BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN MARTIN LAWRENCE A STAND UP COMEDY HOST AND AN INTERNATIONAL BIG MOVIES ACTOR : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

                                 BLACK           SOCIAL            HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             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.

QUOTES

"I don't want to sound facetious, but humour is the key to the soul. You know what I mean?"

– Martin Lawrence

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 television 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.

Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence born April 16, 1965 is an African-American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand-up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably in the films House Party, Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House. Lawrence has had numerous film roles and his own highly-rated television series "Martin (TV series)," which aired on the Fox network from 1992 to 1997.

Early life[edit source | editbeta]

Lawrence, the second of six children, was born in Frankfurt am Main, on April 16, 1965, to American parents. He was named after civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and U.S. President John F. Kennedy. His father John Lawrence served in the U.S. military. After his parents divorced when he was eight years old, Lawrence rarely saw his father, who worked as a police officer. His mother Chlora Lawrence (née Bailey, July 24, 1930 – August 28, 2008) began working several jobs to support her family. During his teen years Lawrence excelled at boxing. He lived in Maryland, and attended Thomas G. Pullen School of Creative and Performing Arts (Landover, Maryland), Fairmont Heights High School (Fairmount Heights, Maryland), Eleanor Roosevelt High School, and Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Maryland, becoming a Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves boxing contender. He seriously considered a professional career until he suffered an eye injury that prompted him to reconsider.

Career