36 Years Ago, an Iconic ’90s Comedy Series Debuted (And Started the Careers of Multiple Fan-Favorites)

While one Fox sketch comedy show from the ‘90s might not seem all that notable, this series is secretly the reason that stars like Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx became household names. The Wayans Brothers are best known for the Scary Movie franchise, and for good reason. Despite never managing to impress critics, the Scary Movie series earned almost $900 million across five films over 13 years. This makes the critically dismissed series one of the most financially successful comedy movie franchises ever, far outstripping the Wayans Brothers’ earlier spoofs, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.

That said, there is another pop culture artefact the Wayans created that is secretly just as notable as the Scary Movie series. The sketch comedy show In Living Color debuted in 1990, starring Keenan Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kim Wayans, and Marlon Wayans. An unapologetically Black sketch comedy series, In Living Color also helped launch the careers of then-unknown comedians and actors like Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier, and T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh, while the show’s in-house dance troupe included a pre-fame Jennifer Lopez and was choreographed by Rosie Perez.

In Living Color Debuted On April 15, 1990

Debuting in an era when The Cosby Show‘s Cliff Huxtable and Urkel of Family Matters were among the most prominent Black sitcom characters, In Living Color pioneered a far more daring and irreverent style of comedy. A major influence on later hits like The Boondocks and Chappelle’s Show, In Living Color took the sketch comedy format of predominantly white shows like Saturday Night Live and added a more diverse cast and edgier sense of humor to proceedings. This combination paid off fast.

Read Next

Ahead of Scary Movie 6, the First Three Films Are Streaming Free

In Living Color was a massive ratings success, although the show’s daring comedic stylings soon began to worry executives at Fox. This resulted in a protracted battle for creative control between the Wayans and Fox, eventually leading to In Living Color’s notable decline during and after season 3. However, by this stage, future blockbuster actors Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx had emerged, alongside Lopez and David Alan Grier, as some of the show’s breakout stars.

In Living Color Helped Start The Careers Of Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx

Carrey had appeared in cult classics like Peggy Sue Got Married and Earth Girls Are Easy during the ‘80s, but it was only after starring in over 100 episodes of In Living Color that he won the lead roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. Astoundingly, these three hits all came out in the same year that In Living Color wrapped up, and within a decade, Carrey had appeared in masterpieces like The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as well as massive hit comedies like Liar Liar, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Bruce Almighty.

In much the same way, Foxx parlayed his success on In Living Color into lead roles in Booty Call and The Players Club, only for Any Given Sunday and Ali to cement his status as a serious actor. Foxx soon went on to win Best Actor for 2004’s Ray Charles biopic, Ray, and later starred in a slew of blockbusters, including Law Abiding Citizen, Django Unchained, and Horrible Bosses. As impressive as both careers are, neither would have been possible if it weren’t for the underrated ’90s sketch comedy In Living Color.