Family Matters (television)
Family Matters was a
sitcom based on an middle class black family living in
Chicago that ran from
1989 to
1998 on
ABC and
CBS. The show was an spinoff of Perfect Strangers focused on the character of Harriet Winslow and her family which included her husband Carl Winslow who was a police officer, her rebel son Edward "Eddie" Winslow, her smart daughter Laura Winslow and her youngest child Judy Winslow. They had opened their home to Harriet's sister Rachel Crawford and her son Richie and Carl's streetwise mother Estelle Winslow. One day a nerd named
Steve Urkel came by and barged into the family and caused some trouble towards the family and had a major crush on Laura.
As time went by the characters and the stories have changed. Richie has been growing up. Steve has made incredible inventions. Eddie and Laura had good friends to hang out with. By 1993 Judy and Rachel left the show. Rachel however made guest appearances whenever possible. Steve has settled for Myra Monkhouse while he waited for a devotion for Laura.
During the final season the show has moved to CBS and in December 1997 the original actress Jo Marie Payton who played Harriet has left and actress Judyann Elder had took over. Family Matters ranks as one of the longest running African-American sitcoms along with The Jeffersons and The Cosby Show.
Show Stars
- Reginald Vel Johnson as Carl Winslow
- Jo Marie Payton as Harriet Winslow (1989-1997)
- Judyann Elder as Harriet Winslow (1998)
- Darius McCrary as Edward "Eddie" Winslow
- Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Winslow
- Jaimee Foxworth as Judy Winslow (1989-1993)
- Valerie Jones as Judy Winslow (pilot only)
- Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle "Grandma" Winslow (1989-1997)
- Thelma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford (1989-1993)
- Joesph Julius-Wright as Richie Crawford (1989-1990)
- Bryton McClure as Richie Crawford (1990-1998)
- Jaleel White as Steve Urkel (1990-1998; recurring previously)
- Michelle Thomas as Myra Monkhouse (1992-1998)
- Orlando Brown as 3J (1996-1998)
- Shawn Harrison as Waldo Faldo (1992-1996)
- Jason Ferdinand as Omen (1990-1996)