Thomas Mikal Ford
American actor and comedian (1964–2016)
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Key Takeaways
- Thomas Mikal Ford (September 5, 1964 – October 12, 2016) was an American actor and comedian.
- He also had a recurring role as Mel Parker in the sitcom The Parkers from 1999 until 2001.
- Malcolm Barker on New York Undercover .
- His mother worked as a school secretary and his father as a pipe-fitter.
- When he took drama lessons and started acting in high school plays, he decided to go into acting instead.
Thomas Mikal Ford (September 5, 1964 – October 12, 2016) was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his role as Thomas "Tommy" Strawn in the sitcom Martin, which originally aired from 1992 until 1997. He also had a recurring role as Mel Parker in the sitcom The Parkers from 1999 until 2001. He also was known for his role as Lt. Malcolm Barker on New York Undercover.
Early life and education
Ford was born in Los Angeles and raised in Long Beach, California. His mother worked as a school secretary and his father as a pipe-fitter. As a child, Ford wanted to be a preacher. When he took drama lessons and started acting in high school plays, he decided to go into acting instead. After earning an Associate of Arts from Long Beach City College in 1985, Ford transferred to the University of Southern California, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting.
Career
In Martin, Ford played Tommy Strawn; for this role, he received an NAACP Image Awards nomination in 1996 in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
After Martin ended, Ford found success in the detective drama New York Undercover as Lieutenant Malcolm Barker. He appeared in the sitcom The Parkers in the recurring role of Nikki's ex-husband and Kim's father, Mel Parker, in seven episodes. He played Ben Cummings in The Power of Passion as one of the characters whose wife cheats on him with the pastor. He was also known as "The Pope of Comedy", due to exposure as a judge in TV One's comedy competition show Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes? In feature films, Ford appeared in the Kid 'n Play movie Class Act as Mink. In Harlem Nights, he played Tommy Smalls, the brother of Arsenio Hall's character. In 1997, he played Detective Siegel in the crime drama Against the Law.
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