Stand-ups on screen

Bernie Mac

On the stage… Bernie Mac was a fire-breathing spewer of insults, who fought his way to every accolade he ever received. His career started on the Chicago subway system, where he told jokes for tips, and then continued in various dumpy clubs where other comics refused to work. After winning the Miller Lite Comedy Search in 1990 he finally got his chance to shine on Def Comedy Jam.

On the big screen… Minor roles in films like “Mo’ Money” and “House Party 3” paved the way for larger supporting roles as the dry-witted security guard in “Bad Santa” and the crooked blackjack dealer in “Ocean’s Eleven.” But ironically enough, it was a sweeter and softer Mac that made him a household name, as the star of the long-running TV sitcom “The Bernie Mac Show.”