Born in California on November 27, 1976, Jaleel White started out performing in commercials. The child actor then landed roles on The Jeffersons and Charlie & Co. His big break came in 1989, with the sitcom Family Matters. After the series ended in 1998, White starred in Grown Ups and had guest roles on such shows as Psych. In 2012, he joined the cast of Dancing With the Stars and became the host of Total Blackout. Early Life The son of a dentist, Jaleel White has earned a place in television history for his beloved character on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters.… Born in California on November 27, 1976, Jaleel White started out performing in commercials. The child actor then landed roles on The Jeffersons and Charlie & Co. His big break came in 1989, with the sitcom Family Matters. After the series ended in 1998, White starred in Grown Ups and had guest roles on such shows as Psych. In 2012, he joined the cast of Dancing With the Stars and became the host of Total Blackout. Early Life The son of a dentist, Jaleel White has earned a place in television history for his beloved character on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. He played Steve Urkel, a geeky kid with big glasses and undersized clothes, and his character became a pop-culture icon, appearing on everything from lunchboxes to T-shirts. White discovered performing at an early age. Around the age of 3, he began working in commercials. One of White’s first acting roles was on the hit comedy The Jeffersons, in which he played a piano prodigy. He soon landed a supporting role in Charlie & Co., playing the son of comedian Flip Wilson and singer Gladys Knight. Debuting in the fall of 1985, this family sitcom lasted for only one season. ‘Family Matters’ Auditioning for what was supposed to be a one-time guest spot, White was up for the part of a nerdy neighbor on a new sitcom, Family Matters. The show focused on the lives of an African American police officer (Reginald VelJohnson), his wife (Jo Marie Payton) and their three children. To get into the part, White borrowed a pair of thick-framed glasses from his father. His performance as Steve Urkel won over the show’s producers, who gave him a more substantial role in the series. Beginning its run after the debut of The Cosby Show, Family Matters became one of the few shows on television to depict the everyday life of an African-American family.
