Trivia: Dedicated film buffs will remember Tichina Arnold as Crystal, one of the three black girls who perform R&B numbers as a Greek chorus, in Frank Oz's imaginative movie musical Little Shop of Horrors (1986). Arnold was only 15 at the time; her career continued steadily after that, with a role or two almost every year. Though the actress' cinematic efforts -- such as How I Got Into College (1989) and the Paul Mazursky/Woody Allen collaboration Scenes from a Mall (1990) -- were typically disappointing, she delighted fans with her neat comic turn as Pam James (opposite Little Shop collaborator Tisha Campbell) in the Martin Lawrence sitcom Martin (1992-1997), and -- on a similar note -- waxed hilarious as housewife and mother Rochelle on the nostalgic Chris Rock sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (premiering in 2005). In 2007, Arnold reunited with Lawrence (as his "straight man" wife) in the big screen road comedy/buddy film Wild Hogs. She next took a decidedly serious turn, playing the lead in the period drama The Lena Baker Story, about the first woman to be executed via the electric chair in Georgia. Arnold continued to make guest appearances on shows like Raising Hope and Hit the Floor, and took a main role on Happily Divorced, beginning in 2011. In 2014, she had a small role in Top Five.

Trivia: A native of Flint, MI, who played in the NFL for seven years before segueing into film, athlete-turned-actor Terry Crews made his television debut on the small-screen sports entertainment show Battle Dome and has since moved on to appear in films by such disparate directors as David Lynch, Mike Judge, and David Ayer.During high school, Crews studied at Interlochen Art Academy, and he continued on to Western Michigan University for college; it was during his freshman year that he first took to the gridiron, and after making an impression as a Mid-American Conference defensive end, he solidified his reputation as a star player by leading his team to the Mid-American Conference championship in 1988. Crews married longtime wife Rebecca the day before his 21st birthday, and later went on to have an impressive professional football career while playing for the L.A. Rams, the San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. Though he had originally intended to become a special-effects artist, Crews gradually became aware of the power of his onscreen charisma when he accepted a role in the short-lived television series Battle Dome in 1999. Despite the fact that only a few episodes of the seires ever made it to the airwaves, the experience left Crews convinced that he had found his calling.Few lifelong actors could even dream of landing roles in such major motion pictures as The 6th Day, Training Day, and Friday After Next so early in their careers, but that's precisely what Crews did, and he has never looked back since. The actor's hulking frame made him an ideal candidate for intimidating onscreen figures, and his disarming sense of humor has found him developing a distinct comic persona in such films as Starsky & Hutch, Soul Plane, White Chicks, and The Longest Yard while also winning over viewers on the small screen with his role as Chris Rock's father on Everybody Hates Chris. As a supporting player, Crews consistently impresses, with his little-seen role as former professional wrestler-turned-President of the United States in Beavis and Butt-Head creator Judge's Idiocracy (2006) offering a telling example of how far he is willing to go to get a laugh. That same year, Crews showed his impressive range by making a brief appearance in surrealist specialist Lynch's Inland Empire, with comic roles in Norbit, Who's Your Caddy?, and Balls of Fury following in short order.2008 proved a busy year for Crews. In addition to his continued work on Everybody Hates Chris, he co-starred in the police drama Street Kings, as well as director Peter Segal's revamp of the classic comedy series Get Smart. Crews played a member of a motley gang of mercenaries in 2010's action blockbuster The Expendables (he reprised this role for the film's sequel in 2012).

Trivia: While some youngsters may have been intimidated at the prospect of playing one of the most successful comedic figures in the entertainment industry, emerging actor Tyler James Williams seemed perfectly comfortable playing a teenage Chris Rock in the hit CW series Everybody Hates Chris. A Sesame Street veteran who became a regular on the popular children's series at the age of four, New York native Williams continued his small-screen adventure with roles on the animated Bill Cosby series Little Bill and Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit. Subsequent voice roles in the feature films Everyone's Hero and The Ant Bully helped to prepare Williams for a movie career, with his role as a stranded adolescent traveler in Unaccompanied Minors serving to become his first proper feature appearance. Of course, it's his television work that has drawn Williams the most praise, with his role as Chris Rock perfectly capturing the comic essence of the character's real-life counterpart.

Trivia: African-American actor Tequan Richmond launched his career on two highly promising notes during his mid-adolescent years: he portrayed Ray Charles Jr., the revered R&B and soul singer's son, in Taylor Hackford's much-lauded biopic Ray (2004), and then joined the cast of the hotly anticipated sitcom Everybody Hates Chris in 2005, as Drew, the chick-magnet younger brother of Chris Rock's teenage alter ego. During this period, Richmond also landed occasional guest appearances on such series dramas as CSI, ER, and The Shield.

