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. Kellie Shanygne Williams made her name playing Laura Winslow, the seemingly perfect know-it-all daughter of Carl and Harriette on Family Matters. 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. Oscar-winning producer dead at 101. 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. Willard also portrayed Vice Principal Mallet on "Family Matters" from 1994 to 1996, appearing in three episodes. Carmine Ragusa was the bright-faced, dancing, on-again-off-again boyfriend of Shirley Feeney. Years active. "This is embarrassing, I don't even recognize you," Tyler tells him. Thenthe 21-year-old psychic claimed that he didnt even know who Jaleel White a.k.a. 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. 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. She was also awarded the national medal of arts. 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,. She wasnt a series regular but she made quite an impression on audiences. The Captain wasn't the most popular character, presumably because of his tendency to cheat at golf and make life difficult for Carl. 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. (She also played the girlfriend of Malcolm . Poston was a jack of all talents. Youve got to be Googling stuff. Also found was a note, which read simply "Did I do that? Bryton Eric McClure. 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. Per The Guardian, Rosetta LeNoire was born in Hell's Kitchen, New York, in 1911. He started with the Baltimore Colts, won a Super Bowl in 1970, and played until 1976. A still shocked Jaleel wrestled with the information, before finally accepting it. [15] He has never married and has no children. 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 was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died from stomach cancer quickly. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. teacher in Urkel's swim class. David Sutton, in Turner & Hooch (1989). She eventually left Hollywood and went to work for the adult entertainment industry. 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. This granny was hip and street-wise and also had plenty of love and advice to offer everyone. 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 . 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. Per The Guardian, five-time Grammy winner and queen of disco Donna Summer went from church choir singer to musical theater performer to music superstar who put out hit albums like "Bad Girls" and "Love to Love You baby." Dennis was a Screen Actors Guild and Drama Logo award-winning English actor. Before she was on Family Matters, Johnson was on another sitcom called Punky Brewster where she played Punkys best friend, Cherie. Menteer holds credits for writing, directing, producing on many of the shows he worked on including "Happy Days," "Punky Brewster," and "Family Matters." 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.". and "Whoa, mama." He also appeared in an episode of the show, Mom in 2019. One of his earliest television roles was, of course, the one that would forever brand him as "The Big Ragoo." It was all a send-up, though. She also got a role in the sitcoms show Young And Restless as Callie Rogers and as Justine Phillips in The Cosby Show. Desselle-Reid's manager, Dolores Robinson, confirmed . It has nine seasons with a total of 215 episodes. 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. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. He also had a minor role in the 2002 film Like Mike. Glass toldPop Goes the Culture TV that another actor, Rod Perry, had the role in the pilot but was picked up by another show, leaving an opening. 15 Reginald VelJohnson Reginald VelJohnson 's acting career has really come full circle. His work ranged from Avengers to Sideways. "Who is that?" But during the fourth season, Judy seemingly vanished and was never mentioned by anyone again. 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. The Cast of Family Matters. Jaimee Foxworth played Judy Winslow, Carl and Harriettes youngest daughter. Hemsley was in his fifties when he starred in Family Matters, so he was already a veteran performer by the time he joined the sitcom. }); Copyright 2015 . But Jaleel wasn't biting just yet. He went on to star in UPN's sitcom Grown Ups and hosted the Syfy competition show Total Blackout from 2013 to 2014. To this day, her death is still unbelievable to lots of fans, and apparently, it still hits home for Jaleel White. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Rosetta Lenoir was one of the main cast members of the comedy sitcom Family Matters. Jaleel said before breaking down. They got divorced in 2019, and have a daughter together named Zoey. In an interview with E! "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. Jo Marie Payton played the familys matriarch, Harriette Winslow. In 1952 comedian and actor Reginal VelJohnson was born! 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. 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. "You got to be messing with me, dog. "Family Matters" was a popular American television sitcom that aired nine seasons from 1989 to 1997. [12] The following year, he appeared as the "Sgt. Actors From the movie Friday who have lost their lives. Thomas moved on from Family 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. 