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Arsenio Hall

Arsenio Hall (born February, 12, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an African-American actor, comedian, and former talk show host. He is best known for his talk show, The Arsenio Hall Show, and his roles in the films Coming To America and Harlem Nights.

Biography

Early life & career

Hall was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Anne and Fred Hall, a Baptist minister. Hall performed as a magician when he was a child. Hall attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he was on the speech team with future actress (and the voice of Bart Simpson) Nancy Cartwright and future news anchor Leon Harris. He then transferred to Kent State University. He later moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. During this time, he became good friends with Eddie Murphy. Hall was the original voice of Winston Zeddemore in the cartoon The Real Ghostbusters from 1986-1987. In 1988, he co-starred in the comedy film Coming to America with Murphy. In 1984, he was also the announcer/sidekick for Alan Thicke during the ill-fated talk show Thicke of the Night.

Talk shows

In 1986, the FOX network introduced The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers, created to directly challenge The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. After a moderate start, ratings for the show soon sagged. Behind-the-scenes relations between Rivers and network executives at Fox quickly eroded and Rivers left the show in 1987. Renamed The Late Show, it featured several hosts including Ross Shafer, Suzanne Somers, Richard Belzer, and Robert Townsend before it was cancelled in 1988. Hall was chosen to host the show in the fall of 1987, and proved to be immensely popular.

From January 2, 1989 until May 27,1994, he hosted a syndicated late-night talk show, The Arsenio Hall Show. The show was known for the audience's shouting "Woof, woof, woof!" while pumping their fists--a chant that was used by fans of the Cleveland Browns football team. He also had a rivalry with Jay Leno after he was named host of The Tonight Show, during which Hall said that he would "kick Jay's ass" in the ratings game. The two have since patched up their differences and Hall has made numerous appearances on The Tonight Show. He is also remembered for having had his hair cut into a Hi-top fade during this period.

Hall used his fame during this period to help fight worldwide prejudice against HIV & AIDS, after his close friend Magic Johnson contracted the disease. Hall and Johnson filmed a PSA about the disease that aired in the early 1990s.

Current work

Since The Arsenio Hall Show ended, Hall has made only infrequent appearances on television (including a short-lived 1997 sitcom called Arsenio) before starring in Martial Law with Sammo Hung from 1999–2000 and hosting the revival of Star Search in 2003.

Hall made a cameo appearance as himself in Chappelle's Show in March 2004, when Dave was imagining "what Arsenio is doing right now" in a dinner scene. It showed Hall at a wine party eating some cheese and saying, "Damn! That's some good-ass cheese!" After which, Hall started punching and slapping people for not telling him about the apparently delicious cheese. Paul Mooney also joked about Hall in his "Negrodamus" sketch: when asked "Will Arsenio Hall ever get another show?" Mooney responds "Yes. Arsenio Hall will host another show. It will be called Good Morning Black America, and it will be broadcast at noon throughout the country."

In addition, as of 2008, Hall is a guest co-host on Wednesday evenings on the Tim Conway Jr. radio show on KLSX 97.1 FM, which airs in the greater Los Angeles area and streams live online for fans around the world.

Filmography

Flavor of Love 3 (2008) - Himself
The Naked Brothers Band (2005) - Himself
The Proud Family Movie (2005) - Dr. Carver/Bobby Proud (voice; taking over for Cedric the Entertainer)
Star Search (2003-2005) - Host
Martial Law (1998) - Terrell Parker (1999–2000)
Arsenio (1997) - Michael Atwood
Blankman (1994) - Himself
Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You (1992) - Host
Harlem Nights (1989) - Crying Man
The Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994) - Host
Comic Relief III (1989) (TV) - Himself
Paula Abdul: Straight Up (1989) - Himself
Coming to America (1988) - Semmi/Extremely Ugly Girl/Morris/Reverend Brown
The Late Show (1986) TV Series - Himself/Host (1987)
Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) - Apartment Victim
Uptown Comedy Express (1987) - Himself
The Real Ghostbusters (1986) - Winston Zeddemore (voice) (1986–1987)
Solid Gold (1980) - Himself (1986–1987)
New Love, American Style (1985)
The Motown Revue Starring Smokey Robinson (1985)
Thicke of the Night (1983) - Himself (1984)
The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour (1983) - Host

Discography

In 1989, Hall released an album on MCA, Large and In Charge, under the moniker "Chunky A". Chunky A was supposed to be Hall's overweight "little brother". The album had one minor hit "Owww!" and featured guest rappers Ice-T and KRS-1 and guest musicians Cameo.