Trivia: Born in Cleveland, OH, on August 12, 1993, Imani Hakim landed a recurring role on the Chris Rock sitcom Everybody Hates Chris as the younger sister that was one of the many people who gave the young Chris lots of trouble. Thanks to her work on that show, Hakim was cast as one of Don Cheadle's daughters in Mike Binder's Reign Over Me.

Trivia: After becoming one of the stars of the series Everybody Hates Chris at the age of 12, Vincent Martella would seem like a born actor, but in fact the performer's first love has been dancing since the time he was three. His first performance was in a stage production of The Nutcracker, and by the time he was six, he was appearing in commercials and print ads. He moved with his family to Los Angeles at age ten, and soon won roles on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and in Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo before auditioning for the part of Greg, the best friend of the young Chris Rock (Tyler James Williams), on Everybody Hates Chris.

Trivia: Though best known as an outspoken comedienne, Whoopi Goldberg is also a talented dramatic actress. By virtue of her distinctive appearance and a persona that is both no-nonsense and empathic, Goldberg has emerged as one of the most recognizable celebrities of the '80s and '90s.Born Caryn Johnson on November 13, 1955 in New York City, Goldberg began her long career when she was eight years old, performing with New York's Helena Rubenstein Children's Theater. She then went on to study with the Hudson Guild children's arts program and attended the prestigious High School for the Performing Arts. After graduating, Goldberg occasionally won small parts in Broadway productions such as Hair, Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar, but also supported herself doing odd jobs like bricklaying and serving as a funeral parlor make-up artist. In 1975, Goldberg moved West and helped found the San Diego Repertory Theater, where she appeared in a number of plays, including Brecht's Mother Courage and Marsha Norman's Getting Out. After several stints with the Spontaneous Combustion improvisational troupe and work in avant-garde productions at Berkeley's Blake Street Hawkeyes theater, Goldberg devised The Spook Show, a one woman satirical production in which she played several characters. The show, which originated in San Francisco, eventually toured the U.S. and Europe, earning acclaim and the attention of director Mike Nichols. Nichols went on to direct a 1984 Broadway version of the show, which earned Goldberg Drama Desk and Theatre World awards, as well as a Grammy for the album recording.Goldberg made an auspicious Hollywood debut with her portrayal of Celie, the lead character in Steven Spielberg's controversial 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker's novel. Goldberg's moving performance was rewarded with an Oscar nomination and Best Actress Golden Globe, as well as instant stardom for the actress. Although Goldberg's film career looked promising, the actress unfortunately spent much of the decade's remainder appearing in terrible action comedies such as Fatal Beauty and Burglar (both 1987) that did not do her comic gifts justice. Her one partial success during this period was her first action comedy, Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), which did relatively well at the box office and gave her a certain cult status. In 1988, Goldberg took a break from comedy with a memorable turn as a worldly Jamaican nanny in the otherwise unremarkable Clara's Heart. She also made numerous appearances in television specials, most notably as a co-host for the annual Comic Relief benefit for the homeless. Her attempt at sitcoms failed with the short-lived series Bagdad Cafe, but she did find greater television success with a small but crucial recurring role as the sagacious intergalactic bartender Guinan on the syndicated Star Trek: The Next Generation. Around the same time, Goldberg's film career underwent a sharp turn-around. She won acclaim playing a selfless housekeeper opposite Sissy Spacek in the provocative Civil Rights drama The Long Walk Home (1989), and then played an eccentric con artist possessing unexpected psychic powers in the 1990 smash hit Ghost. Goldberg's funny yet moving performance earned her her first Oscar and the widespread opinion that this marked her comeback performance. After a couple of missteps that had a few people rethinking this verdict, Goldberg scored again with the 1992 hit comedy Sister Act. Nominated for Golden Globes and two NAACP awards, the film spawned mass ticket sales and an unsuccessful 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. Meanwhile, Goldberg also continued her television work with a 1992 late night talk show. A laid back affair that ran for 200 episodes, it was praised by critics but failed to secure high ratings and went on permanent hiatus after only six months. However, Goldberg continued to appear on TV with her recurring role as a Comic Relief co-host and as an MC for the Academy Awards ceremony, a role she reprised multiple times. At the same time, Goldberg continued to work in film, doing both comedy and drama and experiencing the obligatory highs and lows. Some of her more memorable roles included that of a single mother who discovers that Ted Danson, not a black genius, fathered her daughter in Made in America (1993), a lesbian lounge singer in Boys on the Side (1995), a white-middle-aged corporate executive in The Associate (1996), Angela Bassett's best friend in the 1998 hit How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and a private detective in the drama The Deep End of the Ocean (1999). In addition, Goldberg also appeared in two notable documentaries, The Celluloid Closet (1995), and Get Bruce! a piece about comedy writer Bruce Vilanch that also featured fellow comedians such as Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Nathan Lane and Bette Midler.As the new decade dawned, Goldberg could be seen in supporting roles in projects like Rocky and Bullwinkle and the ensemble comedy Rat Race. Then, in 2003, she tried her hand at a starring sitcom role for the first time with Whoopi. The show found Goldberg playing an irreverent hotel owner and was met with mixed reviews before being cancelled mid-season.In 2004, Goldberg focused her career on voice work with appearances in Doogal, The Lion King 1 1/2, and P3K: Pinocchio3000. She continued this trend in the following years with such films as Racing Stripes and Everyone's Hero. Then, in 2007, Goldberg returned to the small-screen, replacing Rosie O'Donnell on the ABC panel show The View. Goldberg lent her voice to Pixar's Toy Story 3 in 2010, and as the narrator for 2011's documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey.