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. It has been over 16 years but the show still remains one of the greatest show of its time. He said, "So actually we ended up with a really really, totally well-rounded, totally wonderful character to play.". She was 78 years old at the time, but she had no interest in letting her career wind down. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! Though she spent plenty of time onscreen in her music videos and she starred in the 1978 musical comedy "Thank God it's Friday," Summer wasn't making any moves toward a career in films or television. 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 . 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 cast of "Laverne & Shirley is seen above in a publicity photo. Carry was a working actor up to his last role in 2006's "The 12th Man" before his untimely death from pancreatic cancer. The Stars of That '70s Show: Where Are They Now? 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. 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. The show was filled with fond memories that most fans will probably never forget. The show became a major staple on network television and the classic '90s "TGIF" lineup. 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. 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. Lenoir died in 2002, just four years after the final season of Family Matters was aired. 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. Confident, hilarious, and kick-a** fighting skills, Carry drew in audiences who couldn't help but fall in love with Sho'Nuff. Five-year-old Naya Rivera already had a series ("The Royal Family") under her belt when she was cast in "Family Matters" as Gwendolyn, a new neighbor who had a crush on Richie. 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. But many "Family Matters" have not stayed on the small screen and others have sadly passed on. Landers' next time on "Family Matters" was in 1997, and he played a pirate named Flint when Urkel and Carl went back in time. Jaleel sincerely misses Michelle Thomas,which is evident in his emotional video, check it out below. cancer-related complications. She appeared in all nine seasons and unlike most of the other Winslow clan, she actually liked their neighbor Steve Urkel. She passed away in 2002. was the wide-eyed humorous pronouncement associated with Steve Urkel, the character's signature catchphrase. He replaced twin actors Joseph and Julius Wright, who alternated in the infant role during the show's first year. She then went on to appear as a regular cast member on Half & Half and Are We There Yet? 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. "I didn't realize I was going to see . The actress could also be seen starring in Bounce TV's Mann & Wife as Lorraine Mann from 2015 to 2017. Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald Johnson; August 16, 1952) is an American actor. 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. Arnold Johnson In 1986, he would go on to star in another series, "Amen," where he played a deacon who was also a lawyer. 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. Family Matters attracted a lot of cast members but this article will feature some of the cast members who died in real life. Black-Led TV Shows. 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. Youve got to be Googling this stuff before you come in here. Jaleel said dumbfounded. Cherie Johnson played Maxine Johnson who was Lauras best friend, but was sometimes portrayed as a bad influence as a result of her neglectful parents. 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. May Michelle Thomas continue to rest peacefully. 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. Per NPR, he was an activist and member of the board of directors for Los Angeles' AL Wooten Jr. Heritage Center. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. "Did I do that?" 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. "On the Tail of Scooby-Doo." Her birthday is September 23, 1968, Jaleel revealed. Stars Who Think They Have a Psychic Ability. 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." Also an accomplished dancer, he was in the original cast of "The Music Man" on Broadway and appeared in several musical adaptations, including "Hello,Dolly!" We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. In his latest work, the former child star starred as Connor on the drama series Monogamy, which aired its third season in 2021. In the end, she saved the day singing her iconic song "Last Dance" at a talent show. VelJohnson is known for playing police officers in films and on television. 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. 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. 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. ABC/Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images. Aside from his voice work, McCrary appeared in films like 15 Minutes, which starred Robert De Niro, in 2001, and Saw IV. Come on, man. Well talk about that part later. As a youngster, Rivera was known for her confident performances and upbeat charisma. No news outlets, including the Associated Press, the purported source of the article, published accounts about Jaleel White's death. Born Jaleel Ahmad White, he began his career at the age of three acting in television commercials, before landing guest spots on shows such as "The Jeffersons" and "Mr. Kellie Shanygne Williams made her name playing Laura Winslow, the seemingly perfect know-it-all daughter of Carl and Harriette on Family Matters. Hemsley made the sitcom show family memorable when he got a chance as a guest cast and Carl's obnoxious boss, Captain Marion Savage. Chicago Sun-Times. From 1986. Tyler questioned. By LawBlessing (self media writer) | 1 year ago. Family Matters was one of the most popular sitcoms during the 90s. He remained on the soap until 2011, then continued on the small screen in the FX sitcom Anger Management. You got to be messing with me, dog. 