On This Day in History, February 7: He Rocks the Comedy World

February 7, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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Comedian Chris Rock was born in Andrews, N.C., on Feb. 7, 1966, but he grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. His mother was a school teacher and his father a truck driver.

Chris was the oldest of six children. His father was a strict disciplinarian who didn’t permit any disobedience or disrespect. His mother inspired him to find a worthwhile career. She had him bused to a school where she felt he would have the advantage of a better education.

He began his career doing stand-up comedy and at age 18 was discovered by Eddie Murphy on an open mic night at a New York comedy club. He became a regular on “Saturday Night Live” from 1989 to 1993 and has since enjoyed a successful career in acting, producing and standup comedy.

His movies include New Jack City (’91), Boomerang (’92), CB4, (’93) Coneheads (’93), The Immortals (’95), Sgt. Bilko (’96), Beverly Hills Ninja (’97), Dr. Doolittle (’98), Lethal Weapon 4 (’98), Dogma (’99), Nurse Betty (’00), Down to Earth (’01), Pootie Tang (’01), Osmosis Jones (’01), Head of State (’03), I think I Love My Wife (’07) and Grown Ups (’10).

Rock has recorded five very popular comedy specials for HBO — Big Ass Jokes (’94), Bring the Pain (’96), Bigger and Blacker (’99), Never Scared (’04) and Kill the Messenger (’08). He also hosted his own late night talk show on HBO, “The Chris Rock Show,” which received several Emmys.

From 2005 to 2009, Rock narrated and produced the sitcom, “Everybody Hates Chris,” based on his childhood in Brooklyn.