Robin Hughes Harris Sr. (August 30, 1953 – March 18, 1990) was an American
comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing
Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...
and
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
, best known for his recurring comic sketch about "Bébé's Kids". He was posthumously nominated for the
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male was one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards. It was first presented in 1987, with Morgan Freeman being the first recipient, for his role as Fast Black in '' Street Smart''. It was last pre ...
for his performance in film ''
House Party
A house party is a type of party where people gather at the residence of the party's host.
Organization
A house party might be organized several months or just a few hours in advance. News of a party may be spread by personal invitations, ...
''.
Childhood
Robin Harris was born in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, coordinates =
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, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. His father, Earl, was a welder, and his mother, Mattie, was a factory seamstress.
In 1961, the family moved to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, where he attended Manual Arts High School. Harris then attended
Ottawa University
Ottawa University (OU) is a private Baptist university with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in ...
in
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
. During this time, he began to hone his craft of comedy. He worked for
Hughes Aircraft
The Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded on February 14, 1934 by Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting p ...
, a rental car company, and
Security Pacific Bank
Security Pacific National Bank (SPNB) was a large U.S. bank headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was acquired by Bank of America in 1992.
History
On September 1, 1868, Hellman, Temple and Co. opened their first bank branch in Los ...
to pay his bills. In 1980, he debuted at Los Angeles' Comedy Store.
Career
During the mid-1980s, Harris worked as the
master of ceremonies at the Comedy Act Theater. His "old school" brand of humor began to gain him a mainstream following. Harris made his acting debut playing a bartender in ''
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' is a 1988 American blaxploitation parody film written, directed by, and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans in his directorial debut. Featured in the film are several noteworthy African-American actors who were part of the g ...
'' (1988). Harris also had roles in 1989's ''
Do the Right Thing
''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackson, a ...
'' and ''
Harlem Nights
''Harlem Nights'' is a 1989 American crime comedy-drama film starring and directed by Eddie Murphy, who also wrote. The film co-stars Richard Pryor, Michael Lerner, Danny Aiello, Redd Foxx (in his last film appearance before his death in 1 ...
''. Harris played the father of
Kid
Kid, Kids, KIDS, and K.I.D.S. may refer to:
Common meanings
* Colloquial term for a child or other young person
** Also for a parent's offspring regardless of age
* Engage in joking
* Young goats
* The goat meat of young goats
* Kidskin, lea ...
in ''
House Party
A house party is a type of party where people gather at the residence of the party's host.
Organization
A house party might be organized several months or just a few hours in advance. News of a party may be spread by personal invitations, ...
'' (1990). He followed up later that year with a small role as a jazz club MC in ''
Mo' Better Blues
''Mo' Better Blues'' is a 1990 American musical comedy-drama film starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee, who also wrote, produced, and directed. It follows a period in the life of fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (played ...
''.
Bé-bé's Kids
In Harris' "Bé-bé's Kids" routines, Harris' girlfriend Jamika would insist that he take her son and her friend Bé-bé's three children with them on a date, as she continually agreed to babysit them. The children would regularly make a fool out of and/or annoy Harris. "We Bé-bé's kids", they would proclaim, "we don't die...we ''multiply.''"
The
Hudlin Brothers
Reginald Alan Hudlin (born December 15, 1961) is an American film screenwriter, director, producer, and comic-book writer. Along with his older brother Warrington Hudlin, he is known as one of the Hudlin Brothers. From 2005 to 2008, Hudlin was P ...
had intended to make a feature film based upon the "Bé-bé's Kids" sketches, but Harris died while the film was in pre-production. ''
Bébé's Kids
''Bebe's Kids'' (also marketed as ''Robin Harris' Bébé's Kids'') is a 1992 American adult animated comedy film produced by Hyperion Studio for Paramount Pictures. Directed by Bruce W. Smith, in his directorial debut, it is based upon comedia ...
'' instead became an
animated feature
These lists of animated feature films compiles animated feature films from around the world and is organized alphabetically under the year of release (the year the completed film was first released to the public). Theatrical releases as well as ...
. It was directed by
Bruce W. Smith
Bruce Wayne Smith (born September 6, 1961) is an African-American animator, character designer, film director and television producer. He is best known as the creator of Disney Channel's ''The Proud Family'' and '' The Proud Family: Louder and ...
and featured the voices of
Faizon Love
Faizon Andre Love (born Langston Faizon Santisima; June 14, 1968) is a Cuban-born American actor and comedian. He is best known for his roles in the comedy films '' The Meteor Man'', ''Don't Be a Menace'', ''Friday'', ''B*A*P*S'', ''Elf'', '' Th ...
(as Harris),
Vanessa Bell Calloway
Vanessa Bell Calloway ( Bell; born March 20, 1957) is an American actress. Beginning her career as a dancer, Bell Calloway became known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy ''Coming to America'', as well as for her roles ...
,
Marques Houston
Marques Barrett Houston (born August 4, 1981) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and actor. A member of the R&B group IMx, Immature/IMx from 1990 until 2002, Houston went solo in 2003. As an actor, he is best known for his ...
,
Nell Carter
Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy; September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress.
Carter began her career in 1970, singing in the theater, and later crossed over to television. She was best known for her role as Ne ...
, Jonell Green,
Rich Little
Richard Caruthers Little (born November 26, 1938) is a Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor. Sometimes known as the "Man of a Thousand Voices", Little has recorded nine comedy albums and made numerous television appearances, including ...
, and
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith (born March 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Tone Lōc (), is an American rapper, actor, and producer. He is known for his raspy voice, his hit songs " Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina", for which he was nomina ...
.
Death
In the early hours of March 18, 1990, Harris died in his sleep of a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
in the hotel room of his hometown Chicago's Four Seasons Hotel after performing for a sold out crowd at the
Regal Theater, at the age of 36.
His brother found him dead. Harris was transported back to California and interred in an indoor mausoleum at
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 East Florence Avenue in Inglewood, California, was founded in 1905.
A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed there.
History
The proposed est ...
, near Los Angeles.
At the time of Harris's March 1990 death, his wife was pregnant with their son, Robin Harris Jr.,
[ who was born six months later, in September 1990.
In 2006, a posthumous ]DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
, titled ''We Don't Die, We Multiply: The Robin Harris Story'' (2006), was released. The film features never-before-seen performances by Harris and accolades from such contemporaries as Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American comedian and actor. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. He got his start playin ...
, Bernie Mac
Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008), better known by his stage name Bernie Mac, was an American comedian and actor. Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined fell ...
, Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric Antonio Kyles (born April 24, 1964), better known by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He hosted BET's ''ComicView'' during the 1993–1994 season and ''Def Comedy Jam'' in 1995. He is bes ...
, D. L. Hughley
Darryl Lynn Hughley (; born March 6, 1963) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Hughley is best known as the original host of BET's ''ComicView'' from 1992 to 1993, the eponymous character on the ABC/ UPN sitcom ''The Hughleys'', and as ...
, Robert Townsend, and Joe Torry
Joe Torry is an American actor and comedian.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
*Joe Torry's Giving Back the Love Foundation
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Living ...
. The film features a rap performed and dedicated to Harris by his son, Robin, Jr.
Award nominations
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Robin
1953 births
1990 deaths
Male actors from Chicago
Comedians from Illinois
Ottawa University alumni
African-American male actors
American male film actors
American stand-up comedians
African-American male comedians
American male comedians
African-American stand-up comedians
American male voice actors
Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery
20th-century American comedians
20th-century American male actors
20th-century African-American people