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Martin Lawrence Biography (1965-)

Full name, Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence; born April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany; son of John (in U.S. Air Force; later a police officer) and Chlora (a cashier and sales representative) Lawrence; married Patricia Southall,July 1 (some sources cite January 7), 1995 (divorced September 17, 1996); children: Jasmine Page. Addresses: Agent: Jim Berkus, United Talent Agency, 9560 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Manager: The Firm, 9465 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 212, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, comedian, producer, writer, director

Birth Details

April 16, 1965

Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Maurice Warfield, What's Happening Now!, syndicated, 1987-1988
• Voice, Kid n' Play (animated), NBC, 1990-1991
• Host, Russell Simmons's Def Comedy Jam, HBO, 1991-1993
• Martin Payne, Mrs. Payne, Sheneneh Jenkins, and other roles, Martin, Fox, 1992-1996
• Episodic
• Star Search, syndicated, 1987
• Late Show with David Letterman, multiple appearances, beginning 1993
• Late Night with David Letterman, 1993
• Guest host, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1994
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, multiple appearances, beginning 1994
• The Chris Rock Show, 2001
• "Martin Lawrence: Comic Trip," Biography, Arts and Entertainment,2002
• TRL, 2003
• Also appeared on episodes of The Arsenio Hall Show, The HowardStern Show, and Stand-up Spotlight.
• Specials
• One-Night Stand, HBO, 1989
• Fox New Year's Eve Live, Fox, 1992
• (In archive footage) Mo' Funny: Black Comedy in America, 1993
• Def Comedy Jam Primetime, 1994
• (In archive footage) Classic Stand-up Comedy of Television, 1996
• Pilots
• Sydney Masterson, A Little Bit Strange, NBC, 1989
• Hammer, Slammer, and Slade, ABC, 1990
• Awards Presentations
• Presenter, The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1992
• The 1993 Billboard Music Awards, Fox, 1993
• Presenter, 1993 MTV Music Awards, MTV, 1993
• The 27th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1996
• Presenter, The 28th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1997
• 2002 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2002
• Television Work
• Series
• Creator and executive producer, Martin, Fox, 1992-1996
• Film Appearances
• Cee, Do the Right Thing, Universal, 1989
• Bilal, House Party, New Line Cinema, 1990
• Bilal, House Party 2, New Line Cinema, 1991
• Terry, Talkin' Dirty after Dark, New Line Cinema, 1991
• Tyler, Boomerang, Paramount, 1992
• You So Crazy (concert film; also known as Martin Lawrence: YouSo Crazy), Samuel Goldwyn, 1994
• Marcus Burnett, Bad Boys, Columbia, 1995
• Narrator and Darnell "Deeny"/"D"/"D. W." Wright, A Thin Line between Love and Hate, New Line Cinema, 1996
• Terrance Paul "T. Paul" Davidson, Nothing to Lose, Buena Vista, 1997
• Jackie Chan: My Story, 1998
• Claude Banks, Life, MCA/Universal, 1999
• Miles Logan, Blue Streak, Columbia, 1999
• Malcolm Turner, Big Momma's House (also known as Big Mamas Haus), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2000
• Kevin Caffrey, What's the Worst That Could Happen?, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2001
• Jamal Walker (Skywalker), Black Knight, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
• Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (concert film), Paramount, 2002
• Earl Montgomery, National Security, Columbia, 2003
• Marcus Burnett, Bad Boys II, Columbia, 2003
• Miles Logan, Blue Streak 2, 2003
• Film Work
• Executive Producer
• You So Crazy (concert film; also known as Martin Lawrence: YouSo Crazy), Samuel Goldwyn, 1994
• (And director and music supervisor) A Thin Line between Love and Hate, New Line Cinema, 1996
• Big Momma's House (also known as Big Mamas Haus), TwentiethCentury-Fox, 2000
• What's the Worst That Could Happen?, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2001
• Black Knight, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
• Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (concert film), Paramount, 2002
• National Security, Columbia, 2003
• Blue Streak 2, 2003
• RECORDINGS
• Comedy Albums
• Martin Lawrence Live: Talkin' Shit, Eastwest, 1993
• Funk It, Elektra, 1995
• Videos
• Scene Stealers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists Home Entertainment, 2002
• Appeared in the music videos "Girl's Best Friend" by Jay-Z and "Shy Guy"by Diana King.
• WRITINGS
• Film
• You So Crazy (concert film; also known as Martin Lawrence: YouSo Crazy), Samuel Goldwyn, 1994
• A Thin Line between Love and Hate (also based on a story by Lawrence), New Line Cinema, 1996
• Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (concert film), Paramount, 2002
• Television Series
• Martin (also based on a story by Lawrence), Fox, 1992-1996

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 27, Gale, 2001
• Newsmakers 1993, Issue 4, Gale, 1993

Periodicals

• Ebony, March, 1997, pp. 37-50
• Entertainment Weekly, February 4, 1994, p. 16; June 15, 2001, p. 46
• Jet, January 27, 1997, p. 34; March 13, 2000, p. 36; December 11,2000, p. 30
• Newsweek, July 21, 1997, p. 73; August 12, 2002, p. 67
• People Weekly, April 12, 1993, p. 53; May 12, 1997, pp. 194-96
• Rolling Stone, November 11, 1993; April 21, 1994
• Time, November 22, 1993, p. 80; July 21, 1997, p. 68
• TV Guide, March 6, 1993, p. 28
• USA Today, August 26, 1999