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. With the exception of The Golden Girls, grandparents are never the main stars of sitcoms. She was only 33 at the time. Per USA Today, years later it was discovered he suffered from CTE, a brain degeneration likely caused by repeated head traumas. joke. 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. Clip The sneak peek also features White, 44, reminiscing on his. Quick Facts Also Known As: Michelle Doris Thomas Died At Age: 30 Family: father: Dennis D.T. "She was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died of stomach cancer quickly, White said. Speaking to PEOPLE, White explained that he wanted to be known as "a versatile actor.". White has also made several film appearances in movies like Big Fat Liar, Dreamgirls, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer and recently in 2022's Hustle starring Adam Sandler. She currently lives in Los Angeles and is the mother a 10 year-old son, Michael Douglas Shaw, Jr. 9. Jaleel White played the Winslows' obnoxious, ever-present neighbor Steve Urkel for all nine seasons of Family Matters. 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." Menteer passed away on January 18, 2016, at the age of 72. 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. Then in "Sink or Swim" in season 6, Mekka plays Mr. Nutting, the P.E. What was touching was not so much that Henry supposedly cosmically connected with Michelle in the afterlife, it was because of the evident connection and pain Jaleel still feels to this day, after losing his beautiful friend/co-worker, Michelle Thomas. 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. Tragedy struck in 2020 after her body was found in the river after disappearing during a boat trip. Has She Died? 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. She was 53 . Apparently, Miller had seen an early screening of "Die Hard" and thought he'd be perfect for the show. Landers passed away on March 12, 2015, at the age of 62 from cancer. over and got the girl of his dreams. Gone way too soon, but never forgotten. 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. Family Matters premiered on September 22, 1989, and ran for nine seasons. On the big screen, he held small roles in films like Like Mike and You Again in 2002 and 2010, respectively. 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. 3 min read In the interview set to air on Sunday, White opens up about his past on the show and also remembers his late co-star, Michelle Thomas In a recent interview,. Naya Rivera was a child star when she appeared in Family Matters as Gwendolyn, a young child who asked Urkel, of all people, for love advice. [3] Johnson attended Benjamin N. Cardozo High School . Barry Jenner was a recurring character in the sitcom show Family Matters. ", Emmy-nominated actor Ron Glass was a staple of American television starting in 1973 with his first role on "All in the Family." 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. Michelle Thomas' first role on television was on the hit TV series "The Cosby Show," where she played Theo's girlfriend, Justine. Rosetta LeNoire's turn as Mother Winslow in Family Matterswas critically acclaimed, and she was central to some of the sitcom's most memorable moments during its nine-season run. 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. Television actress Michelle Thomas, 30, a co-star on the sitcom "Family Matters," died Dec. 22 after a struggle with stomach cancer. 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. [5][8][10] Since the end of Family Matters, VelJohnson has done mostly voice and guest star work. Ironically, Landers was on the other side of the law in his first appearance on "Family Matters," playing a robber at a convenience store. (per Today), White broke down in tears as he fondly remembered Thomas, who passed away in 1998 at the young age of 30. 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. Characters who have died in the Family Matters. Emmy-nominated actor Fred Willard was a prolific actor whose career spanned more than fifty years. In 2021, VelJohnson voiced Principal Winslow in the animated adaptation of the comic Invincible. But have you ever wondered what the cast is up to now? 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. Family Matters Actors You May Not Know Passed Away. May Michelle Thomas continue to rest peacefully. Glass' decades-long acting career also included a hilarious stint as Ross Gellar's divorce lawyer on "Friends" in 1999. His character was described as totally dim-witted, and he often annoyed Steve Urkel by saying the silliest things. However, some of the show's most memorable denizens have sadly passed away since Family Matters came to an end. 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.