Michael Colyar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Colyar
Colyar in 2018.
Birth name	Michael K. Colyar
Born	(1957-02-09) February 9, 1957 (age 68) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television radio
Years active	1987–present
Genres	Conscious comedy Observational comedy black humor surreal humor satire self-deprecation
Subject(s)	African-American culture American politics current events everyday life marriage parenting pop culture race relations racism self-deprecation police recovery
Notable works and roles	House Party 3 Martin

Michael K. Colyar (born February 9, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and author. He is known for his energetic stand-up comedy and for appearing in many popular movies and TV shows.

Early Life and Schooling

Michael Colyar was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes public housing project before his family moved to the Morgan Park neighborhood.

He went to Morgan Park High School and graduated in 1975. After high school, he attended Olive-Harvey College and later studied at Chicago State University.

Career in Comedy and Acting

Colyar is famous for his work as a comedian. He often performed for people on the street at Venice Beach in California for many years. His big break came in 1990 when he won the comedy competition on the TV show Star Search. He won $100,000 and became known as "The King of Venice Beach."

After his win, Colyar began acting in movies and television. He is well-known for playing Showboat in the movie House Party 3 and for his role as Mr. Whitaker on the TV show Martin. He has also appeared in many other shows, including The Bernie Mac Show, Everybody Hates Chris, and Black-ish.

In 2009, he provided the voice for the character Buford in the Disney animated movie The Princess and the Frog.

Writing and Other Projects

Besides acting and comedy, Michael Colyar is also an author. In 2012, he wrote a book called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The White House....

He continues to perform and act in new projects. In 2022, he starred in the movie You Married Dat. He also appeared in the 2023 film Outlaw Johnny Black.

Selected Film and Television Roles

Michael Colyar has been in dozens of movies and TV shows since the late 1980s. Here are some of his well-known appearances.

Notable Films

• Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
• What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)
• House Party 3 (1994)
• Norbit (2007)
• The Princess and the Frog (2009) - as the voice of Buford
• Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)

Notable Television Shows

• Martin (1995-97) - as Mr. Whitaker
• Homeboys in Outer Space (1996) - as Milky Ray
• The Parkers (2002)
• Barbershop (2005)
• The Cleveland Show (2011) - as a voice actor
• Black-ish (2015) - as Reverend Hubbard
• The Ms. Pat Show (2023)