Family Matters is a beloved and enduring television series that warmed the hearts of audiences for nine successful seasons. The show, which premiered in 1989, is a dramedy that revolves around the Winslow family, a middle-class African American family residing in the bustling city of Chicago. The Winslows are a relatable and charming family, who navigate the ups and downs of everyday life with humor, heart, and a touch of drama.
At the helm of the Winslow family is Carl Winslow, played by the talented Reginald VelJohnson. Carl is a loving husband, father, and dedicated police officer who works hard to provide for his family. His wife, Harriette Winslow, is brilliantly portrayed by Jo Marie Payton. Harriette is a strong, independent, and nurturing mother who keeps the family grounded and focused on what truly matters. Together, Carl and Harriette raise their three children: Eddie, Laura, and Judy. Each child has their own unique personality, struggles, and triumphs, making them a realistic and endearing representation of a modern American family.
One of the most iconic and unforgettable aspects of Family Matters is the presence of the Winslows' eccentric next-door neighbor, Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White. Steve is an ultra-nerd who is known for his high-pitched voice, thick-rimmed glasses, and suspenders. Despite his awkward and often clumsy demeanor, Steve quickly becomes an integral part of the Winslow family, providing endless comedic relief and heartwarming moments. Family Matters is, at its core, a show about the importance of family, community, and love, and Steve's inclusion in the series serves to emphasize these themes in a delightful and entertaining way. The show is a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, but it quickly found its footing and became a cultural phenomenon in its own right. Family Matters remains a timeless and cherished piece of television history, inspiring laughter, empathy, and a deep appreciation for the complexities and beauty of family life.
Main Cast of Family Matters
Reginald VelJohnson
Reginald VelJohnson (born August 16, 1952) is an American actor of film, stage and television, well known for his...
Darius McCrary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Darius Creston McCrary (born May 1, 1976) is an American film and television...
Jaleel White
Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976) is an American actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as...
Secondary Cast of Family Matters
Jaleel White
Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976) is an American actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as...
Marley Shelton
Marley Eve Shelton (born April 12, 1974) is an American film and television actress. Shelton began her acting career...
Fred Willard
Frederick Charles Willard (September 18, 1933 - May 15, 2020) was an American actor, comedian and voice over actor...
Peter Dennis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Peter John Dennis (25 October 1933 – 18 April 2009) was a Screen Actors Guild...
Eddie Mekka
The person Eddie Mekka was born on June 14, 1952 and passed away 3 years ago at the age of 69 on November 27, 2021.
Emmanuel Lewis
The person Emmanuel Lewis was born on March 9, 1971 and is currently 53 years old.
Ray Laska
The person Ray Laska was born on August 24, 1949 and is currently 75 years old.
J. August Richards
The person J. August Richards was born on August 28, 1973 and is currently 51 years old.
Mindy Sterling
Mindy Lee Sterling (born July 11, 1953) is an American actress. She portrayed Frau Farbissina in the Austin Powers...
Sondra Currie
The person Sondra Currie was born on January 11, 1947 and is currently 78 years old.
Jim Pirri
Born in 1967 in USA, after studying theater at the University of Colorado, he worked first in many theater projects,...
Greg Proops
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops (born October 3, 1959)[1] is an Americanactor, stand-up comedian and television host....
Sherman Hemsley
Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012) was an American actor, best known for his roles as...
Kyla Pratt
Kyla Alissa Pratt (born September 16, 1986) is an American actress and singer. She is also credited as Kyla A....
Missy Elliott
American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Elliott embarked on her music career with all-female R&B...
George Wyner
A native of Boston and graduate of Syracuse University, George has worked extensively in TV and film since 1972....
Bobby Brown
The person Bobby Brown was born on February 5, 1969 and is currently 56 years old.
Todd Susman
Todd Susman is an American stage and screen actor, appearing in many guest roles in film and television.
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is an American actress. As a voice actress, from 2009 to 2013, she...
Jeff Doucette
Jeffrey Doucette (born November 25, 1947) is an American character actor and voice actor. He has appeared in over 92...
