Mark Christopher Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Christopher Lawrence
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Lawrence at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born | May 22, 1964 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor, stand-up comedian, voice-over artist |
| Years active | 1987–present |
Mark Christopher Lawrence (born May 22, 1964) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and voice-over artist. He is well-known for his role as the unique D.J. Tone Def in the 1994 comedy movie Fear of a Black Hat.
Lawrence has also appeared in many popular films. These include Child's Play 3 (1991), Crimson Tide (1995), Sprung (1997), Garfield: The Movie (2004), and The Island (2005). He is especially famous for playing Big Mike on the TV series Chuck. He has also made guest appearances on many other TV shows, such as Heroes, My Name Is Earl, Seinfeld, and Good Luck Charlie.
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Early Life and Acting Journey
Mark Christopher Lawrence grew up in Compton, California. He and his two siblings were raised by their single mother. When he was in tenth grade, he joined his high school's debate team. He loved competing in public speaking events and acting in plays.
After winning a competition in his school district, Lawrence continued to compete at state and national levels. He was part of the Cerritos Community College debate team. There, he won the Bovero-Tabor Award, which is given to the best community college speaker in the country.
College and First Roles
Lawrence's talent caught the eye of the University of Southern California’s debate team coaches. He received a full scholarship to attend the university. While at USC, he traveled across the country for tournaments. At the same time, he gained acting experience by working at the Los Angeles Theater Center. A Hollywood talent agent noticed his skills there and helped him get his first TV job on Hill Street Blues.
After graduating from USC, he worked with the San Francisco Mime Troupe. He also performed stand-up comedy in the United States, Australia, and Canada. He even opened shows for famous comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Rodney Dangerfield.
Lawrence's work in live theater earned him a Dramalogue Award for his performance in Reza Abdoh’s Minimanta. In 1990, he won an NAACP award for his role in Ken Davis' The Glass House. This role helped him get noticed by director James Cameron, who then cast him in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Movies and TV Shows
Mark Christopher Lawrence has had a long career in both movies and television. He has played many different characters, showing his range as an actor.
Selected Film Roles
Lawrence has appeared in a variety of films. Here are some of his notable movie roles:
- 1991: Terminator 2: Judgment Day as Burly Attendant
- 1991: Child's Play 3 as Cop
- 1993: Fear of a Black Hat as "Tone Def"
- 1995: Crimson Tide as Rono, Chief Culinary Specialist
- 2001: Planet of the Apes as Friend At Leo's Party
- 2004: Garfield: The Movie as Christopher Mello
- 2005: The Island as Construction Worker
- 2006: The Pursuit of Happyness as Wayne
- 2009: Halloween II as Deputy Fred King
- 2014: Cooties as Mr. Pederson
- 2022: Family Camp as Pastor Dave
Selected Television Roles
Lawrence has also been a familiar face on television. He has appeared in many popular shows:
- 1992: Seinfeld as Skycap (Episode: "The Airport")
- 1993: Martin as Security Guard (Episode: "Hollywood Swinging: Part 2")
- 1994: Murphy Brown as Trekker (Episode: "Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio?")
- 1997: Men Behaving Badly as Russell (Recurring role)
- 2000: Malcolm in the Middle as Sheriff #1 (Episode: "Traffic Jam")
- 2001: Dharma & Greg as Arnold (Episode: "Do the Hustle")
- 2006: My Name Is Earl as Jack Knox (Episode: "Stole P's HD Cart")
- 2007: Heroes as Mr. Lamont (Episode: "Chapter Four 'The Kindness of Strangers'")
- 2007-2012: Chuck as Michael "Big Mike" Tucker (Main cast for seasons 2–5)
- 2013: Good Luck Charlie as Bernie (Episode: "Duncan Dream House")
- 2014-2015: Kirby Buckets as Coach Batchelder (Two episodes)
- 2021-2025: All the Queen's Men as Gene Marks (Recurring role)
