Franklyn Ajaye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Franklyn Ajaye
Ajaye in 1975
Born	(1949-05-13) May 13, 1949 (age 76) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, comedian
Years active	1973–present

Franklyn Ajaye (born May 13, 1949) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. As a stand-up comedian, he tells jokes and funny stories to a live audience. He started releasing comedy albums in the 1970s and has also acted in many movies and TV shows.

You might know him from the funny movie Car Wash (1976) or his role in the action film Convoy (1978). He has been entertaining people for over 50 years!

Early Life and Starting in Comedy

Franklyn Ajaye Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York, but he grew up in Los Angeles. His father was from a country in Africa called Sierra Leone, and his mother was American. Ajaye often joked that this made him a "true African-American."

He began his comedy career in the early 1970s. He released several popular comedy albums, including:

• Franklyn Ajaye, Comedian (1973)
• I'm a Comedian, Seriously (1974)
• Don't Smoke ..., Fry Your Hair (1977)
• Plaid Pants and Psychopaths (1986)
• Vagabond Jazz & the Abstract Truth (2004)

In 1973, he performed on national television for the first time on The Flip Wilson Show. A year later, he appeared on the famous The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. These appearances helped make him a well-known comedian.

In 1997, Ajaye moved to Melbourne, Australia. He became popular there for his live shows and for appearing on TV programs like The Panel and Thank God You're Here.

Acting Career

Besides comedy, Franklyn Ajaye is also a talented actor. He has appeared in many movies and television shows since the 1970s.

Movies

Some of his famous movie roles include:

• Car Wash (1976), where he played a character nicknamed "The Fly."
• Convoy (1978), playing a truck driver named Spider Mike.
• Stir Crazy (1980), a popular comedy with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.
• The 'Burbs (1989), a comedy starring Tom Hanks.
• Bridesmaids (2011), where he played the main character's father.

Television Shows

Ajaye has also been a guest star on many TV shows. He played a police-car thief on an episode of Barney Miller in 1976. More recently, he played the character Samuel Fields in the TV series Deadwood and returned for Deadwood: The Movie in 2019.

He also worked behind the scenes as a writer. He was nominated for two Emmy Awards, which are special awards for television. He was nominated for his writing on the comedy shows In Living Color and Politically Incorrect.

Writing and Influence

Franklyn Ajaye wrote a book called Comic Insights: The Art of Standup Comedy. In the book, he interviewed famous comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock. They share advice for people who want to become comedians.

His work has inspired other comedians. The British comedian Stewart Lee even based one of his routines on Ajaye's comedy album I'm a Comedian, Seriously.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of Franklyn Ajaye's roles in movies and on television.

Film

Television

Images for kids

• Hysterical (1983).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1982 film Hysterical

• The Wrong Guys (1988).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1988 film The Wrong Guys

• American Yakuza (1993).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1993 film American Yakuza

• Brown Shoe Polish (2001).jpg

  Ajaye in the 2001 short film Brown Shoe Polish

• Too Hip for the Room (2015).jpg

  Ajaye in the 2015 film Too Hip for the Room

• The Cheap Detective (1980).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1980 TV movie The Cheap Detective

• Hot Flashes (1984).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1984 TV series Hot Flashes

• Glory Years (1987).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1987 TV movie Glory Years

• 227 (1989).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1989 TV series 227

• The New WKRP in Cincinnati (1992).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1992 TV series The New WKRP in Cincinnati

• Frontline (1997).jpg

  Ajaye in the 1997 TV series Frontline

• Pirate Islands (2003).jpg

  Ajaye in the 2003 TV series Pirate Islands