitterbug number with Madonna in 'A League of Their Own.'" 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. Bryton McClure was only 4 years old when he started playing Richie Crawford on Family Matters' second season. Tragedy struck in 2020 after her body was found in the river after disappearing during a boat trip. Peter Dennis is another cast member from Family Matters that has passed away in real life. By Variety. 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. 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. His most notable on screen part was in the Bruce Willis blockbuster film "Die Hard," in which he played Captain Mitchell, an officer on scene who directs the SWAT team during the hostage situation. Im looking at what looks like E and then L-L-E is the only way to describe it, Tylershared. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', After the sitcom ended in 1998, Thomas portrayed Callie Rogers, an aspiring singer and love interest of Malcolm Winters, on the daytime soap The Young and the Restless. She starred in films such as Glee, The Arsenio Hall Show, Step Up and many more. 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. Like many actors of his time, he started on the stage in the 1950s. 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. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; "We have all lost a dear, dear brother," said Reginald VelJohnson, who played Carl Winslow. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Family Matters Actors You May Not Know Passed Away. Thomas died Tuesday in Manhattan, according to her publicist, Kahdijah Bell. In October of that year, she underwent a second surgery to have another growth removed. "Few singers have impacted music & the world like Donna Summer!" 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. Youre talking aboutMichelle Thomas. Family Matters was a popular sitcom of the 90's and was a key part of ABC's TGIF lineup. Point is! White revisited Urkel after all in 2019, when he voiced him in the cartoon Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? Watch the shocking reveal in the clip above! A genuinely good guy and purveyor of cheer whenever things got cheerless.". Eddie dreamt of being a basketball star but had horrible grades all throughout high school. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. Rosetta Lenoir was one of the main cast members of the comedy sitcom Family Matters. White was pronounced dead on arrival after admission to an LA hospital early Monday morning. Unfortunately for the pair, their friendship came to an end after Murtaugh took all of the nerd's money during a poker game. In 2010, VelJohnson started a recurring role as Principal, later Superintendent, Strickland on the Disney sitcom I'm in the Band and also Funnyordie.com's short HBO film titled Just 3 Boyz starring Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, and Zach Galifianakis. He remained on the soap until 2011, then continued on the small screen in the FX sitcom Anger Management. 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. On August 3, 2011, Smith died at the age of 66. You got to be messing with me, dog. She was Lauras friend, but she also put the moves on her brother, Eddie, and started going out with him instead. You've got to be Googling this stuff before you come in here." "Don't worry about that part. Who is that? Tyler questioned. From 1993 to 1998, she portrayed the role of Myra Monkhouse, the girlfriend of Steve Urkel, on Family Matters. 2023 E! 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. Beyond TV, Williams appeared in Usher's 2005 crime-dramedy In The Mix and in the 2009 film Steppin: The Movie. That adorably sweet smile and natural acting ability garnered her more roles on shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Baywatch.". NFL defensive end Bubba Smith was born in 1945 in Texas. Landers passed away on March 12, 2015, at the age of 62 from cancer. "We feel privileged to have known him and worked with him. The sitcom starred Reginald Vel Johnson (Carl Winslow), Jo Marie Payton (Harriet Winslow), Darius McCray (Eddie. On December 22, 1998, she passed away, surrounded by friends and family in New York City, including her then long-time boyfriend/Cosby Show actor, Malcolm Jamal Warner (Theo). 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 . In his latest work, the former child star starred as Connor on the drama series Monogamy, which aired its third season in 2021. The classic TGIF sitcom Family Matters had a consistent main cast until mom Harriette Winslow was abruptly recast during the final season. In 2017, he played Darryl on the CBS sitcom Me, Myself & I alongside Bobby Moynihan. She'd previously starred in movies like the sci-fi feature Trancers and its sequels, Trancers II and Trancers III. "I didn't realize I was going to see . But most will probably agree that his relationship with the beautiful Myra Monkhouse portrayed by actress, Michelle Thomas -was just as special. The series ran for nine seasons and featured 215 family friendly episodes. