Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Encyclopedia
Malcolm-Jamal Warner is an American television actor
, film director
, and musician
. He is best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the long-running NBC
sitcom The Cosby Show
. Additionally, he appeared as Malcolm McGee on the UPN
sitcom Malcolm & Eddie
. He is currently starring as Dr. Alex Reed on the new BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines
.
and was raised by his divorced mother, Pamela Warner, who served as his manager. He was named after Malcolm X
and Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal
. At the age of 9, Malcolm demonstrated an interest in show business which led to enrollment in acting schools.
on the NBC
sitcom
, The Cosby Show
from 1984 to 1992. Warner auditioned for the role on the very last day of the nationwide search and was chosen by Cosby himself. He also starred in Jeremiah
, was the voice of The Producer character on The Magic School Bus
and co-starred with comedian Eddie Griffin
for four years on the UPN
sitcom Malcolm & Eddie
.
Warner was on the CBS
sitcom Listen Up! with Jason Alexander
and the host of the literacy
-promoting child
ren's show CBS Storybreak
. He guest-starred on an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air playing the role of Hilary's boyfriend, and has directed several music videos including British R&B group Five Star
's "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" (1994) as well as many sitcom episodes including The Cosby Show
, Kenan & Kel
, and Malcolm & Eddie
.
In addition, Warner directed the acclaimed, teen-oriented public health video "Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You" (1992), which featured Arsenio Hall
and Earvin "Magic" Johnson (among others) discussing the realities of HIV and AIDS and the best ways to prevent its spread.
In 2003, Warner released his debut EP, "The Miles Long Mixtape." In 2007, Warner followed up with his second CD entitled, "Love & Other Social Issues." In 2009 he guest starred in an episode in the new TNT
series HawthoRNe
. In 2011 he guest starred in an episode of the NBC
series Community
as the ex-husband of Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown
). His character subtly referenced his Cosby Show past by wearing a "Cosby sweater" that he stated was from his dad.
He is also a performance poet, and has performed at the National Black Theatre Festival
since 2003, in addition to hosting its Poetry Jam.
(who portrayed his girlfriend Justine on "The Cosby Show"), and was at her bedside when she died in 1998. He dated actress Karen Malina White
for seven and a half years, but never married.
Warner is dating actress Regina King
. They have known each other since the 1980s.
Love & Other Social Issues
Emmy Awards
Image Awards
TV Land Awards
Young Artist Award
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He is best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the long-running NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
. Additionally, he appeared as Malcolm McGee on the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
sitcom Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000...
. He is currently starring as Dr. Alex Reed on the new BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines
Reed Between the Lines
Reed Between the Lines is an American television family sitcom created by Kellie R. Griffin. It premiered on BET on October 11, 2011. On April 12, 2011, BET announced that it picked up Reed Between The Lines for a fall 2011-2012 television schedule to pair with The Game and Let's Stay Together...
.
Early life
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
and was raised by his divorced mother, Pamela Warner, who served as his manager. He was named after Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
and Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal
Ahmad Jamal
Ahmad Jamal is an innovative and influential American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. According to Stanley Crouch, Jamal is second in importance in the development of jazz after 1945 only to Charlie Parker...
. At the age of 9, Malcolm demonstrated an interest in show business which led to enrollment in acting schools.
Career
With appearances and roles on many television shows and films, he landed his most successful role as Theo Huxtable, the only son of Heathcliff Huxtable, who was played by Bill CosbyBill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
from 1984 to 1992. Warner auditioned for the role on the very last day of the nationwide search and was chosen by Cosby himself. He also starred in Jeremiah
Jeremiah (TV series)
Jeremiah is an American television series starring Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner that ran on the Showtime network from 2002 to 2004. The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where most of the adult population has been wiped out by a deadly virus.Developed by Babylon 5 creator J...
, was the voice of The Producer character on The Magic School Bus
The Magic School Bus
The Magic School Bus is a series of children's books about science written by author Joanna Cole. They feature the antics of Ms. Valerie Frizzle, an elementary school teacher, and her class, who board a magical school bus which takes them on field trips to impossible locations such as the solar...
and co-starred with comedian Eddie Griffin
Eddie Griffin
Edward James "Eddie" Griffin, Jr. is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his sitcom, Malcolm & Eddie along with co-star, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and his role in the 2002 comedy film Undercover Brother as the film’s title character.-Early life:Griffin was born in Kansas City,...
for four years on the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
sitcom Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000...
.
Warner was on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom Listen Up! with Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
and the host of the literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
-promoting child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren's show CBS Storybreak
CBS Storybreak
CBS Storybreak is a Saturday morning anthology television series that originally aired on the CBS network during the 1985 season. Hosted by Captain Kangaroo's Bob Keeshan , the episodes are half-hour animated adaptations of some of the most beloved children's books published at the time of airing,...
. He guest-starred on an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air playing the role of Hilary's boyfriend, and has directed several music videos including British R&B group Five Star
Five Star
Five Star are a British pop / R&B group, formed in 1983. Comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson, they were known for their flamboyant image, matching costumes and heavily choreographed dance routines...
