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ARSENIO HALL as Michael Atwood
Although he began performing (magic) at age seven, Arsenio Hall officially began his multifaceted career in 1979 when he tried stand-up comedy on a dare.
He moved to Chicago where he was discovered by songstress Nancy Wilson, who helped him relocate to Los Angeles. As a comedian, he opened for superstars such as Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Tom Jones, Wayne Newton, Tina Turner and Anita Baker.
His appearances in the early '80s on such shows as "Thicke of the Night" and "Solid Gold" led to an opportunity to replace Joan Rivers as host of "The Late Show." On the strength of his 13-week performance, he signed an exclusive, multi-film agreement with Paramount Pictures, the studio for which he wrote and appeared in the comedy hit, "Coming to America."
Soon after, Paramount Domestic Television offered him his own syndicated late-night show. "The Arsenio Hall Show" debuted in January, 1989, and forever changed the face and tempo of late-night entertainment. Hall was executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning show, which had a successful five-year run.
In 1992, Hall served as co-host (with Magic Johnson) and executive producer of an educational video, "Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You." He executive produced his first feature film, "Bopha!" The project, which starred Danny Glover, Alfre Woodard and Malcolm McDowell, was filmed in Zimbabwe and was directed by Morgan Freeman.
Deeply committed to social issues, Hall is actively involved with several charitable organizations, including AmFAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research), The Make-A-Wish Foundation, and The Starlight Foundation, which recognized him as Humanitarian of the Year in 1993. He was the National Ambassador for DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Magic Johnson Foundation. He was recognized by the congressional Black Caucus with its Chairman's Award for outstanding contributions to the African-American community.
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