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: Was a reserve on his high-school varsity team during his junior year, and became a starter as a senior after a sudden growth spurt. Played for Auburn University for three years and led the Southeastern Conference all three years in rebounding; was named the 1980s SEC Player of the Decade. Was famously cut from the 1984 Olympic basketball team by coach Bobby Knight for gaining weight; later won gold medals in 1992 and 1996. Was the fifth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Named NBA MVP in 1993; played in 11 NBA All-Star games. Is the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding. His No. 34 jersey was retired by Auburn, Philadelphia and Phoenix. Selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history as part of a celebration for the league's 50th anniversary. Upon his retirement in 2000, was one of only four NBA players to amass 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4000 assists. First player from Alabama to be elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2006). Became an NBA TV commentator upon retirement. Nicknames include Sir Charles and the Round Mound of Rebound.

Trivia: A comedic performer who followed a most unlikely (and circuitous) route into show business, Adam Carolla pursued careers as a carpenter and boxing coach before entering the celebrity arena, first on radio, as the co-host of the call-in program Loveline, opposite psychotherapist Dr. Drew Pinsky. The program netted such a massive fan base and viewership that it spawned not only an MTV spin-off in 1996, but its own website, a book, speaking tours, movie appearances by the co-hosts, and the like. Carolla then made an even bigger impact on the small screen as the creator and host of two popular satirical series. The first, The Man Show, debuted in 1999; this tongue-in-cheek homage to machismo, done in a talk-show format, found its co-hosts (Carolla and comic Jimmy Kimmel) brazenly and unapologetically celebrating the basest qualities and "interests" of chauvinistic men, such as ogling women, guzzling beer, and watching porn. That program would eventually fold in 2004, a year after Carolla and Kimmel left; in the meantime, Carolla and his colleagues debuted another series on Comedy Central network, Crank Yankers (2002) -- a Jerky Boys-style homage to prank phone calls that found celebrities conducting outrageous (and frequently vulgar) "shock" phone calls while onscreen puppets "acted-out" the dialogues.Carolla subsequently made national headlines for taking over much of Howard Stern's radio market (alongside rock singer David Lee Roth) when Stern transitioned to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Carolla also acted in films including Down to You (2000), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), and The Hammer (2007). A third TV series, The Adam Carolla Project (2005), found Carolla and Kimmel spoofing programs such as This Old House and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition by humorously "fixing up" Carolla's childhood home on camera. In 2008, the comic also participated as a dancer opposite Julianne Hough in season six of the competitive reality series Dancing with the Stars.He built a podcasting empire on the strength of his loyal fan-following, giving others a model for how ad-supported traditional radio can adapt to the new medium. In 2012 he lent his comedic insights to the Morgan Spurlock documentary Mansome.

Trivia: Waited tables at an L.A. deli before his big break. Was named one of the 10 Actors to Watch by Variety in 2000. Shared screen time on the TV series Suits with his mother and father, Gail and Charlie Hoffman, when they made their acting debut as the parents of their son's character.