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IMDbPro

Bernie Mac(1957-2008)

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Bernie Mac at an event for Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
This is the theatrical trailer for Soul Men, directed by Malcolm Lee
Play trailer2:33
Soul Men (2008)
25 Videos
99+ Photos
Bernard Jeffrey McCollough was born in 1957 in Chicago, the son of Mary McCullough and Jeffery Harrison. He grew up in the city, in a rougher neighborhood than most others, with a large family living under one roof. This situation provided him with a great insight into his comedy, as his family, and the situations surrounding them would be what dominated his comedy. Mac worked in the Regal Theater, and performed in Chicago parks in his younger days. He became a professional comedian in 1977, at the age of 19. He refused to change his image for television and films, and therefore was not very well known for most of the eighties. In 1992 he made his film debut with a small part with Mo' Money (1992). This started a plethora of small parts in a string of movies, mostly comedies, including Who's the Man? (1993), House Party 3 (1994) and The Walking Dead (1995). 1995 proved to be a turning point in his career. He did an HBO Special called Midnight Mac (1995), and took a part as Pastor Clever in the Chris Tucker comedy Friday (1995). Bernie Mac developed a cult following due to the film. In 1996. he starred in the memorable Spike Lee movie Get on the Bus (1996), and was very funny in Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996). About this time he had a recurring role in the TV series Moesha (1996). Bernie Mac's star was slowly rising from this point. His next couple of movie parts were more substantial, including How to Be a Player (1997) and The Players Club (1998). In 1999 Bernie Mac got his most high profile part up to that point in the film Life (1999) starring Eddie Murphy.

The new century started a new era for the brash Chicago comedian. He was a featured comedian in The Original Kings of Comedy (2000). This performance made him more of a household name, and led to many more major parts. In 2001 he played Martin Lawrence's uncle in What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001) and later that year, was in the star studded remake of Ocean's Eleven (2001). However his biggest success was The Bernie Mac Show (2001), which debuted in 2001 to instant acclaim. However, soon after the series ended, Mac's health took a turn for the worse. He developed sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation in the lungs. On August 9, 2008, after weeks of unsuccessful treatments, Bernie Mac died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He was 50.

Bernie Mac was a comedian who refused to change his image for Hollywood and said that his life in Chicago was who he was, and there was nothing that could change that. He was a mature comedian who was very intelligent and engaging in his television, film and stand-up appearances.
BornOctober 5, 1957
DiedAugust 9, 2008(50)
BornOctober 5, 1957
DiedAugust 9, 2008(50)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 12 wins & 33 nominations total

Photos251

Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac, Anthony Anderson, and Dee Dee Davis in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac and Steve Austin in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac and Camille Winbush in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac and Camille Winbush in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Don Cheadle and Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Bernie Mac and Paul Levesque in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)

Known for

Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
The Bernie Mac Show
7.1
TV Series
  • Bernie 'Mac' McCullough
  • Bernie mac
Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac in Guess Who (2005)
Guess Who
5.9
  • Percy Jones
  • 2005
Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and Andy Garcia in Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Ocean's Eleven
7.7
  • Frank Catton
  • 2001
Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Tony Cox, and Brett Kelly in Bad Santa (2003)
Bad Santa
7.1
  • Gin
  • 2003

