Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (October 5, 1957 â€" August 9, 2008),
better known by his stage name Bernie Mac, was an American comedian,
actor, and voice actor. Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Mac
gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined fellow comedians
Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L. Hughley in the film
The Original Kings of Comedy. After briefly hosting the HBO show
Midnight Mac, Mac appeared in several films in smaller roles. His most
noted film role was as Frank Catton in the remake Ocean's Eleven and
the title character of Mr. 3000. He was the star of his eponymous
show, which ran from 2001 through 2006, earning him two Emmy Award
nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Mac's other
films included starring roles in Mo Money, Booty Call, Friday,
B*A*P*S, Life, The Players Club, Head of State, Charlie's Angels: Full
Throttle, Bad Santa, Guess Who, Pride, Soul Men, Transformers, Old
Dogs, and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.Bernard Jeffrey McCullough was
born in Chicago, Illinois. Mac was the second child of Mary McCullough
and Jeffrey Harrison. Mac was raised by his single mother (who died of
cancer when he was sixteen years old) and his grandparents on the
city's west side. Mac began his high school career at Chicago
Vocational High School. During 1973, Mac moved to Tampa, Florida, to
attend Jesuit High School following the death of his mother during his
sophomore year. Mac later returned to Chicago and graduated from
Chicago Vocational in 1975. Mac married his high school sweetheart
Rhonda Gore on September 17, 1977, and together they had a daughter,
Ja'Niece Childress (née McCollough), born in 1978. During his 20s
through his early 30s, Mac worked in a variety of jobs, including
janitor, coach, professional mover, cook, bus driver, Sears delivery
man, furniture mover, and UPS agent, while doing comedy on the
weekends at clubs and parties.Bernie Mac's influences were from The
Three Stooges and listening to stand-up comedians Richard Pryor and
Redd Foxx. Mac started as a stand-up comedian in Chicago's Cotton
Club. After he won the Miller Lite Comedy Search at the age of 32, his
popularity as a comedian began to grow. A performance on HBO's Def
Comedy Jam thrust him into the spotlight; after Martin Lawrence was
unable to calm an increasingly hostile crowd, Mac went onstage and
famously said, "I ain't scared o' you mothafuckas", telling the
audience that he "didn't come here for no foolishness". Mac's comedy
and fearlessness on stage cemented his reputation with fans and
colleagues. Mac opened for Dionne Warwick, Redd Foxx and Natalie Cole.
He played a small role in 1994's House Party 3 as Uncle Vester. He
also had a short-lived talk show on HBO titled Midnight Mac. Later,
Mac also acted in minor roles, Mac played Mr. Johnson the no-nonsense
owner of a grille and diner in the movie B.A.P.S., and he got his big
break as "Pastor Clever" in Ice Cube's 1995 film Friday. Following
that role, Mac was selectively chosen to play the title role, The Wiz
in the 1995 Apollo Revival of The Wiz. Mac had his first starring role
as "Dollar Bill", a silly, slick-talking club owner in The Players
Club. Mac was able to break from the traditional "black comedy" genre,
having roles in the 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven and becoming the new
Bosley for the Charlie's Angels sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full
Throttle. In 2003 he gave an impressive performance in a supporting
role as the villain "Gin Slagel, The Store Dick" in Bad Santa. He also
starred in Guess Who?, a comedic remake of the film Guess Who's Coming
to Dinner, and made an appearance in the 2007 film Transformers as the
car salesman "Bobby Bolivia". In his later years, he hosted the
reality television talent show Last Comic Standing. He also served as
the voice of Zuba, Alex the Lion's long lost father in Madagascar:
Escape 2 Africa. He co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson in the 2008
musical comedy Soul Men as "Floyd Henderson". These two movies were
released months after his death. His final film role was as Jimmy
Lunchbox in the 2009 Disney film Old Dogs which was released a year
after his death. He starred alongside John Travolta and Robin Williams
in that film.In 2001 the Fox network gave Mac his own television
sitcom called The Bernie Mac Show portraying a fictional version of
himself. In the show, he suddenly becomes custodian of his sister's
three children after she enters rehab. It was a success, in part
because it allowed Mac to stay true to his stand-up comedy roots,
breaking the fourth wall to communicate his thoughts to the audience.
The show contained many parodies of events in Bernie's actual life.