Caryn Ward
Caryn Ward is a professionally trained dancer/choreographer who studied at the prestigious Alvin Ailey Dance Academy...
Ellen Albertini Dow
Ellen Rose Albertini Dow (November 16, 1913 – May 4, 2015) was an American film and television character actress and...
Michael McDonald
Michael James McDonald is an American actor, comedian, director, writer, and producer. He graduated from USC with a...
Valarie Rae Miller
Valarie Rae Miller (born April 16, 1974) is an American actress.
Rif Hutton
The person Rif Hutton was born on November 28, 1962 and is currently 62 years old.
Keone Young
The person Keone Young was born on September 6, 1947 and is currently 77 years old.
David St. James
David St. James was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. He is an actor, known for The West Wing (1999), iCarly (2007) and...
Mark Linn-Baker
Mark Linn-Baker is an American stage and screen actor and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Larry...
Pat Morita
Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita (June 28, 1932 - November 24, 2005) was an American actor of Japanese descent who was...
John Lacy
John Lacy is an American actor-director-writer living in Los Angeles. John was born in Iowa City where his father,...
Spencer Garrett
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Spencer Garrett (born September 19, 1963) is an American actor who has...
Kevin Mambo
The person Kevin Mambo was born on June 29, 1972 and is currently 52 years old.
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor. Having his first major roles in the 1995 films...
Jim Meskimen
Jim Ross Meskimen (born September 10, 1959) is an American comedian and actor, perhaps best known for his work on...
Tom Poston
Thomas Gordon "Tom" Poston (October 17, 1921 – April 30, 2007) was an American television and film actor. He starred...
Christopher Darga
Christopher Darga is an actor and producer.
Vivica A. Fox
Vivica Anjanetta Fox (born July 30, 1964) is an American actress and television producer. She is best known for her...
Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba (born December 20, 1963) is a Pakistani actor. Theba is best known for his recurring role as Principal...
Ron Taylor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Ronald James Taylor (October 16, 1952 – January 16, 2002) was an American...
Tammy Townsend
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Tammy Townsend (born Tamara Townsend; August 17, 1970) is an American...
Mark L. Taylor
The person Mark L. Taylor was born on October 25, 1950 and is currently 74 years old.
Ron Glass
Ronald Earle Glass (July 10, 1945 - November 25, 2016) was an American actor and director, known for Barney Miller...
Kathryn Joosten
Joosten was born in Chicago. Her first career was as a psychiatric nurse at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago,...
Tim Russ
Timothy Darrell "Tim" Russ (born June 22, 1956, height 6' (1,83 m)) is an American actor, film director,...
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Frederick James Prinze Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American actor, writer, and producer. He has starred in films...
Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate (born September 8, 1975) is an American film and television actor. Tate was born on the west side of...
Essence Atkins
Essence Uhura Atkins (born February 7, 1972) is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Dee Dee...
Danielle Nicolet
Danielle Nicolet (born November 24, 1973) is an American television and film actress.
Clyde Kusatsu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clyde Kusatsu (born September 13, 1948) is a U.S. actor. Kusatsu was born...
John Mariano
John Mariano was born on August 5, 1960 in Astoria, New York, USA. He is an actor.
Holmes Osborne
Holmes Osborne (born November 7, 1947) is an American character actor who has worked in film and television,...
Carl Gilliard
Carl is a native of Chicago, attended high school in Detroit (Osborn High) and received his degree from Michigan...
Mailon Rivera
The person Mailon Rivera was born on October 4, 1969 and is currently 55 years old.
Judyann Elder
The person Judyann Elder was born on January 1, 1948 and is currently 77 years old.
Dave Koz
The person Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 and is currently 61 years old.
Derek McGrath
Derek McGrath was born on June 4, 1951 in Porcupine, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor, known for My Secret Identity...
Garcelle Beauvais
Garcelle Beauvais (born November 26, 1966) is a Haitian-American actress and former fashion model. She is best known...
Robert Noble
The person Robert Noble was born on January 12, 1950 and is currently 75 years old.
Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera (January 12, 1987 – July 8, 2020) was an American actress, model, and singer.
Juan Pope
The person Juan Pope was born on January 1, 1967 and is currently 58 years old.
Kenny Johnson
Kenneth Allen Johnson is an American actor, producer, and former model. He's well known for his portrayal of...
Carl Ciarfalio
Actor and Stuntman Carl Ciarfalio has played dozens of anonymous henchman roles in action movies such as Death Wish...
Bob Glouberman
Bob Glouberman (born May 3, 1968) is an American actor who has appeared in over 100 television shows, mainly...
David L. Lander
David L. Lander was born on June 22, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as David Leonard Landau. He was an actor and...
Ron Canada
Ron Canada is an American actor and producer who began his acting career in 1978. Canada has had a long career in...
Ziggy Marley
David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, and the...
Philip Tan
Phil Tan was born in Singapore where he spent his childhood and then at the age of five moved to the UK. Phil...
Thomas Rosales Jr.
Thomas Rosales Jr. (born 3 February 1948) is an American stunt man who has appeared in more than one hundred and...
Mary Pat Gleason
Mary Pat Gleason (February 23, 1950 - June 2, 2020) was an American film and television actress. From 1983–85 she...
Marlon Young
The person Marlon Young was born on February 9, 1962 and is currently 63 years old.
Jennie Kwan
Jennie Kwan (born September 9, 1973) is an American television, film, and voice actress. She played Samantha "Sam"...
Gregg Binkley
Gregg Binkley was born on March 20, 1963. He is an actor and director.
Terry Sweeney
Donovan McCrary
Jester Hairston
Johnny Gill
Larry Csonka
Randy Josselyn
Michael Chambers
Dee Jay Daniels
Hana Hatae
Mike Adamle
Charlie Dell
Charles Ardell Smith, known professionally as Charlie Dell, is an American actor, voice actor, and comedian. He is...
Kim Valentine
Christopher Birt
Ron Orbach
Rachel Griffin
Johnny Brown
Monique Lanier
Howard George
Joe Mays
William Long Jr.
Young Rome
Kelton Kessee
Joseph Wright
Julius Wright
Daniel Faraldo
Thom Curley
Loretta Jean
Jesse Stock
Ron Smith
Lisa Marie Russell
Galen Tomlinson
Larry Thompson
Annie Gagen
Gregory Garcia
Ryan Hart
Jacqueline Ann Shaw
Michael Griswold
Keri Johnson
Tracie Spencer
Wayne Dillon
Robert Kotto
Dennis Parizek
Tracy Lanier
Phillip Johnson
Eric Jerome Kirkland
Gabriel Pelino
Marita Stavrou
Meghan O'Sullivan
Chris Villa
Susan Scott Dawkins
Marcia Jeffries
Billy Boulton
Benny Luciano
Terence Mathews
Andrea White
Kyndra Joy Casper
Sonya Haynes
Lewis Dauber
Richard Vidan
Lisa Colbert
Shari Shaw
Anthony Franco
Mike Guy
Russell Sanderlin Sr.
Cerita Monet Bickelmann
Alfred Nevarez
Jamie Lamar Jones
Delious
Tony Borowiak
Jabu Dinani
Kellie Beals
Tim Padilla
Renee Tenison
John Patrick White
Cedella Marley
Sanetta Y. Gipson
Julie Uribe
Lira Angel
Leo D. Frank III
Phynjuar
Ed Cambridge
Oscar Dillon
Carmen Carter
Lynette Lane
Gigi Worth
Lorraine Devon Wilke
Brian J. Williams
Brian Blondell
Pat Millicano
Pat Millicano is an actor and producer.
Michael Caldwell
Murray Korda
John Del Regno
Tanika Ray
Cody Dorkin
Milton James
Bill Moynihan
Joel Anderson
Sylver Gregory
Raymond D. Turner
Alli Spotts
Mindy Hester
Crew of Family Matters
Full backstage crew list →- Released on September 22, 1989