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
    The Bernie Mac Show
    • Bernie mac
    • Bernie 'Mac' McCullough
    • TV Series
    • 2001–2023
  • John Travolta and Robin Williams in Old Dogs (2009)
    Old Dogs
    • Jimmy Lunchbox
    • 2009
  • Starting Under
    • Bernie
    • TV Movie
    • 2008
  • Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac in Soul Men (2008)
    Soul Men
    • Floyd Henderson
    • 2008
  • Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Ben Stiller, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, John DiMaggio, Tom McGrath, Andy Richter, Christopher Knights, and Chris Miller in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
    Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
    • Zuba (voice)
    • 2008
  • Peter Cullen, Josh Duhamel, Shia LaBeouf, Mark Ryan, Hugo Weaving, and Megan Fox in Transformers (2007)
    Transformers
    • Bobby Bolivia
    • 2007
  • Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Casey Affleck, Elliott Gould, Scott Caan, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Eddie Jemison, and Shaobo Qin in Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
    Ocean's Thirteen
    • Frank Catton
    • 2007
  • Terrence Howard and Bernie Mac in Pride (2007)
    Pride
    • Elston
    • 2007
  • Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever (2005)
    Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever
    • Gadget Mobile (voice)
    • Video
    • 2005
  • Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac in Guess Who (2005)
    Guess Who
    • Percy Jones
    • 2005
  • Lil' Pimp (2005)
    Lil' Pimp
    • Fruit Juice (voice)
    • Video
    • 2005
  • Ocean's Twelve (2004)
    Ocean's Twelve
    • Frank Catton
    • 2004
  • Bernie Mac in Mr. 3000 (2004)
    Mr. 3000
    • Stan
    • 2004
  • Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Tony Cox, and Brett Kelly in Bad Santa (2003)
    Bad Santa: Outtakes
    • Gin
    • Video
    • 2003
  • Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Tony Cox, and Brett Kelly in Bad Santa (2003)
    Bad Santa
    • Gin
    • 2003

Writer

  • Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
    The Bernie Mac Show
    • comedy of
    • TV Series
    • 2001–2006
  • The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)
    The Original Kings of Comedy
    • Writer
    • 2000
  • Midnight Mac (1995)
    Midnight Mac
    • creator
    • monologue
    • wraparounds
    • TV Series
    • 1995

Producer

  • Welcome to the Family
    • executive producer
    • TV Special
    • 2010
  • Starting Under
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 2008
  • Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
    The Bernie Mac Show
    • executive producer
    • co-executive producer
    • producer
    • TV Series
    • 2001–2006

Videos25

"Penguins Attack" from Old Dogs
Clip 0:38
"Penguins Attack" from Old Dogs
"Stink Eye" Clip from Old Dogs
Clip 0:34
"Stink Eye" Clip from Old Dogs
"Baby Proofers" Scene from Old Dogs
Clip 1:02
"Baby Proofers" Scene from Old Dogs
"Pill Spill" from Old Dogs
Clip 1:59
"Pill Spill" from Old Dogs
Guess Who
Clip 1:10
Guess Who
Guess Who
Clip 1:08
Guess Who
Guess Who
Clip 1:13
Guess Who
Guess Who
Clip 1:00
Guess Who
Soul Men: Trailer
Trailer 2:33
Soul Men: Trailer
The Original Kings of Comedy
Trailer 2:10
The Original Kings of Comedy
Bad Santa: Blu-Ray
Trailer 1:43
Bad Santa: Blu-Ray
What's The Worst That Could Happen?
Trailer 0:55
What's The Worst That Could Happen?

Personal details

Edit
  • Height
    • 6′ 2½″ (1.89 m)
  • Born
    • October 5, 1957
    • Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Died
    • August 9, 2008
    • Chicago, Illinois, USA(complications from pneumonia)
  • Spouse
    • Rhonda McCulloughSeptember 17, 1977 - August 9, 2008 (his death, 1 child)
  • Parents
      Mary McCullough
  • Other works
    TV commercial for Pepsi (2003)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Biographical Movie
    • 1 Portrayal
    • 7 Interviews
    • 20 Articles
    • 3 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He was hospitalized with pneumonia on July 18, 2008. False rumors of his death spread widely. His publicist, Danica Smith insisted he would make a full recovery. Unfortunately, Mac took a turn for the worse. He died August 9, 2008, from complications of pneumonia.
  • Quotes
    . . . The Bernie Mac Show (2001) is my life. It's the truth, and I'm not ashamed of a minute, an hour, or a second of my life . . .
  • Trademarks
      Wore a hat at least once in almost all of his films
  • Nickname
    • Mac-Man

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