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. It is said that 300 years ago, in the year Bedlam, Divine Magic died. A Steve Urkel Story. [5][8][10] Since the end of Family Matters, VelJohnson has done mostly voice and guest star work. stuck around for 38 episodes but in 1998, she took a break from Hollywood Authorities state that upon entering the home they discovered a young African-American male with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The poorly-written and fake Associated Press article both had the victim being found dead in his home and pronounced dead following admission to a Los Angeles-area hospital. Quick Facts Also Known As: Michelle Doris Thomas Died At Age: 30 Family: father: Dennis D.T. On March 17, 2002, LeNoire died from complications from diabetes. teacher in Urkel's swim class. She was my old co-star fromFamily Mattersand she died from stomach cancer quickly. She was only 33 at the time. Family Matters. Jaleel said before breaking down. 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. In 2021, VelJohnson voiced Principal Winslow in the animated adaptation of the comic Invincible. Following his nine seasons on the show, VelJohnson made guest appearances on series including The Equalizer, Will & Grace, Monk, CSI, The Parkers and That's So Raven. [11] VelJohnson has made guest appearances in several TV shows, including The Equalizer, Diagnosis: Murder, Twice in a Lifetime, Will & Grace, Monk, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Eve, Crossing Jordan, The Parkers, That's So Raven, and Bones. Audiences watched her grow up during the first few seasons. Landers continued to act, including a recurring role on "Days of Our Lives," until 2010, appearing last on "Law and Order." 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. 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.". Naya Rivera was introduced to acting as a child star after she got a role in the sitcom show Family Matters. Landers' next time on "Family Matters" was in 1997, and he played a pirate named Flint when Urkel and Carl went back in time. "Come on, man. She appeared in the show as Gwendolyn and was popularly known as the young child who asked Urkel for love advice. 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). Kellie shaygne Williams also died. He started with the Baltimore Colts, won a Super Bowl in 1970, and played until 1976. In 1999, she joined Moesha's season 4 to play recurring character Mrs. Campbell. As for the character's origins, he started out as a slated one-time appearance, and he was named after a friend of one of the show's co . VelJohnson had his breakthrough role[5] as Sgt. Singer and actor Johnny Brown had a megawatt smile that was perfect for stage and television. The cast of 'Family Matters' has largely continued to work in the industry after the show ended in 1998. Come on, man. David Sutton, in Turner & Hooch (1989). The cast of "Laverne & Shirley is seen above in a publicity photo. Johnson died in Los Angeles at the age of 78. From 1986 to 1993, the sitcom chronicled the hilarious misadventures of the Winslow family and Urkel, capturing the hearts of viewers in the process. Her character and her baby boy, Richie, moved in with the Winslow clan shortly after becoming a widow. Speaking to PEOPLE, White explained that he wanted to be known as "a versatile actor.". "Who is that?" "I love these people Every one of them," a teary-eyed VelJohnson stated at the time. They got divorced in 2019, and have a daughter together named Zoey. 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." Sadly, she passed away that same year of It is believed that Rivera drowned while saving her son's life. She was buried on boxing day, following Muslim rights as she requested. In 2018, "Family Matters" star Reginald VelJohnson told Today that Miller helped him land the role of Carl. She then went on to appear as a regular cast member on Half & Half and Are We There Yet? Kellie Shanygne Williams made her name playing Laura Winslow, the seemingly perfect know-it-all daughter of Carl and Harriette on Family Matters. NEW YORK (AP) -- 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. She spent her remaining years dealing with health-related complications caused by diabetes. Mekka continued getting roles in TV and movies, including small ones in 1992's "A League of Their Own" and 2006's "Dreamgirls." nerdy comedic neighbor of the Winslows who was always trying and failing to win When Ellyria's father died, he left the family spell book hidden. and "Whoa, mama." 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. One of his earliest television roles was, of course, the one that would forever brand him as "The Big Ragoo." He also had a minor role in the 2002 film Like Mike. He was 29 years old. 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. Read: Actors From the movie Friday who have lost their lives. Carry was a working actor up to his last role in 2006's "The 12th Man" before his untimely death from pancreatic cancer. 