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. He started releasing comedy albums in 1973. Franklyn has also acted in many movies and TV shows since the 1970s. You might know him from the movie Car Wash (1976) or Convoy (1978).

Franklyn Ajaye's Early Life and Career Beginnings

Franklyn Ajaye Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Los Angeles. His father was from Sierra Leone, and his mother was American. Franklyn often jokes that this makes him a "true African-American." He also has a brother. Franklyn went to Dorsey High School in Crenshaw.

Franklyn started his comedy career by releasing several albums. He made his first TV appearance on The Flip Wilson Show in 1973. A year later, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Franklyn Ajaye's Move to Australia and TV Work

In 1997, Franklyn moved to Melbourne, Australia. He still visits the United States for TV work. His last American TV show was The Greenroom on Showtime in 2011. In Australia, he is well-known for appearing on shows like The Panel and Thank God You're Here. He also performed popular one-man comedy shows. These shows included "Nothing But The Truth" and "Vagabond Jazz & The Abstract Truth." He performed them at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Franklyn Ajaye's Acting Roles in Movies and TV Shows

Franklyn Ajaye has had many acting roles. He appeared in films such as Sweet Revenge (1976) and Car Wash (1976). Other movies include Convoy (1978) and Stir Crazy (1980). He was also in The Jazz Singer (1980) and Bridesmaids (2011). In Bridesmaids, he played the father of the character Lillian.

On TV, he was in an episode of Barney Miller in 1976. More recently, he played Samuel Fields in the TV show Deadwood. He played this role again in Deadwood: The Movie (2019). In 2013, he played Marvin Hudsfield in the Australian TV show Utopia.

Franklyn has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards. These nominations were for his writing on In Living Color (1990) and Politically Incorrect (1997). He also worked as an "executive consultant" and co-producer for the family comedy series The Parent 'Hood.

Franklyn Ajaye's Book for Aspiring Comedians

Franklyn Ajaye is also an author. He wrote a book called Comic Insights: The Art of Standup Comedy. This book shares advice for people who want to become stand-up comedians. It includes interviews with famous comedians. Some of these include Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Bill Maher, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Franklyn Ajaye's Influence on Other Comedians

Franklyn Ajaye's comedy has inspired other comedians. The British comedian Stewart Lee used Franklyn's album I'm a Comedian, Seriously as the basis for a routine on his TV show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle.

Franklyn Ajaye's Film Roles

Here are some of the movies Franklyn Ajaye has been in:

Franklyn Ajaye's Television Roles

Here are some of the TV shows Franklyn Ajaye has appeared in: