She was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died from stomach cancer quickly. Unfortunately in 2012, Hemsley succumbed to heart complication at the age of 74. 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. The classic TGIF sitcom Family Matters had a consistent main cast until mom Harriette Winslow was abruptly recast during the final season. Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald Johnson; August 16, 1952) is an American actor. [15] He has never married and has no children. One of his earliest television roles was, of course, the one that would forever brand him as "The Big Ragoo." "She was my old co-star from Family Matters and she died of stomach cancer quickly, White said. ET If you were a faithful Family Matters viewer between 1989 and 1993, you may remember the character of little Judy Winslow. Point is! 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. One of the cornerstones of ABC's TGIF lineup, Family Matters ran from 1989-1997 and spawned at least one of the '90s most indelible catchphrases. 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. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. In 2017, VelJohnson took part in a "Family Matters" reunion alongside the rest of the cast. She appeared in all nine seasons and unlike most of the other Winslow clan, she actually liked their neighbor Steve 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. The death is being investigated as a suicide. target_type: 'mix' Al Powell in the 1988 film Die Hard. Michelle Thomas, of 'Family Matters' & AMTF's Betsey Brown, Dies of Though his character, often referred to as "Booger" by character Willona, was meant to be an antagonist, Bookman soon became a fan favorite and Brown would always be remembered for this role. 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. Is any the cast members of family matters dead? - Answers May 13 2020, Updated 10:30 p.m. 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,. She had a regular role in the series Give Me A Break and Amen. 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. Jaleel White Breaks Down Over Death of Family Matters Co-Star in Hollywood Medium Sneak Peek See the actor get a sad reminder of his early acting days By Vannessa Jackson Aug 07, 2017 9:30 AM. She starred in films such as Glee, The Arsenio Hall Show, Step Up and many more. Jenner unfortunately passed away in 2016 at the age of 75 following a long battle with leukemia. 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. She was also awarded the national medal of arts. was the wide-eyed humorous pronouncement associated with Steve Urkel, the character's signature catchphrase. Soon Brown found himself garnering role after role on TV shows like, "Maude," "Chico and the Man," and in 1975 was cast in Season 2 of "Good Times" in the role of Nathan Bookman, the super for the building in the projects that the Evans family lived in. teacher in Urkel's swim class. 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. Jaleel White Says He Was 'Not Welcomed' by Family Matters Cast - Peoplemag Michelle Thomas, 30, Actress On TV Soap Opera and Sitcoms Michelle Thomas was a late arrival to Family Matters, debuting in the fourth season as Myra Monkhouse, Steve Urkel's love interest. 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. Jo Marie Payton played the family's matriarch, Harriette Winslow. Bryton Eric McClure. Now: Since 2004, James has played Devon . You've got to be Googling stuff. That said, he also had a memorable guest role in Family Matters, playing Carl's boss, Captain Marion Savage, in a few episodes between 1994 and 1995. As a three-year-old in real life, it was his screen debut. Reginald VelJohnson - Wikipedia In an interview with E! But many "Family Matters" have not stayed on the small screen and others have sadly passed on. 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. Landers passed away on March 12, 2015, at the age of 62 from cancer. In the season 2 episode, "Flash Pants," Mekka plays Charlie, a transfer who competes against Carl in a dance contest. The Cast of 'Outer Banks' : Everything to Know, Our Favorite (Underrated!) Most recently, Harrison made a cameo on fellow TGIF alumna Raven-Symon's show Raven's Home for two episodes in 2022. 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. Michelle Thomas | Family Matters Wiki | Fandom placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Unsurprisingly, Rivera's stardom continued into adulthood, especially with her role as Santana Lopez in the musical-comedy Glee. September birthday, sudden passing, E-L-L-ENo Google?. Actress Kellie Williams Laura Winslow on the series described White as a consummate professional actor. Family Matters | The Gods are Dead | Episode 20-The Gods are To Be or Not to Be (Part 1) To Be or Not to Be (Part 2) We're Going to Disney World (Part 1) Hopkins made her name in film before she signed onto Family Matters. 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." She was just 30 years old. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. On March 17, 2002, LeNoire died from complications from diabetes. Of course, Family Matters also introduced Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) to the pop culture lexicon, turning what was originally supposed to be a one-off character into a mainstay and all-around sitcom phenomenon. White is far from the first celebrity to be made the butt of a "He's dead!" She was my old co-star fromFamily Mattersand she died from stomach cancer quickly. Naya Rivera was introduced to acting as a child star after she got a role in the sitcom show Family Matters. 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. She appeared in the show as Gwendolyn and was popularly known as the young child who asked Urkel for love advice. Portrayed by Jaimee Foxworth, the precocious youngest member of the family was adorable and a great way to reel in younger viewers. He was also the Winslow childrens adorable youngest cousin. It is believed that Rivera drowned while saving her son's life. Shawn Harrison followed his role as Eddie Winslow's friend Waldo on Family Matters with appearances on shows INCLUDING Moesha and Girlfriends. 10 Things You Didn't Know about Family Matters - TVOvermind Johnson died in Los Angeles at the age of 78. This is crazy. [8] VelJohnson played alongside Tom Hanks, as Det. Reginald VelJohnson's Life after 'Family Matters' Gay - AmoMama Jaleel explained. Thomas died Tuesday in Manhattan, according to her publicist, Kahdijah Bell. In 1975, Mekka received a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in "The Lieutenant." He also portrayed a member of the LAPD in the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film "Commando." Tom Poston popularly known as Mr Lonely by fans of the family sitcom show Family Matters, is another actor that has passed away in real life. Rosetta LeNoire played Estelle Winslow, who was Carls mother. 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. 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. White was pronounced dead on arrival after. But during the fourth season, Judy seemingly vanished and was never mentioned by anyone again. But the actress didnt stick with Hollywood. 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.". As of 2009, VelJohnson had homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles, and resided primarily in Oceanside, New York. VelJohnson is known for playing police officers in films and on television. 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.