'Martin' actor Tommy Ford has died at 52
Tommy Ford, television actor best known for his roles in Martin and The Parkers, has died at the age of 52, Mashable has confirmed.
Ford was hospitalized Oct. 9 in Atlanta for an aneurism that ruptured in his abdomen, according to TMZ, and was subsequently placed on life support. Family members made the decision to take Ford off life support on Wednesday afternoon.
Ford's family released the following statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved son, father, brother, husband, and friend Tommy Mykal Ford. On behalf of the family, we would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming. Please respect the privacy of the Ford family during our time of grief."
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Born in Los Angeles, Ford's career began with guest spots in series such as Kate & Allie, Uncle Buck, A Different World and Law & Order, before he landed his breakout role in Martin. He appeared on the sitcom for the entirety of its five-season run, in which he played Tommy Strawn, best friend to Martin Lawrence's titular character.
After Martin ended, Ford appeared in Season 4 of the Dick Wolf procedural New York Undercover, and also recurred on The Parkers.
Ford went on to star on TV One's standup comedy competition series Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes?, where he was known as "The Pope of Comedy."
In recent years, Ford had branched out into directing and producing, having been involved with independent dramas including "Conflict of Interest," "Beat Street Resurrected" and "Switching Lanes."
On the big screen, he was best known for roles in Class Act, Harlem Nights and Against the Law.
