Hi everyone,

I've been binge-watching "Family Matters" lately and noticed an interesting tidbit: Jaleel White is one of the most underrated physical comics of all time.

Jaleel's character, Urkel, was scrawny, nerdy, wore glasses AND was the butt of everyone's jokes; if anything, Jaleel is anything BUT that.

As a young teenager, I read once that Jaleel would often, in between takes of "Family Matters," play Basketball with George Clooney (then starring on NBC's hit Hospital Drama "ER" at the time, which like "Family Matters" was filmed at the Warner Bros. Studio lot in beautiful downtown Burbank, California).

Born in Pasadena, California on November 27, 1976, Jaleel Ahmad White is the only child of parents Michael, a Dentist, and Gail, a homemaker.

At age 12, in 1989, Jaleel won the part of Steve Urkel on the hit '80s sitcom "Family Matters," initially for a one-shot guest appearance, but Urkel quickly became a pop-culture phenomenon and the show's biggest star, as portrayed by Jaleel, who'd stay for the rest of the show's 9-year run.

In May 1997, after 8 seasons, ABC canceled "Family Matters" due to disappointing ratings; the following Fall, CBS picked up the show, only to set it cancelled again (this time for good), with the hour-long finale, "Lost in Space," (split into 2 parts), airing in July 1998.

By 2009, Jaleel became a father to daughter Samaya (now age 7) from his brief marriage to Bridget Hardy; by 2012, the marriage was over after Bridget filed domestic violence charges against Jaleel--which thank God were soon dropped.

I love the look that Steve would get on his face when Carl yells out his name after Steve doesn't hear it the first two times. :D :D :D

God bless you always!!! :) :) :)

Holly

P.S. My most favorite is when Carl finally gets Steve to stop singing "Day O" when Carl had to guard Steve after his stopping the grocery store robbery. :D :D :D

Indeed, Jaleel is very underrated as an actor. But that is what happens some times, when you have become that associated with one character. Jaleel will forever be Steve Urkel, and to a lesser extent Sonic the Hedgehog, in people's minds. And nobody will take him seriously in other roles after that happened.

It is very sad that his ex-wife seems to have been such a bitch. I hope that he and his daughter have a good life though.

I always wondered what happened to Jaleel White after Family Matters ended because I knew that he did voices for cartoons and was in Warner Brothers animated movie Quest For Camelot where he voiced the character Bladebeak. Jaleel also did a movie called Who Made The Potato Salad? and starred in Dreamgirls. I wish Jaleel White would make a comeback to TV with another sitcom because he was funny in Family Matters and another sitcom would work wonders for Jaleel White to make a comeback
Bestie

Last night, I happened to come across a documentary about the show. Eight of the mayor cast members were even re-united. JoMarie Peyton said that if they got a script for a re-boot, they would have no hesitation about doing it. And when you consider that several other 90s sitcoms have been re-booted during that last few years, that sounds like a good idea.