Jaleel White

A child actor with an impressive list of credits by the age of 12, Jaleel White became a star by playing the unbelievably dorky Steve Urkel on "Family Matters" (ABC/CBS, 1989-1998). Exploding from a one-episode guest star to series-conquering supernova, White's Urkel became an international craze, spawning countless products and catchphrases, including "Did I do that?" Winning three Image Awards for his work, White displayed an impressive range and flair for physical comedy, but the character was so pervasive throughout pop culture that he found it difficult to avoid being typecast when the show ended. After voicing Sonic the Hedgehog on various animated series iterations and also graduating from college, White attempted a sitcom comeback with "Grown Ups" (UPN, 1999-2000) and lent his voice to the animated film "Quest for Camelot" (1998). Slowly laying the groundwork for a career renaissance, he impressed with a cameo as a talent booker in "Dreamgirls" (2006), played a delightfully eccentric teacher in "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer" (2011) and was named host of the Syfy game show "Total Blackout." Although it was unlikely he could ever recapture the pop cultural dominance of his Urkel days, Jaleel White proved he was a talented and ambitious performer who was determined to move beyond his child stardom.