Orlando Jones

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Orlando Jones

Born Orlando Jones
April 10, 1968 (1968-04-10) (age 40)
Mobile, Alabama, United States
Occupation Actor

Orlando Jones (born April 10, 1968) is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999 - 2002.

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[edit] Biography

Jones was born in Mobile, Alabama. His father was a former professional baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He moved to Mauldin, South Carolina, when he was young and graduated from Mauldin High School in 1985. One of his early acting experiences involved playing a werewolf in a haunted house to help raise money for the junior/senior prom. Jones enrolled in the College of Charleston, South Carolina. He left in 1990 without finishing his degree.

To pursue his interest in the entertainment industry, Jones formed his own production company, Homeboy's Productions and Advertising. He scored his first Hollywood job in 1987, writing for the NBC comedy A Different World, on which he had a small guest role in the season five finale. During 1991-92, Jones penned the FOX series Roc and, in 1993, he co-produced The Sinbad Show. He also made a brief appearance on the FOX sitcom Herman's Head in 1992.

Jones is a vegetarian. [1]

[edit] Career

[edit] MADtv

After hosting Fox's music series Sound FX, in 1994, Jones became one of the original nine cast members of MADtv. Unlike some of his fellow original repertory performers on MADtv, Jones came to the show with limited sketch comedy experience. However, his comedy writing and television producing skills proved very valuable to the early success of the show.

Throughout Seasons One and Two of MADtv, Jones constantly produced funny characters like the Cabana Chat band leader Dexter St. Croix and Reverend LaMont Nixon Fatback, the vocal follower of Louis Farrakhan. He was also noted for his impressions of various people as Dennis Rodman, O.J. Simpson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Snoop Dogg.

The "O.J. Simpson Bloopers" sketch is arguably the most popular sketch featuring Jones. The sketch features parodies of his interviews doing mistakes such as being hit in the groin and wearing a wrong fitted glove by saying "It doesn't fit". Some scenes in the sketch were actual bloopers, especially any scene that has Artie Lange in it.

Characters

  • Dexter St. Croix (Cabana Chat)
  • Reverend LaMont Nixon Fatback

Impressions

After two seasons on MADtv, Jones left the show at the end of its second season to pursue a movie career. However, Jones returned to MADtv in 2004 to celebrate its 200th episode. Jones appeared in the opening video "Hey MAD!" where he lampooned Andre 3000. With his guest appearance, Jones became the third (out of five) original cast member to return as a guest on the show. The other original cast members, who have returned, include: Nicole Sullivan, Phil LaMarr, Artie Lange and Debra Wilson.

During his time at MADtv, he roomed with Artie Lange, now a co-host on The Howard Stern Show. Orlando wouldn't allow Artie into the apartment if Artie had cocaine on his person. He was, however, according to Artie, very supportive and influential in helping to save Artie's life. Nicole Sullivan and David Herman of MADtv were also involved in the intervention (informing police and the show of his cocaine problem) of Artie Lange. This information was revealed on the June 12, 2006 episode of The Howard Stern Show on Sirius Satellite Radio by Artie Lange. Christa Miller, of The Drew Carey Show, was a roommate of Nicole Sullivan's at the time. Her appearance on The Howard Stern Show prompted Artie to reveal this information.

Orlando Jones interviewing Eric Close on The Orlando Jones Show in 2003
Orlando Jones interviewing Eric Close on The Orlando Jones Show in 2003

[edit] Other television projects

Aside from MADtv, Jones made many other television appearances. Perhaps his most popular and enduring television appearance was not in the form of a sitcom or television drama, but rather in a series of humorous commercials for a soda company. In 2000, Jones became the spokesperson for 7 Up and he gained wide recognition.

This exposure led to a plethora of opportunities for Jones. First, he hosted an HBO First Look special in 2000 and then, in 2003, Jones was given his own late night talk show on FX called The Orlando Jones Show. Although his talk show was short lived, Jones continued to make additional television appearances. In 2003, he appeared on the The Bernie Mac Show and on Girlfriends. In 2006, Jones decided to return to television as one of the lead characters of ABC's crime drama The Evidence, as Cayman Bishop. He also appeared in a seconds season episode of Everybody Hates Chris as Chris's substitute teacher.

In 2008, he appeared as Harold Wilcox, a violent veteran with PTSD, on New Amsterdam (TV series).