Trivia: Black supporting actor Antonio Fargas first appeared onscreen in the '70s.

Trivia: Is of African-American descent.Started acting in her hometown in Texas at the age of 5.Attended the Dallas Young Actors Studio in Texas.Singer Al B Sure and Rapper DMX are both her godfathers.In 2008, organized a fundraiser for children's cancer foundations on her sweet 16 birthday.

Trivia: Is of Italian descent.Played volleyball, baseball, field hockey during her high school years.Wanted to pursue a career as a lawyer.Started her acting career in New York City theaters.Has been a writer for the University of South California.Created and wrote the online series The Oversharer.Is a fan of the New York Yankees.

Trivia: Family moved to New York City's Harlem when she was 9. At 14, she landed the role of the King in an all-girls production of The King and I. Taught American History at Brooklyn Technical High School for two years. In 1987, became the first African-American to win an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Filmed a pilot for her own series, Jackee, following her success on 227; the pilot was never picked up, but aired as an episode of 227. In a 2013 episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories, she claims that when she was a child, the spirit of her late uncle saved her from an attack by a home invader.

Trivia: The gifted Italian-American comic Richard Jeni enjoyed a brief, meteoric rise to fame and success behind the mike and in front of the cameras, prior to a devastating end. Born in 1957 in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood, Jeni attended Hunter College as an undergraduate (where he studied comparative politics), then began honing his standup act in comedy clubs, which caught the attention of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Numerous appearances on that program followed during the mid- to late '80s, heightening the comedian's public exposure; deeply impressed, the Showtime network offered Jeni his own 30-minute standup comedy special, Richard Jeni: Boy from New York City, which debuted to smash ratings and reviews in 1989. The success of this paved the way for many additional specials, such as Richard Jeni: Platypus Man (1993) and Richard Jeni: Crazy from the Heat (1995). In the year prior to Jeni's sitcom, he enjoyed one of his most memorable turns, as Charlie Schumacher in the Jim Carrey vehicle The Mask (1994). The title of the aforementioned Platypus Man special referred to one of Jeni's descriptions of himself in his act -- as "an adult male human that attempts to mate frequently but spends most of its time alone." That concept prompted the then-fledgling UPN network to conceive a thematically linked prime-time sitcom for Jeni, based on his routines, in the mold of Tim Allen and Jerry Seinfeld. Platypus Man debuted on January 23, 2005. It starred Jeni, who also scripted, as a variation on himself. In the context of the series, Richard Jeni was the host of a Manhattan-based culinary TV show called "Cooking with the Platypus Man." Episodes began with Jeni in a studio kitchen -- before rolling cameras, preparing a dish in front of a closed audience, and informing viewers all about his romantic foibles. The program would then flash back to the events in question. Ron Orbach co-starred as Richard's TV producer, Denise Miller as his next-door neighbor, and David Dundara as his younger brother. Unfortunately, Platypus Man (unlike the comedy specials) bowed to horrendous reviews. The series folded in May 1995, after only four months on the air. Jeni continued to work steadily, however, with appearances in such films as An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997) and The Aristocrats (2005, doing an extremely colorful monologue). He also continued his Tonight Show appearances under the aegis of Jay Leno. Not long before his death, Jeni mounted another Showtime special, Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me (2005). It is not clear exactly when Jeni's mental illness first took root; more apparent is the fact that he was deeply emotionally and psychologically troubled around the time of his death. According to a statement by Jeni's family on the comedian's personal website, the comedian was diagnosed, in early 2007, as having "severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia." During one of these strained episodes, in the early hours of Saturday morning, March 10, 2007, Jeni was staying in a Los Angeles-area house with his girlfriend when he reportedly shot himself and was rushed by the paramedics to a nearby hospital. He died not long after; he was only 49 years old.

Trivia: Performed with the Dallas Children's Theatre. Won the Rosenfield Award for Playwriting while at Southern Methodist University. Toured with the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Was a recurring character on the ninth season of Grey's Anatomy before being promoted to a series regular for the show's 10th season. Supports The Innocence Project.