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 and the epitome of tortoise shell hipster glasses. Kellie Shanygne Williams played Laura Winslow, the middle child of the family and the object of Steve Urkels obsession. Jaimee Foxworth played Judy Winslow, Carl and Harriettes youngest daughter. Costar Michael McKean tweeted, "A sad goodbye to Eddie Mekka this morning. "This is embarrassing, I don't even recognize you," Tyler tells him. [15] He has never married and has no children. His daughter, Hope Mulbarger, toldPeopleof her father, "He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. Embed from Getty Images. He was 74. But by the end of the series, Urkel finally won Laura But Waldos IQ, or lack thereof, turned him into one of the shows most lovable characters. 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. He was 29 years old. Dennis was a Screen Actors Guild and Drama Logo award-winning English actor. All rights reserved. Jo Marie Payton played the familys matriarch, Harriette Winslow. Darius McCrary played Eddie Winslow, the handsome, eldest brother to Laura and Judy and cousin to Richie. Cookies help us deliver our Services. He was survived by his wife and two children. While he was quite incompetent at his job, he had the patience of a saint, being that he was one of the few characters who tolerated Urkel. The show, which aired from 1989 to 1998, focused on the Winslows, a family living in Chicago and their relationship with their sweet - but nerdy and annoying - neighbor, Steve Urkel. 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. This eventually turned into a Broadway career, and sheeven founded her own theater company in 1968 called Amas. 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). On Will & Grace's second season, Payton was Mrs. Freeman, an assistant at Will's law firm. During the golden ages of sitcoms, many hilarious shows were produced, but Family Matters stood out for various reasons. Other famed personages scuttlebutt had pushing up daisies even as they themselves continued to traverse this mortal coil include William Hung of "American Idol" fame, Subway pitchman >Jared Fogel, children's television host Steve Burns of "Blue's Clues", Jon Heder of "Napoleon Dynamite," and even the dog from the Taco Bell commercials. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Dennis was a Screen Actors Guild and Drama Logo award-winning English actor. After leaving the series, Foxworth grew up struggling with mental health and controlled substance issues. She was 53 . Actor Matt Landers was in dozens of television shows and 20 motion pictures over his thirty-year career in show business. He starred on the show until it ended in 1998. Jo Marie Payton, who played the . Between 1994 and 1995, Landers appeared as Larry Pinkerton in 18 episodes of "The George Carlin Show." 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. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reginald_VelJohnson&oldid=1137928866, Episodes: "Face Lift" and "Gentle, Gentle", Episode: "11 Cut to 10 & 10 Directors Complete", Principal/Superintendent Cornelius Strickland, Episode: "McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century", Episode: "Audrey Hepburn and a Jalepeo Pepper", Denotes films that have not yet been released, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 03:24. Tragedy struck in 2020, however, when her body was found in a river after she disappeared during a boating trip with her son, Josey. He's made. He later reprised his role as David Sutton on Disney's Turner & Hooch. She was also a grandmother to Eddie, Laura and Judy. The show, centered around a middle-class Black family living in Chicago, was a spin-off of the sitcom "Perfect Strangers," in which the Winslows were introduced Harriette as an elevator operator and husband Carl a police officer. 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. Find out the latest on Jaleel White, Jo Marie Payton, and more. In the season 2 episode, "Flash Pants," Mekka plays Charlie, a transfer who competes against Carl in a dance contest. Desperate for help and with no other options, she researched a spell on the internet and cast it in a hurry, accidentally binding herself into a ritual with a demon. 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. Ironically, Landers was on the other side of the law in his first appearance on "Family Matters," playing a robber at a convenience store. Gone way too soon, but never forgotten. Thomas died December 22 in Manhattan,. 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. Arnold Johnson is also another cast member from the sitcom show Family Matters that died in real life. Family Matters attracted a lot of cast members but this article will feature some of the cast members who died in real life. Sadly, some of those famous faces are no longer delivering lines and laughs. McCrary was married to She Ball actress Tammy Brawner. Al Powell in the 1988 film Die Hard. Two years later, on November 25, 2016, Glass died of respiratory failure. She married former U.S. army reservist Hannibal Jackson that same year, and together they welcomed a daughter, Hannah, in 2010 and a son, John, in 2012.