In the first season of the show, Jones also starred on Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out. Jones was the first guest star on the show.

[edit] Film projects

After leaving MADtv, Jones expanded his cinema resume. He appeared in a bit part in his first big screen film, In Harm's Way (1997), Jones then joined Larry David in the feature Sour Grapes (1998), playing the character of an itinerant man. Subsequently, he appeared in Woo (1998), Mike Judge's first film Office Space (1999), alongside fellow MADtv alumnus David Herman, and in Barry Levinson's praised drama, Liberty Heights (1999). Since then, Jones has appeared in Magnolia (1999), New Jersey Turnpikes (1999) and in Harold Ramis' Bedazzled (2000).

During the 2000s, Jones' career began to branch out. In addition to his witty appearances in the 7-Up campaigns, Jones played the role of Clifford Franklin in The Replacements (2000) and he appeared in the comedy Chain of Fools (2000) and the horror film From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2000). In 2001, Jones landed the role of Daryl Chase in the action-comedy Double Take (2001) alongside Eddie Griffin and worked with David Duchovny and Julianne Moore in Ivan Reitman's sci-fi comedy, Evolution (2001). Jones was also in the 2002 film Drumline alongside Nick Cannon and Zoë Saldaña and he appeared as the computer Vox in The Time Machine (2002). His other more recent films includes Biker Boyz (2003), Runaway Jury (2003) and House of D (2004). Jones recently had a cameo in the Chris Rock Film I Think I Love My Wife (2007).

[edit] Voice acting projects

Jones has been featured in many voice acting projects over the years. In 1993, Jones appeared in Yuletide in the 'hood and in 1998, he made a guest appearance in the animated comedy TV Series, King of the Hill. More recently, he lent his voice to the TV series Father of the Pride and the video games Halo 2 as the marine Sergeant Banks as well as other black marines and L.A. Rush. Jones is recently reported to be starring in the ABC's crime-drama Evidence with Oscar winner Martin Landau. In 2006, he co-created, produced and voice acted for the MTV2 animated series The Adventures of Chico and Guapo.

Jones is one of eight original MADtv cast members to engage in some form of voice work after leaving the show. Only Bryan Callen has not appeared in voice acting projects. He appeared on the very first episode of Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out.

[edit] Other Projects

Jones appeared in a bagger training video made in 1986 called building walls. He rapped about packing a plastic bag by building walls in this ridiculous video.

[edit] Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Primeval Steve Johnson
I Think I Love My Wife Wendell (Not Credited)
2006 The Adventures of Beatle Boyin Dr. Vanderark
Looking for Sunday Einstein Steinberg
2004 House of D Superfly
2003 Runaway Jury Russell
Biker Boyz Soul Train
2002 Drumline Dr. Lee
The Time Machine Vox
2001 Evolution Prof. Harry Phineas Block
Say It Isn't So Dig McCaffrey
Double Take Daryl Chase
2000 Bedazzled Daniel/Dan/Danny, Esteban, Beach Jock, Lamar Garrett, Dr.
Chain of Fools Miss Cocoa
The Replacements Clifford Franklin
From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter Ezra Traylor
1999 Magnolia Worm
Liberty Heights Little Melvin
Office Space Steve, Magazine Salesman
New Jersey Turnpikes
Waterproof Natty Battle
1998 Woo Sticky Fingas
1997 In Harm's Way Andre
Sour Grapes (film) Bum

[edit] Television

Year Title Role Notes
2008 New Amsterdam (TV series) Harold Wilcox
2006 The Evidence (TV series) Cayman Bishop
2003 The Bernie Mac Show Party Planner
The Orlando Jones Show Himself Host
Girlfriends Dr. Darren Lucas
2000 HBO First Look Himself Host
1995 - 1997 MADtv Various Characters Sketch Comedy
1994 - 1995 Sound fX Himself Host
1992 A Different World Troy Douglas
Herman's Head Other Woman

[edit] Voice acting and video game appearances

Year Title Role Notes
2006 The Adventures of Chico and Guapo Chico, Guapo Animated Comedy TV Series
2005 L.A. Rush Ty Malix Video Game
2004 Father of the Pride Snack TV Series
Halo 2 Marine Sergeant Banks Video Game
1997 King of the Hill Kidd Mookie Animated Comedy TV Series
1993 Yuletide in the 'hood TV Series

[edit] External links