Martin Lawrence

Biography: Martin Lawrence was encouraged to pursue a comedy career as a teenager by a School Teacher who gave him the last few minutes of every class to entertain his fellow students. Several years later, Hollywood talent scouts noticed Martin on Star Search. They asked him if he would be interested in acting. This led to his first regular television role, as the smart-mouthed busboy on the syndicated series "What's Happening Now!" By 1986 Martin had his own cable show called One Night Stand, which paved the way for him to host Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam for two seasons. Martin made his movie debut playing a minor role in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. This led to another minor role in House Party, and then a more prominent role in Eddie Murphy's Boomerang. Finally, in 1991, Martin got his first starring role in a cinema project called Talking Dirty After Dark, a fun movie that all Martin fans will enjoy watching. This is about the time that "Martin," the FOX TV Sitcom started. Martin ran from 1992 to 1997, and is now in syndication on many UPN stations across the United States, in Europe, and worldwide.

For the film entitled A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Martin starred, directed, co-wrote, and was also executive Producer. "Thin Line" was filmed around the "Martin" TV sitcom production schedule; a difficult and arduous task to say the least.

In the movie Life, Martin and Eddie Murphy co-star as two New York City moonshine whiskey smugglers who are falsely charged with murder. Then end up wrongfully imprisoned for life in a Mississippi state prison starting in 1933.

In Blue Streak Martin plays a jewel thief on the run from the cops. Blue Streak has a sequel in the works. Martin also co-stars with Danny DeVito in What's The Worst That Could Happen. To learn more about Martin's current and upcoming movies, visit the Upcoming Projects Page.

Born April 16, 1965 in what was then West Germany, Martin was an Air Force "Brat." After his Dad got out of the service they moved to Queens, New York. And then to Landover, Maryland.

Martin was married to Patricia Southall, a former Miss Virginia. But Martin's life has not been trouble free, as one discovers after reading these astonishing news stories.

Martin has cleaned up his life, and is now drug, weapons, and alcohol free. He owns property in Leesburg, Virginia and has set up a vacation home and office there.… Expand