Thomas Mikal Ford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Mikal Ford
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Ford in Harlem Nights, 1989
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| Born | September 5, 1964 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | October 12, 2016 (aged 52) Newnan, Georgia, U.S.
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| Other names | Tommy Ford |
| Education | University of Southern California |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1984–2016 |
| Known for | Thomas "Tommy" Strawn – Martin |
| Spouse(s) |
Gina Sasso
(m. 1997; div. 2014) |
| Children | 3 |
Thomas Mikal Ford (born September 5, 1964 – died October 12, 2016) was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for playing Thomas "Tommy" Strawn on the TV show Martin. This popular show aired on FOX from 1992 to 1997. Thomas Ford also played Mel Parker in the TV show The Parkers from 1999 to 2001. He was also known for his role as Lt. Malcolm Barker on New York Undercover.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Ford was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Long Beach, California. His mom worked as a school secretary, and his dad was a pipe-fitter. When he was a kid, Thomas wanted to be a preacher.
Later, he started taking drama lessons. He also acted in plays at his high school. This made him decide to become an actor instead. After college, he went to the University of Southern California. There, he earned a degree in acting.
Acting Career and Comedy
On the TV show Martin, Thomas Ford played a character named Tommy Strawn. For this role, he was nominated for an NAACP Image Awards in 1996. This award was for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy.
After Martin ended, Ford joined the detective show New York Undercover. He played Lieutenant Malcolm Barker. He also appeared on the TV show The Parkers. In this show, he played Mel Parker, who was Nikki's ex-husband and Kim's dad.
Thomas Ford was also known as "The Pope of Comedy." This was because he was a judge on a comedy show called Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes? on TV One. He also acted in movies like Class Act and Harlem Nights. In Harlem Nights, he played Tommy Smalls.
Directing and Community Work
In 1993, Thomas Ford directed and produced a play. It was called South of Where We Live. The play was about six African-American professionals. They returned to their old neighborhoods. There, they learned about social issues. The play was shown at the Ebony Showcase Theatre in Los Angeles. This theater was the oldest Black theater in the country. Ford chose this theater to help raise money for it. The theater was in danger of closing down.
That same year, he directed another play called Jonin'. This was a comedy about college life.
In 1998, Ford started a nonprofit organization called Be Still and Know. A nonprofit organization is a group that uses its money to help people, not to make a profit. This organization worked to build better communities for young people.
Books and Inspiration
Thomas Ford wrote two inspiring books for children. They were called Positive Attitude and I Am Responsible for Me. He spent time visiting schools. He wanted to inspire and encourage children. He taught them about being responsible.
In June 2016, just a few months before he passed away, Ford directed a documentary. It was about bullying. The documentary was called Through My Lens Atl and was shown in October 2016.
Personal Life and Passing
Thomas Ford was married to Gina Sasso from 1997 to 2014. They had two children together. He moved from Los Angeles to Florida around 2001. In 2015, he moved to Atlanta.
Thomas Ford passed away on October 12, 2016, at a hospital in the Atlanta area. He was 52 years old. He died due to a serious health issue.
