Martin Lawrence
Comedian Martin Lawrence got hist start hosting HBO’s Def Comedy Jam before appearing in movies like Bad Boys and Big Momma’s House.
Synopsis
Born in Germany in 1965, comedian Martin Lawrence did stand-up for a number of years before getting his big break as the host of HBO's Def Comedy Jam. He then moved into film acting, appearing in hits such as Bad Boys and Big Momma's House. Lawrence also had his own sitcom, Martin, which ran on Fox in the 1990s.
Early Life
Actor and comedian Martin Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965 in Frankfurt, Germany. Lawrence's father served in the U.S. military and left the family when Martin was 8 years old. As a teen, he pursued a love of boxing, but was also a gifted comedian. A teacher encouraged Lawrence to attend an open mic night at a local comedy club, and his career as a comic was born.
Commercial Success
Shortly after moving to California, Lawrence got a guest spot on the television show What's Happening Now!!. This appearance led to his big break in television as the host of HBO's groundbreaking Def Comedy Jam. Meanwhile, Lawrence launched his own sitcom for Fox, Martin, which ran from 1992 to 1997. The actor has also parlayed his televison success into a movie career; his films include Bad Boys, Big Momma's House and Big Momma's House 2.
In 2012, Lawrence hoped to return to the small screen as part of his development deal with CBS. But the network decided to pass on his new show. He is reportedly going to reprise one of his most famous roles, Detective Marcus Burnett, in Bad Boys 3, which is currently in development.
