Biography
Who is Martin Lawrence?
Early life
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt, West Germany. His father, John Lawrence, served in the United States Air Force at the time of his birth. His first and middle names honored civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. And U.S. President John F. Kennedy. When he was seven years old, his father left the military, and the family relocated to the United States, settling in Landover, Maryland. Following his parents' divorce when he was eight years old, he rarely saw his father, who worked as a police officer.
Career beginnings
In his early days, Martin Lawrence performed comedy shows around the Washington, D.C. Area while supporting himself through odd jobs. Comedian Ritch Shydner saw his act and advised him to make industry connections in New York City. Lawrence moved to New York and found work at the comedy club The Improv. He later appeared on the television competition show Star Search, reaching the final round before losing.
Television and film success
Martin Lawrence achieved big television success by co-creating and starring in the Fox sitcom Martin, which ran from 1992 to 1997 and served as the flagship of the network's Thursday night line-up. In 1994, he hosted Saturday Night Live, though an unscripted monologue involving crude remarks led to a temporary ban from NBC until network executives issued an apology. His sitcom ratings significantly boosted Fox's status as a major television network competitor.
Relationships and family
Martin Lawrence was engaged to actress Lark Voorhies in 1993. He married Miss Virginia USA Patricia Southall in 1995, and they had a daughter named Jasmine Page before divorcing in 1997. He later began a relationship with Shamicka Gibbs, with whom he had two daughters, Iyanna Faith and Amara Trinity. The couple married on July 10, 2010, at his Beverly Hills home with guests including Eddie Murphy and Denzel Washington in attendance. Lawrence filed for divorce from Gibbs in April 2012.
Birthday and age
Martin Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965, which makes Martin 61 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Martin shares the date with 55 other famous people.
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