Thomas Mikal Ford
Encyclopedia
Thomas Mikal Ford known and credited also as Tommy Ford, is an American
actor
who is best known for his character Tommy Strawn in the sitcom Martin. He was born in Yonkers
, New York
.
for Martin Lawrence's
jokes, but he very often inserted scene-stealing "bald-headed logic" and witty comments in odd situations. Also, his character was often the butt of many jokes regarding his mysterious employment status. Ford received an NAACP Image Awards nomination in 1996 in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
After the demise of Martin, Ford found success in the revamped-for-1998 FOX detective drama New York Undercover
. He played the role of Lieutenant Malcolm Barker.
Ford played a key role in the UPN
sitcom The Parkers
as Nikki's ex-husband (and Kim's father) in a string of episodes. He played Ben Cummings in The Power of Passion as one of the characters whose wife cheats on him with the pastor. His lampoons of stereotypical African-American preachers appear throughout his work, beginning with Martin.
He is also known as The Pope of Comedy, due to exposure as a judge on TV One's comedy competition show Who's Got Jokes? starring Bill Bellamy
.
In film, Ford appeared in the Kid 'n Play
movie Class Act
as Mink, a hustler
. In Harlem Nights
he played Tommy Smalls, the brother of Arsenio Hall
's character. He can also be seen in the 1997 Nancy Allen
crime drama Against the Law
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who is best known for his character Tommy Strawn in the sitcom Martin. He was born in Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Career
In Martin, Ford played Tommy Strawn who was, at times, the straight manDouble act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
for Martin Lawrence's
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an 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 the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
jokes, but he very often inserted scene-stealing "bald-headed logic" and witty comments in odd situations. Also, his character was often the butt of many jokes regarding his mysterious employment status. Ford received an NAACP Image Awards nomination in 1996 in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
After the demise of Martin, Ford found success in the revamped-for-1998 FOX detective drama New York Undercover
New York Undercover
New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
. He played the role of Lieutenant Malcolm Barker.
Ford played a key role in 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 The Parkers
The Parkers
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
as Nikki's ex-husband (and Kim's father) in a string of episodes. He played Ben Cummings in The Power of Passion as one of the characters whose wife cheats on him with the pastor. His lampoons of stereotypical African-American preachers appear throughout his work, beginning with Martin.
He is also known as The Pope of Comedy, due to exposure as a judge on TV One's comedy competition show Who's Got Jokes? starring Bill Bellamy
Bill Bellamy
William "Bill" Bellamy is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He currently resides in California. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, where he is credited for creating or uttering before a televised audience, the phrase "booty call", described as...
.
In film, Ford appeared in the Kid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond...
movie Class Act
Class Act
Class Act is a 1992 comedy film, directed by Randall Miller and starring hip-hop duo Kid 'n Play. An urban retelling of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, the screenplay is by Cynthia Friedlob and John Semper from a story by Michael Swerdlick, Richard Brenne and Wayne Allan Rice...
as Mink, a hustler
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
. In Harlem Nights
Harlem Nights
Harlem Nights is a 1989 comedy-drama crime film starring Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. The film also featured Michael Lerner, Danny Aiello, Redd Foxx, Della Reese and Murphy's brother Charlie Murphy...
he played Tommy Smalls, the brother of 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...
's character. He can also be seen in the 1997 Nancy Allen
Nancy Allen (actress)
Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
crime drama Against the Law
Against the Law (1997 film)
Against the Law is a 1997 American action crime drama directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Nick Mancuso, Nancy Allen and Richard Grieco.-Plot:...
.
Major roles in television
- Martin (1992–1997) as Tommy Strawn
- New York UndercoverNew York UndercoverNew York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
(1998) as Lt. Malcolm Barker - The ParkersThe ParkersThe Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
(1999–2001) as Mel Parker - Who's Got Jokes? (2006–2008) as Himself
- Let's Stay TogetherLet's Stay Together (TV series)Let's Stay Together is an American romantic comedy television series created by Jacque Edmonds Cofer. It premiered on BET on January 11, 2011. The series premiere drew 4.4 million viewers. On April 20th, BET, announced that the show is renewed for a second season which is set to air 22 episodes...
(2011) as the Reverend