He was born Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence on April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt, Germany, to a military family. The ‘Martin’ is in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., and the ‘Fitzgerald’ is for John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the United States. Though he’s been controversial at times, at least he hasn’t ruffled enough feathers to meet the shared fate of his namesakes.
Lawrence began his standup career, first in Washington D.C. and then in New York City, in the early 80s. Like all stand-ups, he bombed his first time up and was discouraged, but luckily for us returned to the stage, where he began to form his signature raw, edgy, and unapologetic style, which often focused on his experiences growing up in the inner city. He embraced the Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy comparisons and considered it an honor to work with the latter, years later.
He got the right eyes on him when he appeared on Star Search in 1987. His performance scored him the part of Maurice Warfield on 22 episodes of What's Happening Now! From 1987 to 1988. He took center stage in the episode "The New Employee", where his character transformed the show's diner into a nighttime teen club to impress a girl. After impressing in his first TV gig, he landed his feature film debut, the 1989 Spike Lee Joint Do the Right Thing. Martin Lawrence's role as Cee is a memorable one. Cee is known for his distinctive lisp and outspoken personality, often providing comic relief with his witty one-liners and humorous interactions with other characters.
In 1990’s House Party, Martin Lawrence’s Bilal is part of the group of friends who throw a wild party while Kid's parents are away, leading to chaos and hilarity. In 1991’s House Party 2, Bilal returns as the crew plans a party in a college dorm, causing more mayhem and laughter. In 1991's Talkin' Dirty After Dark, Martin Lawrence co-starred as Terry, a comedian performing at a nightclub. The film explores the comedy club scene and the lives of the performers, showcasing Lawrence's raw talent and ability to tackle mature themes.
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