Lovers and viewers of African-American sitcoms in the 90s will easily recognize John Henton from his comedic roles. Henton is an American actor, producer, and writer. While he has not appeared in many productions in film and television, in his active years, he was a popular face on TV screens.
John Henton is widely known for his performance in Living Single. On the show, Henton played the fan favorite character Obie. In honor of his contribution to television, here are seven facts you didn’t know about Living Single‘s John Henton.
1. The Movies & TV Shows You Know John Henton From
John Henton appeared in two popular sitcoms in the 90s. The first was Fox’s sitcom Living Single which aired from 1993 to 1998. Henton played Overton “Obie” Wakefield Jones. On the show, Henton’s character was the co-owner of the apartment complex and Synclaire’s love interest. Henton starred alongside Kim Coles, Queen Latifah, Erika Alexander, Kim Fields, T.C. Carson, and Mel Jackson.
Henton’s next popular TV show was the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys. Henton played Daryl Hughley’s best friend, Milsap Morris. Henton displayed his natural comic talent with the character, playing an unmarried Morris who regularly visits the Hughleys’ home.
2. John Henton’s Career As A Comedian
Although a natural comedic talent, Henton only took his abilities seriously once he decided to join and perform in a contest at a Cleveland comedy club. After his second performance at the club, he was crowned the winner of the contest. Henton performed stand-up for several years before winning the Johnny Walker National Comedy Search in 1991.
Luckily, during one of his performances, Jim McCawley, producer of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, was in attendance. McCawley booked Henton on the Tonight show. Henton’s performance greatly impressed Johnny Carson and the audience. This was a turning point for Henton’s career as a comedian.
3. How John Henton Got Into Television
John Henton had his comedy special, John Henton: Comedy with an Attitude, in January 1993 on Showtime. Henton’s popularity then grew and soon got him a role on Living Single, which aired on August 22, 1993. Living Single cemented the fame, and popularity Henton had attained.
Besides his roles in Living Single and The Hughleys, Henton also guest starred in New York Daze in 1995, For Your Love (1998) as Oswald, and One on One (2002) as Cooper James. In 2003, Henton played Bentley in the TV series The Parkers, Andy in a 2009 episode of Hannah Montana, and Macaroni Tony in Love That Girl!
4. John Henton’s Career Award Nominations
John Henton has notably landed three nominations the NAACP. Henton’s first nomination came in 1996 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Living Single. Henton’s second nomination in 2001 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in The Hughleys and in 2002, he got another nomination in the same category and for the same series.
5. He Is Also A Producer and Writer
Even as an actor, Henton produced his first TV production. He’s credited as an associate producer in the short filmSilent Bomb. The short film revolves around a police officer who discovers she has been infected with HIV. Henton showed he’s also a gifted writer when he wrote an episode of BET’s Comic View. The show is an American stand-up comedy series on BET and has had several top celebrities as hosts.
6. John Henton Was In A Tragic Car Accident
It was a sad day in September 2000 for family, friends, co-stars, viewers, and fans. Henton was involved in a ghastly car accident that shattered his legs, damaged his left eye socket, opened his stomach, and broke nine teeth. Luckily, Henton survived the accident and needed extensive plastic and reconstructive surgery for his face. John Henton hasn’t starred in many films and TV series since the accident.
7. He Has Stepped Away From The Public Eye
Since his accident, John Henton has kept a noticeably low profile and stepped away from the public eye. The actor has appeared in only a few projects in the past decade and is not active on social media. Celebrities are faced constant attention and persistent curiosity about their lives, as such, the need to pull back from the limelight and live a private life is not only understandable, but also laudable.
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