Trivia: An edgy comic who skyrocketed to comedy fame with his memorably side-splitting appearance in Spike Lee's The Original Kings of Comedy, Bernie Mac may have seemed an unlikely candidate for a television sitcom, but with the debut of The Bernie Mac Show, the inventive comedian began on a high note, leaving many pondering the apparent overnight success of the comedian who had ostensibly come from nowhere to become a ubiquitous presence. Born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough in Chicago, IL, Mac was a member of a large extended family living under one roof, which provided the energetic youngster with plenty of fuel for refining his ability to perform dead-on impressions and humorously recall memorable family occurrences. Time spent as a gopher for performers at the Regal Theater also served as a primer for his showbiz aspirations (as well as a cautionary warning of the destructive temptations that go along with fame). Mac's first experiences with standup came at the age of eight, when he performed a routine about his grandparents at the dinner table in front of the congregation at church. Though it resulted in some strict reprimanding from his grandmother, he had the audience feeding out of his palm and the young impressionist quickly had the epiphany that humor meant more to him than the sting of discipline. From that point on, Mac refined and developed his comic abilities on the tracks of Chicago's El trains and in local parks. Though he earned a modest keep from his public performances, Mac craved the legitimacy of the club circuit and he began to perform professionally in 1977. After early film work -- including memorable appearances in Above the Rim (1994) and The Walking Dead (1995), which followed on the heels of his big-screen debut in 1992's Mo' Money -- Mac was offered and appeared in the television series Midnight Mac in 1995. Hesitation as to the neutering of his material made the comedian leery of television, and the show didn't last. The comic actor earned more attention when he turned up frequently the following year in television's Moesha, though mainstream acceptance was still four years and numerous bit film parts away. Following The Original Kings of Comedy, Mac began to develop an idea for a sitcom that revolved around similar family experiences and retained the edge that had initially shocked his audiences into laughter. In 2001, he debuted the family sitcom The Bernie Mac Show, and it was a success, running for five seasons. 2001 would indeed prove to be the year of the Mac as he also took on a substantial role in director Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's 11. He reprised that character in the two Ocean's sequels, as well as lead roles as a vice presidential candidate in the Chris Rock political satire Head of State and as a washed-up baseball player in 2004's Mr. 3000. 2007 saw Mac in a more serious role as a kindly janitor in the inspirational sports drama Pride. Upon his death in August 2008 of complications from pneumonia, Soul Men, in which he stars alongside Samuel L. Jackson as a soul singer embarking on a reunion tour, had yet to hit theaters.­

Trivia: Actress Kellita Smith primarily established herself on television, with an effective portrayal of über-professional, no-nonsense wife Wanda -- straight man to the popular eponymous comedian on the rollicking sitcom The Bernie Mac Show (2001-2006). Previously, Smith had tackled guest roles on series programs including Nash Bridges, Martin, Sister, Sister, and NYPD Blue. Her activity extended to cinematic work from the beginning, with a 1995 portrayal on the harrowing Sean Penn-directed drama The Crossing Guard. Smith placed a heightened emphasis on features after The Bernie Mac Show wrapped at the end of its fifth season, with work in theatrical outings including Fair Game (2005), Roll Bounce (2005), and Feel the Noise (2007).

Trivia: Is half Colombian. Lived on a farm in Florida as a child. Recorded three songs on the Spy Kids soundtracks-–"Isle of Dreams" on Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, and "Game Over" and "Heart Drive" on Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Performs many of her own movie stunts. Was given away by Robert Rodriguez, her Spy Kids director, at her first wedding.

Trivia: Best known as one-half of the magic act "Penn & Teller," Penn Jillette rose to fame in the mid-'80s opposite touring partner Teller (born Raymond Joseph Teller), and graduated in a very short time from performing tricks in small-time dives to co-emceeing one of the most popular nightclub acts in the United States. Time and again, the men's schtick emphasized the hilariously macabre: tricks that involved juggling knives, swallowing massive embroidery needles, eating fire, and all manner of other deadly mayhem. The tall and imposing Penn typically trademarked himself with a vociferous, aggressive, and outsized persona, while the diminutive Teller remained quiet and laconic during performances.Fittingly, the men made many of their earliest on-camera appearances on Saturday Night Live between 1985 and 1986, but within a few years branched out into concert films and movie roles (My Chauffeur, Tough Guys Don't Dance), including their own eponymous vehicle, Penn & Teller Get Killed (1989), directed by Arthur Penn; the picture unequivocally bombed at the box office (and in fact barely got released) but did net a small and loyal cult following. The duo also headlined its own Showtime network series, Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, in which they attempted to debunk what they perceived as cultural myths, from evangelical creationism to UFOs and penis enlargement pills. Jillette subsequently achieved fame in his own right (independently of his performing partner) by executive producing and directing photography for the standup comedy tribute film The Aristocrats (2005), a raunchy, all-star series of variations on a single monologue that featured such luminaries as Phyllis Diller and Bob Saget in its cast. He also participated in season six of the competitive reality series Dancing with the Stars (2008), opposite Kym Johnson. Over the coming years, Jillette would find ongoing success in the media, teaming up with Teller again for the 2011 series Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Penn & Teller: Tell Us a Lie, and acting as a contestant on the 2012 season of The Apprentice. Jillette would also find a large audience with his successful podcast hosted by Ace Broadcasting, Penn's Sunday School.

Trivia: Worked as a Latin teacher in a New Jersey high school before starting his career as a magician. Was a guest narrator for the Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 2001. In 2001, was awarded the Hefner First Amendment Award from the Playboy Foundation along with Penn Jillette for their work to defend free speech. Directed a stage production of Macbeth that toured the East Coast of the U.S. Is the co-author several New York Times best-selling books written with Penn Jillette, and is the author of When I'm Dead All This Will Be Yours. In April 2013, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.