Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Active - 1986 - 2017  |   Born - Aug 18, 1970 in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States  |   Genres - Comedy, Drama, Science Fiction

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Biography by AllMovie

Best-known as teenage son Theo on the legendary sitcom The Cosby Show, Malcolm-Jamal Warner had already made a handful of TV appearances when he joined the show's cast in 1984. The precocious 14 year old showed up for the last day of casting, but quickly won over the producers and remained with the show until it ended its run in 1992. Warner would go on to try his hand at several other projects, starring in the comedy series Here and Now until 1993 and taking on the role of The Producer on the children's series The Magic School Bus from 1994 to 1997. Warner would also star in the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie starting in 1996, staying with the show until 2000. In 2003, the actor began appearing on the sci-fi series Jeremiah and continued with the show until it was canceled in 2004. Warner would then take on the recurring role of Bernie on the sports-oriented comedy Listen Up in 2005, and subsequently kept busy making appearances on shows like Dexter and The Cleaner. In 2009, Warner found yet another outlet for his talents on the small screen, joining Sherri Shepherd on the sitcom Sherri. Though the series didn't last, it did provide Warner's television career with a satisfying second wind that was highlighted by a leading role on the BET comedy series Reed Between the Lines (which won him an Image Award), and a recurring character on NBC's Community.

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Factsheet

  • Was named in honor of civil rights activist Malcolm X and musician Ahmad Jamal.
  • Grew up in Los Angeles, CA, where he began acting at the age of 9 in a children's workshop at The Inglewood Playhouse in Inglewood, CA.
  • Wrote Theo and Me: Growing Up Okay, an advice book for teens, in 1988. 
  • Made TV directorial debut in a 1990 Cosby Show episode titled "Off to See the Wretched".  
  • Took up playing the bass in 1996 to relieve work-related stress from shooting the TV series Malcolm & Eddie.    
  • Formed a jazz-funk band called Miles Long, which released its debut album, The Miles Long Mixtape, in 2003.
  • Debuted his one-man show Love & Other Social Issues at the National Black Theatre Festival in 2003.