Arsenio Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arsenio Hall
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Hall in July 2012
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| Born | February 12, 1956 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Kent State University |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
| Partner(s) | Cheryl Bonacci (1987–2002) |
| Children | 1 |
Arsenio Hall (born February 12, 1956) is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is best known for hosting his own late-night talk show, The Arsenio Hall Show. This popular show ran from 1989 to 1994 and then again from 2013 to 2014.
Arsenio Hall has appeared in several movies and TV shows. These include Coming to America (1988), Coming 2 America (2021), and Harlem Nights (1989). He also hosted Star Search and was a sidekick on Thicke of the Night.
In 2012, he won the reality competition show Celebrity Apprentice 5 on NBC.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Arsenio Hall was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was a Baptist minister. When he was a child, Hall enjoyed performing magic tricks. He finished high school in 1973 in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Later, he studied at Ohio University and Kent State University.
Arsenio Hall's Career Journey
Hall moved to Chicago and then Los Angeles to start his comedy career. He made a few appearances on the TV show Soul Train. In 1984, he worked as an announcer for Alan Thicke on the talk show Thicke of the Night.
He was also a celebrity guest on the game show Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. From 1986 to 1987, he was the original voice of Winston Zeddemore in the cartoon series The Real Ghostbusters. In 1988, he acted alongside Eddie Murphy in the comedy film Coming to America.
Hosting Talk Shows
In 1987, Arsenio Hall became a guest host on The Late Show. His time as host was very popular. This led to him getting his own talk show.
On January 2, 1989, The Arsenio Hall Show began. It was a huge success, especially with younger audiences. The show was famous for its audience's unique way of cheering. Instead of clapping, they would chant "Woof, woof, woof!" and pump their fists. This cheer became a well-known part of popular culture.
Hall also had a friendly rivalry with Jay Leno, who hosted The Tonight Show.
Supporting Important Causes
Arsenio Hall used his fame to support important causes. He spoke out for gay rights early on. He also helped fight prejudice against HIV/AIDS. Hall and Magic Johnson filmed a public service announcement about HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s. This helped raise awareness about the virus.
Other TV and Radio Work
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Between 1988 and 1991, Hall hosted the MTV Video Music Awards. He has been a guest on many talk shows and game shows. After his first talk show ended, Hall starred in the sitcom Arsenio (1997). He also appeared in Martial Law (1998–2000) with Sammo Hung.
From 2003 to 2004, he hosted the new version of Star Search. On this show, he made the phrase "Hit me with the digits!" very popular. He also appeared on Chappelle's Show in 2004.
Hall was considered to host the game show Deal or No Deal. He filmed a pilot episode, but Howie Mandel was chosen as the host instead. Hall was a regular guest on The Jay Leno Show and Lopez Tonight. George Lopez has said that Arsenio Hall inspired him to become a late-night host.
In 2012, Hall was a contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice 5. He played for the Magic Johnson Foundation. This charity helps minorities and raises awareness about HIV/AIDS. Hall won the competition, beating singer Clay Aiken. He won $250,000 for his charity.
The Arsenio Hall Show returned on September 9, 2013. However, it was canceled after one season due to low ratings. The last episode aired on May 30, 2014. In January 2024, Arsenio appeared in a short segment at the Emmys.
Personal Life
Arsenio Hall has one son, who was born in 1998. Hall decided to take time off from his career to raise his son. He later decided to return to television.
Awards and Recognition
- 1988 NAACP Image Award for his role in Coming to America.
- 1989 American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Coming to America).
- In 1992, he received an honorary degree from Central State University.
Film Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Amazon Women on the Moon | Apartment Victim | |
| 1988 | Coming to America | Semmi, Extremely Ugly Girl, Morris, Reverend Brown | |
| 1989 | Harlem Nights | Reggie (The Crying Man) | |
| 1989 | Paula Abdul: Straight Up | Himself | Music video |
| 1994 | Blankman | Himself | |
| 2005 | The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie | Himself | |
| 2005 | The Proud Family Movie | Dr. Carver, Bobby Proud | |
| 2006 | Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! | Captain Crothers | |
| 2007 | Heckler | Himself | |
| 2008 | Igor | Carl Cristall | |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Tasty Freeze | |
| 2017 | Gilbert | Himself | |
| 2017 | Sandy Wexler | Himself | |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Semmi, Morris, Reverend Brown, Baba (witch doctor), Extremely Ugly Girl (archival footage) |
Television Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981, 1989 | Soul Train | Himself | 2 episodes | |
| 1982 | Madame's Place | Himself | ||
| 1982 | Elvira's Movie Macabre | Dr. Mustapha Abdul Raheem Jamaal X Muhammad, Tyrone | ||
| 1983 | The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour | Host | ||
| 1983–1984 | Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour | Celebrity panelist | ||
| 1983–1984 | Thicke of the Night | Actor / Himself (1984) | ||
| 1985 | The Motown Revue Starring Smokey Robinson | Regular | ||
| 1985 | New Love, American Style | Actor | ||
| 1986 | The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Cleavon | Episode titled Happy Birthday air date March 23, 1986 |
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| 1986–1987 | The Real Ghostbusters | Winston Zeddemore, Mooglie | seasons 1–3 | |
| 1987 | Uptown Comedy Express | Himself | ||
| 1987 | Comedy Club | Himself | ||
| 1987–1988 | The Late Show | Host | ||
| 1988 | Solid Gold | Himself | ||
| 1989 | Comic Relief III | Himself | ||
| 1989–1994 | The Arsenio Hall Show | Host | Also writer and producer | |
| 1990 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Himself | ||
| 1990 | Cheers | Himself | ||
| 1992 | Ebony/Jet Showcase | Himself | ||
| 1992 | The Jackie Thomas Show | Himself | Ep. "The Joke" | |
| 1993 | Blossom | Himself | ||
| 1994 | Living Single | Himself | ||
| 1997 | Arsenio | Michael Atwood | ||
| 1997 | Behind the Music | Himself | Ep. "MC Hammer: Behind the Music #2" | |
| 1997 | Muppets Tonight | Guest | ||
| 1998 | Intimate Portrait | Narrator | ||
| 1998–2000 | Martial Law | Terrell Parker | 36 episodes | |
| 2000 | The Norm Show | Joe | Episode titled Norm vs. the Kid air date December 8, 2000 |
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| 2002–2003 | Hollywood Squares | Celebrity panel | ||
| 2003–2004 | Star Search | Host | ||
| 2003 | Tinseltown TV | Himself | ||
| 2004 | CBS Cares | Himself | PSA | |
| 2008–2009 | The World's Funniest Moments | Host | ||
| 2009–2010 | The Jay Leno Show | Correspondent | ||
| 2009 | Brothers | Himself | ||
| 2012 | The Celebrity Apprentice 5 | Contestant | Winner of competition | |
| 2013–2014 | The Arsenio Hall Show | Host | Also producer | |
| 2015–2016 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Himself - Guest star | ||
| 2016 | Greatest Hits | Host | ||
| 2017–2018 | The Mayor | Ocho Okoye | Guest; 2 episodes | |
| 2018 | All About the Washingtons | Himself | Guest; 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Episode | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–2008 | Biography | 5 episodes | ||
| 2001 | E! True Hollywood Story | |||
| 2008 | Pioneers of Television (PBS) | |||
| 2012 | American Masters |
Music Albums
As "Chunky A"
- Large and in Charge (1989)
See also
In Spanish: Arsenio Hall para niños