's "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" (1994) as well as many sitcom episodes including The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, Kenan & Kel
Kenan & Kel
Kenan & Kel is an American teen sitcom produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions that originally aired on Nickelodeon from July 1996 to July 2000. The show starred friends and then-All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. Sixty-two episodes and a made-for-TV movie were produced over four...
, and Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000...
.
In addition, Warner directed the acclaimed, teen-oriented public health video "Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You" (1992), which featured Arsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall is an American actor, comedian, and former talk show host. He is best known for his talk show The Arsenio Hall Show, which ran between 1989 and 1994, and his roles in the films Coming to America and Harlem Nights.Hall is also known for his appearance as Alan Thicke's sidekick on the...
and Earvin "Magic" Johnson (among others) discussing the realities of HIV and AIDS and the best ways to prevent its spread.
In 2003, Warner released his debut EP, "The Miles Long Mixtape." In 2007, Warner followed up with his second CD entitled, "Love & Other Social Issues." In 2009 he guest starred in an episode in the new TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
series HawthoRNe
Hawthorne (TV series)
Hawthorne is an hour-long medical drama on the TNT television network starring Jada Pinkett Smith and Michael Vartan. It premiered on June 16, 2009. On Thursday, September 16, 2010 it was announced that Hawthorne has been renewed for a third season consisting of 10 episodes...
. In 2011 he guest starred in an episode of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series Community
Community (TV series)
Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
as the ex-husband of Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown
Yvette Nicole Brown
Yvette Nicole Brown is an American actress and comedian. Brown has appeared in various commercials, television shows, and films throughout her career...
). His character subtly referenced his Cosby Show past by wearing a "Cosby sweater" that he stated was from his dad.
He is also a performance poet, and has performed at the National Black Theatre Festival
National Black Theatre Festival
The National Black Theatre Festival was founded in 1989 by Larry Leon Hamlin in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Serving as its executive director, Hamlin’s goal in creating the Festival was "to unite black theatre companies in America to ensure the survival of the genre into the next millennium"...
since 2003, in addition to hosting its Poetry Jam.
Personal life
Warner had a relationship with the late actress Michelle ThomasMichelle Thomas
Michelle Thomas was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as Justine Phillips on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and as Myra Monkhouse on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters.-Early life and career:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and was an...
(who portrayed his girlfriend Justine on "The Cosby Show"), and was at her bedside when she died in 1998. He dated actress Karen Malina White
Karen Malina White
Karen Malina White is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Charmaine Brown on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and its spin-off series A Different World...
for seven and a half years, but never married.
Warner is dating actress Regina King
Regina King
Regina King is an American film and television actress. She is well known for her role as Mary Jenkins's studious daughter, Brenda Jenkins, on the 1980s sitcom, 227, and for her critically acclaimed supporting role in the feature film Jerry Maguire...
. They have known each other since the 1980s.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Matt Houston Matt Houston Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.-Synopsis:... |
Johnny Randolph | Episode: "Stop the Presses" | |
| 1983 | Fame Fame (1982 TV series) Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although... |
Lucas Boyd | Episode: "Ending on a High Note" | |
| 1984 | Call to Glory Call to Glory Call to Glory was an American television series that aired 23 episodes during the 1984-1985 TV season on the ABC-TV network. Starring Craig T. Nelson as a USAF pilot, Colonel Raynor Sarnac. In the course of its production run, it drifted away from its original reasonably authentic setting and... |
Episode: "A Nation Divided" | ||
| 1984–92 | Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable | |||
| 1985 | CBS Storybreak CBS Storybreak CBS Storybreak is a Saturday morning anthology television series that originally aired on the CBS network during the 1985 season. Hosted by Captain Kangaroo's Bob Keeshan , the episodes are half-hour animated adaptations of some of the most beloved children's books published at the time of airing,... |
Host | ||
| 1986 | ABC Afterschool Special ABC Afterschool Special The ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were... |
Charlie Curtis | Episode: "A Desperate Exit" | |
| 1986 | Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... |
Host | Episode: "Malcolm-Jamal Warner/Run-DMC" | |
| 1987 | Joey | NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... television film |
||
| 1988–89 | Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable | Episodes: "My Dinner With Theo" & "Risky Business" | ||
| 1989 | Mother's Day | Cullen Sturgis | Television film | |
| 1989 | Tour of Duty Tour of Duty (TV series) Tour of Duty is an American drama television series on CBS. It ran for three seasons from September 1987 to April 1990 as 58 one–hour episodes. The show was created by Steve Duncan and L. Travis Clark, and produced by Zev Braun.... |
SPC Sweet | Episode: "The Volunteer" | |
| 1990 | Saturday Morning Videos | Host | ||