Bernie, who grew up on Chicago's South Side, was a fan of the Chicago
White Sox, and would often sneak a reference to his favorite team in
his episodes, including enlisting then White Sox pitcher Jon Garland
to make a guest cameo appearance. Bernie Mac's "fourth wall" technique
allowed him a moment of heartfelt sincerity during the sitcom's 2005
season when, sitting in his customary easy chair and facing the
audience before the start of an episode, Bernie unabashedly donned a
White Sox jacket and cap, and congratulated his hometown Chicago White
Sox and their staff members, on their recent World Series
championship.
better known by his stage name Bernie Mac, was an American comedian,
actor, and voice actor. Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Mac
gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined fellow comedians
Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L. Hughley in the film
The Original Kings of Comedy. After briefly hosting the HBO show
Midnight Mac, Mac appeared in several films in smaller roles. His most
noted film role was as Frank Catton in the remake Ocean's Eleven and
the title character of Mr. 3000. He was the star of his eponymous
show, which ran from 2001 through 2006, earning him two Emmy Award
nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Mac's other
films included starring roles in Mo Money, Booty Call, Friday,
B*A*P*S, Life, The Players Club, Head of State, Charlie's Angels: Full
Throttle, Bad Santa, Guess Who, Pride, Soul Men, Transformers, Old
Dogs, and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.Bernard Jeffrey McCullough was
born in Chicago, Illinois. Mac was the second child of Mary McCullough
and Jeffrey Harrison. Mac was raised by his single mother (who died of
cancer when he was sixteen years old) and his grandparents on the
city's west side. Mac began his high school career at Chicago
Vocational High School. During 1973, Mac moved to Tampa, Florida, to
attend Jesuit High School following the death of his mother during his
sophomore year. Mac later returned to Chicago and graduated from
Chicago Vocational in 1975. Mac married his high school sweetheart
Rhonda Gore on September 17, 1977, and together they had a daughter,
Ja'Niece Childress (née McCollough), born in 1978. During his 20s
through his early 30s, Mac worked in a variety of jobs, including
janitor, coach, professional mover, cook, bus driver, Sears delivery
man, furniture mover, and UPS agent, while doing comedy on the
weekends at clubs and parties.Bernie Mac's influences were from The
Three Stooges and listening to stand-up comedians Richard Pryor and
Redd Foxx. Mac started as a stand-up comedian in Chicago's Cotton
Club. After he won the Miller Lite Comedy Search at the age of 32, his
popularity as a comedian began to grow. A performance on HBO's Def
Comedy Jam thrust him into the spotlight; after Martin Lawrence was
unable to calm an increasingly hostile crowd, Mac went onstage and
famously said, "I ain't scared o' you mothafuckas", telling the
audience that he "didn't come here for no foolishness". Mac's comedy
and fearlessness on stage cemented his reputation with fans and
colleagues. Mac opened for Dionne Warwick, Redd Foxx and Natalie Cole.
He played a small role in 1994's House Party 3 as Uncle Vester. He
also had a short-lived talk show on HBO titled Midnight Mac. Later,
Mac also acted in minor roles, Mac played Mr. Johnson the no-nonsense
owner of a grille and diner in the movie B.A.P.S., and he got his big
break as "Pastor Clever" in Ice Cube's 1995 film Friday. Following
that role, Mac was selectively chosen to play the title role, The Wiz
in the 1995 Apollo Revival of The Wiz. Mac had his first starring role
as "Dollar Bill", a silly, slick-talking club owner in The Players
Club. Mac was able to break from the traditional "black comedy" genre,
having roles in the 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven and becoming the new
Bosley for the Charlie's Angels sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full
Throttle. In 2003 he gave an impressive performance in a supporting
role as the villain "Gin Slagel, The Store Dick" in Bad Santa. He also
starred in Guess Who?, a comedic remake of the film Guess Who's Coming
to Dinner, and made an appearance in the 2007 film Transformers as the
car salesman "Bobby Bolivia". In his later years, he hosted the
reality television talent show Last Comic Standing. He also served as
the voice of Zuba, Alex the Lion's long lost father in Madagascar:
Escape 2 Africa. He co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson in the 2008
musical comedy Soul Men as "Floyd Henderson". These two movies were
released months after his death. His final film role was as Jimmy
Lunchbox in the 2009 Disney film Old Dogs which was released a year
after his death. He starred alongside John Travolta and Robin Williams
in that film.In 2001 the Fox network gave Mac his own television
sitcom called The Bernie Mac Show portraying a fictional version of
himself. In the show, he suddenly becomes custodian of his sister's
three children after she enters rehab. It was a success, in part
because it allowed Mac to stay true to his stand-up comedy roots,
breaking the fourth wall to communicate his thoughts to the audience.
The show contained many parodies of events in Bernie's actual life.
Bernie, who grew up on Chicago's South Side, was a fan of the Chicago
White Sox, and would often sneak a reference to his favorite team in
his episodes, including enlisting then White Sox pitcher Jon Garland
to make a guest cameo appearance. Bernie Mac's "fourth wall" technique
allowed him a moment of heartfelt sincerity during the sitcom's 2005
season when, sitting in his customary easy chair and facing the
audience before the start of an episode, Bernie unabashedly donned a
White Sox jacket and cap, and congratulated his hometown Chicago White
Sox and their staff members, on their recent World Series
championship.
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