Bernie Mac facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bernie Mac
Mac on the set of Soul Men in Memphis, Tennessee in March 2008, five months before his death.
Birth name	Bernard Jeffrey McCullough
Born	(1957-10-05)October 5, 1957 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	August 9, 2008(2008-08-09) (aged 50) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Washington Memory Gardens Homewood, Illinois, U.S.
Medium	Film, stand-up comedy, television
Education	Chicago Vocational High School
Years active	1977–2008
Genres	Observational comedy
Spouse	Rhonda McCullough ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	1
Notable works and roles	Bernie McCullough – The Bernie Mac Show Floyd Henderson – Soul Men Gin Slagel – Bad Santa Frank Catton – Ocean's Trilogy

Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (born October 5, 1957 – died August 9, 2008), known as Bernie Mac, was a famous American comedian and actor. He grew up in Chicago and became well-known for his stand-up comedy. Bernie Mac was part of a popular comedy group called The Original Kings of Comedy with Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L. Hughley.

Bernie Mac also starred in many movies and TV shows. He played Frank Catton in the Ocean's Eleven movies and was the main character in Mr. 3000. He also had his own TV show, The Bernie Mac Show, which ran from 2001 to 2006. This show earned him two nominations for the Emmy Award for best actor in a comedy series.

Some of his other movies include The Players Club, Head of State, Bad Santa, Guess Who, Pride, and Soul Men.

Early Life and School

Bernard Jeffrey McCullough was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 5, 1957. He was the second child of Mary McCullough and Jeffrey Harrison. Bernie Mac was raised by his mother and grandparents on the south side of Chicago. His mother passed away from cancer when he was 16 years old.

He went to Chicago Vocational High School and graduated in 1975. Before becoming a full-time comedian, Bernie Mac worked many different jobs. He was a janitor, a coach, a mover, a cook, and even a bus driver. He also delivered Wonder Bread and worked for UPS. During these years, he performed comedy on weekends at clubs and parties.

His Comedy Journey

Becoming a Star

Bernie Mac was inspired by comedians like Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, and also by The Three Stooges. He started doing stand-up comedy at the Cotton Club in Chicago. His career really took off when he won the Miller Lite Comedy Search at age 32.

A big moment for him was a performance on HBO's Def Comedy Jam. The crowd was getting rowdy, but Bernie Mac bravely went on stage and told them he wasn't afraid. This performance made him famous.

He also opened shows for big stars like Dionne Warwick and Natalie Cole. Bernie Mac had small roles in movies like House Party 3 and Friday. He also had a short talk show on HBO called Midnight Mac.

The Bernie Mac Show

Bernie Mac at the Transformers movie premiere in June 2007

In 2001, the Fox TV network gave Bernie Mac his own sitcom, The Bernie Mac Show. In the show, he played a fictional version of himself. The show often made jokes about things that happened in Bernie's real life.

Bernie Mac was a huge fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team. He would often mention his favorite team in episodes. He even wore a White Sox jacket and cap in one episode to celebrate their 2005 World Series championship.

The Bernie Mac Show ended in 2006. It won many awards, including an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing" and a Peabody Award. His character on the show was even ranked among the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" by TV Guide.

While starring in his show, Bernie Mac also appeared in movies like Bad Santa, Head of State, Mr. 3000, and Guess Who?.

Later Years and Health

In 2007, Bernie Mac shared that he planned to retire from stand-up comedy after 30 years. He wanted to focus on producing films and enjoy his life more. He had been performing on the road for many weeks each year since 1977.

During his later years, Bernie Mac continued to have success as an actor. He appeared in the 2007 movie Transformers as a car salesman. He also voiced Zuba, Alex the Lion's father, in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. He co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson in the comedy Soul Men. These last two movies were released after he passed away. His very last movie role was in Old Dogs, which came out a year after his death.

Bernie Mac had a health condition called sarcoidosis, which caused inflammation in his body, especially his lungs. On July 19, 2008, he was admitted to the hospital in Chicago. After being treated for three weeks, Bernie Mac passed away on August 9, 2008, at the age of 50, due to complications from sarcoidosis.

Thousands of people attended his public memorial service. Many famous friends and colleagues, including Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson, and his Kings of Comedy co-stars, were there to remember him.

His Lasting Impact

Bernie Mac's movies Soul Men and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa were released after his death and were dedicated to him. His final film, Old Dogs, was also released later. The 2008 Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago, held on the day he died, was also dedicated to his memory.

On November 14, 2016, Chicago's Mayor declared November 14 as "Bernie Mac Day." Also, the auditorium at his old high school, Chicago Vocational High School, was renamed the "Bernie Mac Auditorium."

In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine named Bernie Mac as one of the 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time.

Personal Life

Bernie Mac married his high school sweetheart, Rhonda Gore, on September 17, 1977. They had one daughter named Je'Niece, who was born in 1978.

Bernie Mac was a huge fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team. In 2003, he sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at a Chicago Cubs game. Instead of singing "root, root, root for the Cubbies," he sang "root, root, root for the champs!" Some fans joked that this "jinxed" the Cubs, who ended up losing the game and the series. Bernie Mac later admitted he had always been a White Sox fan.

Before his death, Bernie Mac had some health challenges. In 2004, he had to stop filming for a few weeks because he got pneumonia in both lungs and was very tired.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Bernie Mac para niños