Biography for Damon Wayans

Date of Birth
4 September 1960, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name
Damon Kyle Wayans

Height
6' 2" (1.88 m)

Mini Biography

An outrageous cueball-domed comedian of film and TV satire fortified
by a dazzling, sly smile, New York-born Damon Wayans was the third of
ten children born to a grocery store manager and a social worker and
grew up humbly in the Fulton Housing Projects. He began zeroing in on
his comedic skills while still a child, conjuring up a number of weird
characters that were later utilized on his older brother Keenen Ivory
Wayans' ground-breaking "In Living Color" (1990), the show that made
Damon a huge comedy star.

Ostracized by other children due to a severe physical disability--a
club foot--humor was a strong part of helping Damon overcome a
severely painful and debilitating childhood. He wore leg braces,
orthopedic shoes and endured numerous surgeries before his affliction
was corrected. Dropping out of high school in the ninth grade, he
worked various jobs (mail clerk, etc.) until following older brother
Keenen out to Hollywood to seek comedy fame and fortune. Doing the
typical L.A. stand-up scene starting in 1982, he toured in national
comedy club circuits until earning a regular featured slot on
"Saturday Night Live" (1975) for one season (1985-1986). On the big
screen he had a number of bit parts in films that showcased
Hollywood's top comedians, including Eddie Murphy in Um Tira da Pesada
(1984), his movie debut, and Steve Martin in Roxanne (1987). He also
appeared briefly in brother Keenen's film spoofs Confusões em
Hollywood (1987) and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988).

Damon gained major notice as an alien alongside Jeff Goldblum and
future co-star Jim Carrey in the wild and woolly Meu Amante É do Outro
Mundo (1988), as well as in various supporting roles that included
Palco de Ilusões (1988) with Tom Hanks and the grim cop drama As Cores
da Violência (1988) with Sean Penn. Wise-ass superstardom, however,
came to him via the boob tube (thanks again to older brother Keenen)
in the form of the landmark sketch variety series "In Living Color".
The show, created and hosted by Keenen, gave Damon a showcase in which
he easily broke out among the talented ensemble players with his
eclectic gallery of sketch characters that usually bordered on raunch:
Homey the Clown, the disabled Handiman and the outrageously gay film
critic Blaine Edwards from the "Men on Film" skits. In 1992 Damon
followed brother Keenan off the popular show over creative and
financial issues.

For the last decade and a half the slyly sarcastic comic has become
his own "Man on Film." He was Bruce Willis' partner in the noticeably
violent crime thriller O Último Boy Scout (1991); wrote,
executive-produced and starred as a former con man trying to mend his
ways in Quanto Mais Grana Melhor (1992), which also featured younger
brother Marlon Wayans; expanded his "In Living Color" handicapped
superhero character Handiman into feature-length form with Blankman
(1994); played an in-your-face drill sergeant in the aptly titled
Pelotão Em Apuros (1995); co-starred with Adam Sandler as a cop
bringing in a petty crook (Adam Sandler) in the action comedy À Prova
de Balas (1996); joined in the basketball-themed Celtic Pride (1996);
and stretched his acting muscles in Spike Lee's comedy-drama
Bamboozled (2000). He was also executive producer on "Waynehead"
(1996), a Saturday morning animated show based on his childhood that
featured the voices of younger sibs Kim Wayans, Marlon and Shawn
Wayans.

Although his strongest suit is still in stand-up (he has starred in
several HBO comedy specials), Damon went back to steady TV employment
as star and executive producer of the sitcom "Eu, a Patroa e as
Crianças" (2001), where he currently stays situated. Divorced from his
wife Lisa, he is the father of four.