Martin Lawrence Emotionally Revealed What Shirley Did For Him When He Was Broke

Posted On : March 14, 2017
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - APRIL 23: Actor Martin Lawrence atttends The Help Group's 17th Annual Teddy Bear Ball at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 23, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Martin Lawrence (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

The late, great comedic actress, Shirley Hemphill, may have been tough as nails on TV, but she had the heart of gold in real life. Since her passing in 1999 from kidney failure, we’ve heard stories of how Shirley helped many well known entertainers when they were just struggling comics trying to find success, and she was a big time television superstar/comedian. The most beautiful part of it all is that she did it without needing any fanfare about it, nor wanting anything in return.

LOS ANGELES - CIRCA 1978: Actress Shirley Hemphill from the TV show 'What's Happening!!' poses for a photo circa 1978 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Shirley Hemphill from the TV show ‘What’s Happening!!’, circa 1978 (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

That brings us to what Martin Lawrence revealed once, and it may bring a tear to your eye…well, it almost did for Martin as he spoke about it. In an interview with The Washington Post, Martin talked about his days as a young broke comedian/actor.

Martin Lawrence during 25th Annual NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)

In 1987, he landed his first acting role ever on What’s Happening Now, alongside Shirley and the rest of the cast. But he was hit with a MAJOR bombshell when soon after his joining of the show, it had gotten canceled. Martin was then depressed about the state of his career, or shall we say, the nonexistence of it at that time…and he was dead broke.

BUT SEE THE ONE THING MARTIN SAID SHIRLEY DID FOR HIM THAT HE IS FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR>>>

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