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: With his bald, burly, and threatening presence and "tough guy" appearance, character actor Wade Williams (sometimes billed as Wade Andrew Williams) built a substantial career for himself playing thugs and hoods, initially on American television series. Early series credits, which extend back into the late '90s, include guest-starring appearances on such programs as NYPD Blue, Profiler, and Night Man. In time, Williams extended himself into different genres -- he appeared on HBO's show-business satire The Larry Sanders Show, for instance, on Star Trek: Voyager (in the episode "One"), and in the big-screen Jim Belushi cop comedy K-911. Williams drew greatest attention, however, for his portrayal of psychopath Capt. Brian Bellick, one of the administrators of the penitentiary on the Fox serialized drama Prison Break. Williams reportedly expressed some reservations before taking the role, due to the depraved nature of the character. Wade Williams the actor is not to be confused with the director and producer Wade H. Williams III, known for his high output (and extensive rights ownership) of science fiction titles.

Trivia: As both a frequent onscreen presence in Hollywood comedies and the occasional writer of a daft and pickled Hollywood laugh-fest, Ohio-born Michael Hitchcock began his career in the early '90s as a screenwriter. Though Hitchcock actually debuted as co-scenarist with Marc Rocco's 1992 urban drama Where the Day Takes You, he failed to break through to the American public prior to his critically maligned but lucrative authorship of such comic vehicles as Problem Child 3 (1995) and House Arrest (1996). Aside from periodic contributions to the long-running sketch comedy series MADtv, Hitchcock then abandoned scriptwriting for many years to focus exclusively on acting.Hitchcock established himself as a character player, demonstrating solid comedic timing, a genial humorous presence, and an actor's raw instinct. His appearances include supporting roles in such comedies as the well-received Happy, Texas (1999) and the Christopher Guest mockumentaries Best in Show (2000) and For Your Consideration (2006). Though Hitchcock occasionally attempted to expand his range, with such projects as a supporting turn on an episode of NYPD Blue and a small role in the space adventure Serenity (2005), he generally clung to his comedic roots and found greatest success in that arena.

Trivia: Made her TV debut in Alice (1979) and her film debut in Smokey and the Bandit II (1980). Has guested on some 70 TV series, including Hill Street Blues, Newhart, Murphy Brown, Roseanne, The Golden Girls, Seinfield, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ER, Everybody Loves Raymond and Nip/Tuck. Was a regular on ABC's Married to the Kellys, and had recurring roles on My Name Is Earl, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Grace Under Fire and Ellen. Hobbies include knitting and quilting; sews for the nonprofit organization Stitches From the Heart, which aids seniors and parents with premature babies.