Kenan & Kel

Background:

American actor, comedian and musician hailed from Chicago, Illinois Kel Mitchell rose to fame as an original cast member of the hit Nickelodeon sketch comedy series “All That” (1995-1999), where he performed a number of popular characters, most notably Ed and the astonishingly awkward Repair Man. Along with co-star Kenan Thompson, the gifted performer enjoyed even more fame and recognition in their own show “Kenan & Kel,” a highly rated series which ran on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000. He won a 1999 Kids Choice Award for his work in the two series as well as a 1997 CableACE Award and two Image nominations for his work in the latter show. Mitchell was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards in the animated series “Clifford the Big Red Dog” (2000-2001), in which he was the voice of T-Bone. He also voiced T-Bone in the 2004 motion picture “Clifford's Really Big Movie.” Other movie credits include his debut, “Good Burger” (1997), “The Mystery Men” (1999, also penned and performed the film's theme song), “The Adventure of Rocky and Bullwinkle” (2000), “Where Is Love Waiting” (2006), “Honeydripper” (2007) and “X's & O's” (2007). Mitchell also has had recurring roles in such TV series as “The Steve Harvey Show” (1996-1998), “The Parkers” (2003) and “One on One” (2005).

Mitchell's fans should not miss his impressive performances in the forthcoming movies “Nite Tales: The Movie” (2008) and “Caught on Tape” (2008).

In July 2006, Mitchell was reported died from unknown causes in his home in L.A. through a rumor spread via email. No announcements were made after his supposed death, and the young actor confirmed he is still alive by performing in either TV or film. There was also an information of the young actor dying in a car accident but this was also proved to be a fraud when he later was spotted in Beverly Hills with his new companion Alexa Biel. Mitchell previously married Tyisha Hampton-Mitchell (together from 1999 to 2005), with whom he has three children. He loves designing jewelry and writing music.

Father of 3

Childhood and Family:

Kel Johari Rice Mitchell was born on August 25 , 1978, in Chicago, Illinois, to mother Meredith Mitchell. He has two sisters, Keyana (older) and Kyra (younger). Kel was educated at Chicago's ETA Creative Arts Foundation, where he studied drama, dance and voice, and later attended Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California.

At age 21, on October 16, 1999, Kel married Tyisha Hampton-Mitchell. They divorced in 2005. Kel and his ex-wife have three children, daughters Allure and Lyric and son Don. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

All That

Career:

Kel Mitchell started his acting career with Chicago's ETA Creative Arts Foundation when he was 11 years old. The young performer charmed audiences with his on stage performances in Chicago theatrical productions like “Dirt” and “Kasimu and the Coconut Palm.” However, he did not won attention from a renowned agent until after delivering a standout performance in “Eden” at the historic Victory Gardens Theater.

Shortly afterwards, Mitchell flew to Florida to be on a television show on the then new network for kids, Nickelodeon. He beat out thousands of other children and was cast in what soon emerged as a groundbreaking TV show, “All That.” Joining the sketch comedy series in 1995, the teenaged Mitchell stayed with the show until 1999, during which time he intensified the show with such well-known characters as Ed the Good Burger Guy, a baffled fast food employee with an edgy “dude” accent he created while watching professional wrestling when he was a child. In addition to achieving prominence, through this program, Mitchell also met his friend and partner Kenan Thompson, already a film veteran.

Led by the great success of “All That,” Mitchell and his comedic counterpart, Kenan, were hired to star in the spin off series “Kenan & Kel,” which ran on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000. The comedy series was a hit and for his bravura turn as the naive best friend of the mischievous Kenan, the comic actor took home a 1997 CableACE and two Image nominations for Outstanding Performance in a Youth or Children's Series/Special (1999 and 2000). Along with Kenan, he jointly nabbed a 1999 Blimp Award for Favorite TV Actor at the Kids' Choice, also for their works in “All That.”

Industrious actors, Mitchell and Thompson kept on busy pursuing other project while working on the show. Aside from continuing to star in “All That,” they also had recurring roles as silly pupils on The WB's sitcom “The Steve Harvey Show” (1996-1998) and guest stints in The WB's “Sister, Sister” (1997) and ABC's “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (1998).

In 1997, Mitchell parleyed his small screen success into the big screen when he portrayed Ed, a pleasing and dim-witted surfer buster who works at the fast food restaurant “Good Burger,” directed by Brian Robbins. Thompson was also cast in the hit comedy as Dexter, a high schooler forced to work at the titular restaurant who joined Ed in a mission to save the stand from a brassy fierce competitor. An accomplished singer, Mitchell wrote and performed the film's theme song, “We're All Dudes.” Two years later, Mitchell made his next big screen outing with the comedy “The Mystery Men” (1999), opposite Hank Azaria, Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Geoffrey Rush, Janeane Garofalo and Greg Kinnear. Helmed by Kinka Usher, the film revolved around a group of lesser recognized superheroes with odd powers.

After the demise of “Kenan & Kel,” Mitchell returned to film with a supporting part opposite Rene Russo, Jason Alexander and Robert De Niro in the box office flop “The Adventure of Rocky and Bullwinkle” (2000). The same year, he also hosted “The Power of One: The Pokemon 2000 Movie Special.” In “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” an animated program starring John Ritter in the title role, Mitchell provided the voice of T-Bone and was nominated for two consecutive Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (2001 and 2002) for his work on the show.

Next up for Michell, the actor played Malcolm in two episodes of “City Guys” (2000-2001) and Freddy Fabulous in three episodes of the sitcom “The Parkers” (2003) before reprising his voice role as T-Bone for “Clifford's Really Big Movie” (2004). Also in 2004, he could be seen co-hosting the reality TV “Dance 360” and having guest spots in series like “Half & Half.”

In 2005, Mitchell stepped behind the camera producing and writing the film “Ganked,” in which he also starred as the aspiring songwriter Ricky Barry. Directed by Kenn Michael, the hilarious comedy went straight to video release. It was also in 2005 that Mitchell undertook a recurring role on the UPN sitcom “One on One,” playing Manny. He next appeared as Tony in the drama film “Where Is Love Waiting” and starred with Jascha Washington on the direct-to-video-release “Like Mike 2” (both 2006).

Recently, Mitchell teamed with Victoria Rowell to star in the made-for-TV film “Polly and Marie” (2007). He also supported Danny Glover and Lisa Gay Hamilton in John Sayles' “Honeydripper” (2007) and worked with Clayne Crawford, Judy Marte, Warren Christie and Sarah Wright on the comedy “X's & O's” (2007). As for his upcoming projects, the 29-year-old performer will play Marty Mac on the horror “Nite Tales: The Movie” (2008) and Marlon on the musical “Caught on Tape” (2008), opposite Vivica A. Fox and Cedric the Entertainer.

Apart from his work as an actor, Mitchell has a secondary career as a musician. His music has been featured in some of the movies where he has starred in including “Clifford the Big Red Dog” and “Mystery Men.” In 1996, he became a featured rapper on the hit song “Watch Me Do My Thang,” which was popularized by Immature. Besides, he has parodied several hit songs like Sean Kingston's “Beautiful Girls” and T.I's “Big Things Poppin' (Do It).” He makes fun of Michael Jackson's curly hair in the 80s from his Thriller days in the song “Same Curl.”

Awards:

• Kids' Choice: Blimp Award, Favorite TV Actor, “All That,” 1999 (also for “Kenan & Kel”)

• Cable Ace: Best Male Actor in a Comedy Series,“Kenan & Kel,” 1998