John Witherspoon (actor)

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John Witherspoon (actor) : biography

January 27, 1942 –

Next in line in his television career, Witherspoon was in Fox’s Living Single (1997) episode "Three Men and a Buckeye" as Smoke Eye Howard who was the protagonist Overton’s uncle, who had a son who was the Buckeyes’ quarterback.

After this, John Witherspoon played his biggest role in a television series in the Wayans Brothers (1995–1999). The series, which aired on the WB Network, starred Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, who played brothers Shawn and Marlon Williams, and Witherspoon as their dad, John "Pops" Williams. In the first season, Shawn worked as a courier driver, while Marlon worked in his father’s diner. The series was somewhat re-tooled starting in the second season, where Shawn and Marlon operated a newspaper stand in the lobby of a Manhattan office building, while Pops’ Diner was located in the same building, across the way. The show aired for five seasons and now can be seen as re-runs on BET and MTV2. Also during that time, Witherspoon was on the Kids WB animation series Waynehead, which was about a young boy who grew up in poor in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. The show was aired on Saturday mornings and was based on creator Damon Wayans’ own life.

2000–present

In 2003, Witherspoon made a showing on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, a reality television show that selected the comedian out of a group and gave him contract, in the Las Vegas finals. The show still airs today. Next in 2003 he was seen in The Proud Family, an animation that aired on Disney Channel, as Oran Jones in the episode “Adventures in Bebe Sitting.” Finally in 2003 he starred in the comedy show The Tracy Morgan Show as Spoon. Witherspoon was seen in all 18 episodes of the show.

In 2004, he made a guest appearance on the Disney Channel’s Kim Possible, which was an animation series about a teenage girl crime fighter who not only has to worrying about worldwide challenges but also family and school issues. He was the voice of Wayne, who was Wade’s uncle who was in the episode of rewriting history. Also in 2004 he was in Pryor Offenses, a television movie and played Willie the Wino.

In 2005, he was seen in the Comedy Central talk show Weekends at the D.L. where he played the character of Michael Johnson. The next year he was on another television movie called Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc’s Street, a story about a group of kids who find the true meaning of Christmas. In the movie he plays Real Santa, a Christmas singer on the radio.

His next appearance was on The Super Rumble Mixshow in 2008.

His latest television appearance was in The Boondocks, portraying Robert Freeman. In 2011 he starred in a Final Destination spoof with Shane Dawson on YouTube.

In May of 2013 he featured on a track entitled "Saturday" of rapper Logic on his latest mixtape "Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever."

Comedy tour

Witherspoon went back to his comedian roots and started a comedy tour that premiered on television on March 28, 2008 on Showtime Network. On his 2009 tour, he has 19 stops across the country. In December 2011, John Witherspoon performed his stand up comedy act once again on stage at the Funny Bone comedy club at Harrah’s Casino in Tunica, MS. Nov.16 2012 Oakland Ca. John Witherspoon was one of many opening acts for what would turn out to be a major downfall of Katt Williams’ stand up career. Accompanied by rappers Too Short, Richie Rich and Suge Knight.

Music videos

John Witherspoon has appeared in a number of music videos in the music industry. He was in the music video for hip-hop superstar Jay-Z’s 2000 single "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)". He was also in Field Mob’s music video for their song “Sick of Being Lonely”. Other music movies include Goodie Mob’s "They Don’t Dance No Mo’," LL Cool J’s “Ain’t Nobody” and Hitman Sammy Sam’s “Step Daddy”.