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Quick Facts
- NAME: Jaleel White
- OCCUPATION: Television Actor
- BIRTH DATE: November 27, 1976 (Age: 36)
- EDUCATION: University of California, Los Angeles
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Pasadena, California
- Full Name: Jaleel Ahmad White
- AKA: Jaleel White
- ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius
Best Known For
Actor Jaleel White rose to fame as the nerdy boy-next-door Steve Urkel on the 1990s hit sitcom Family Matters.
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Play NowJaleel White. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 03:34, May 24, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371.
Jaleel White. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371 [Accessed 24 May 2013].
"Jaleel White." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 24 2013, 03:34 http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371.
"Jaleel White," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371 [accessed May 24, 2013].
"Jaleel White," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371 (accessed May 24, 2013).
Jaleel White [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 24] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371.
Jaleel White, http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371 (last visited May 24, 2013).
Jaleel White. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/jaleel-white-20767371. Accessed May 24, 2013.
Synopsis
Born in California on November 11, 1976, Jaleel White started out performing in commercials. The child actor then landed roles on The Jeffersons and Charlie & Co. His big break came in 1989, with the sitcom Family Matters. After the series ended in 1998, White starred in Grown Ups and had guest roles on such shows as Psych. In 2012, he joined the cast of Dancing With the Stars and became the host of Total Blackout.
Early Life
The son of a dentist, Jaleel White has earned a place in television history for his beloved character on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. He played Steve Urkel, a geeky kid with big glasses and undersized clothes, and his character became a pop-culture icon, appearing on everything from lunchboxes to T-shirts.
White discovered performing at an early age. Around the age of 3, he began working in commercials. One of White's first acting roles was on the hit comedy The Jeffersons, in which he played a piano prodigy. He soon landed a supporting role in Charlie & Co., playing the son of comedian Flip Wilson and singer Gladys Knight. Debuting in the fall of 1985, this family sitcom lasted for only one season.
'Family Matters'
Auditioning for what was supposed to be a one-time guest spot, White was up for the part of a nerdy neighbor on a new sitcom, Family Matters. The show focused on the lives of an African American police officer (Reginald VelJohnson), his wife (Jo Marie Payton) and their three children. To get into the part, White borrowed a pair of thick-framed glasses from his father. His performance as Steve Urkel won over the show's producers, who gave him a more substantial role in the series. Beginning its run after the debut of The Cosby Show, Family Matters became one of the few shows on television to depict the everyday life of an African-American family.
White became the breakout star of the show. Audiences delighted in Urkel's wacky antics, awkward outfits and cute catchphrases. Urkel even had his own dance and a line of merchandise including a talking doll. While on Family Matters, White worked on other projects as well. He voiced the title character on the animated series Sonic the Hedgehog and made guest appearances on other sitcoms, including Full House and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
After Family Matters ended in 1998, White worked hard to distance himself from his legendary character. He tried to show his more mature side by playing a young professional on the short-lived sitcom Grown Ups in 1999. Outside of acting, White completed his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2001. He earned a bachelor's degree in film and television.
Recent Projects
White started exploring a new medium in 2009, appearing in the Web series Race to the Altar. The following year, he tackled the Web himself, writing, directing, producing and starring in Fake It Til You Make It. White played a former child star who works as a celebrity image consultant.
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