| 1990 | Spinner | |||
| 1991 | Eric | Episode: "Cased Up" | ||
| 1992 | Here and Now | Alexander 'A.J.' James | ||
| 1994 | Drop Zone Drop Zone (film) Drop Zone is a 1994 action movie directed by John Badham. It stars Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey and Yancy Butler.-Plot:Aboard a commercial airliner, U.S... |
Terry Nessip | ||
| 1994–97 | The Producer | |||
| 1995 | Touched By An Angel Touched by an Angel Touched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della... |
Zack | Episode: "There But For the Grace of God" | |
| 1995 | Tyson Tyson (1995 film) Tyson is a 1995 television film based on the life of American heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. Directed by Uli Edel, it is an adaptation of the 1987 book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson by José Torres, former boxer and former chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission... |
Rory Holloway | HBO television film | |
| 1995 | Leroy Cappy | HBO television film | ||
| 1996–2000 | Malcolm & Eddie Malcolm & Eddie Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000... |
Malcolm McGee | ||
| 1997 | Moloney | Episode: "The Ripple Effect" | ||
| 1998 | Winter Valen | |||
| 1998 | Restaurant Restaurant (film) Restaurant is a 1998 independent film starring Adrien Brody, Elise Neal, David Moscow and Simon Baker. Written by Tom Cudworth and directed by Eric Bross, Restaurant was the follow-up to this writing–directing duo's first film, TenBenny, which also starred Adrien Brody... |
Steven | ||
| 1999 | Sliders | R.J. | Episode: "My Brother's Keeper" | |
| 2001 | Legend of the Candy Cane | Rusty (voice) | Television film | |
| 2002 | Static Shock Static Shock Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes.... |
Lester Biggs (voice) | Episode: "Duped" | |
| 2002 | Lyric Cafe | Host | ||
| 2002–04 | Jeremiah Jeremiah (TV series) Jeremiah is an American television series starring Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner that ran on the Showtime network from 2002 to 2004. The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where most of the adult population has been wiped out by a deadly virus.Developed by Babylon 5 creator J... |
Kurdy Malloy | ||
| 2004 | Reflections: A Story of Redemption | Samuel | ||
| 2004 | Stripperella Stripperella Stripperella was an American animated series created by Stan Lee. The main character, voiced by and based on Pamela Anderson, is a stripper named Erotica Jones who is also the superheroine/secret agent Stripperella. The series was produced by The Firm and Spike Animation Studios... |
Episode: "The Bridesmaid The Bridesmaid The Bridesmaid is a novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1989. It is generally considered a fan-favourite, and was adapted into an acclaimed 2004 film by Claude Chabrol .- Plot summary:The novel's protagonist is Philip Wardman, a relatively normal young man The Bridesmaid is a... " |
||
| 2004–05 | Listen Up! | Bernie Widmer | ||
| 2006 | Randy | |||
| 2006 | Contradictions of the Heart | Miles Long Band | ||
| 2006 | Dexter Dexter (TV series) Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer... |
Rita's Lawyer | Episode: "Seeing Red" | |
| 2008 | Jason Anders | Episode: "Lie with Me" | ||
| 2008 | Fool's Gold Fool's Gold (2008 film) Fool's Gold is an 2008 American adventure/romance film from Warner Bros. Pictures about a married couple who rekindle their romantic life while searching for a lost treasure. The film was directed by Andy Tennant and reunites the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson... |
Cordell | ||
| 2009 | HawthoRNe Hawthorne (TV series) Hawthorne is an hour-long medical drama on the TNT television network starring Jada Pinkett Smith and Michael Vartan. It premiered on June 16, 2009. On Thursday, September 16, 2010 it was announced that Hawthorne has been renewed for a third season consisting of 10 episodes... |
Fred | Episode: "Healing Time" | |
| 2009 | Sherri | Kevin | ||
| 2010 | True Blue | Walker MacRae | Television film | |
| 2011 | Community Community (TV series) Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television... |
Andre Bennett | Recurring | |
| 2011–present | Reed Between the Lines Reed Between the Lines Reed Between the Lines is an American television family sitcom created by Kellie R. Griffin. It premiered on BET on October 11, 2011. On April 12, 2011, BET announced that it picked up Reed Between The Lines for a fall 2011-2012 television schedule to pair with The Game and Let's Stay Together... |
Dr. Alex Reed | ||
Discography
The Miles Long Mixtape- Released: 2003
Love & Other Social Issues
- Released: 2007
Awards and nominations
BET Comedy Awards- 2005: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" — Listen Up
Emmy Awards
- 1986: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" — The Cosby Show
Image Awards
- 1996: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" — Touched by an Angel
- 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series" — Malcolm & Eddie
TV Land Awards
TV Land Awards
The TV Land Awards is an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorates shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with awards such as the Emmys. It is presented in a manner that spoofs other entertainment award ceremonies...
- 2006: Nominated, "Favorite Singing Siblings" — The Cosby Show (shared w/co-stars)
Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
- 1985: Won, Best Young Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy Series - The Cosby Show
- 1988: Nominated, Best Young Male Superstar in Television - The Cosby Show
- 1989: Won, Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special - The Cosby Show (shared w/co-stars)
- 1990: Won, "Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Television Series" — The Cosby Show
External links
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner Official Website
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Twitter Official Twitter