Thomas Mikal Ford began his career on A Different World

Thomas Mikal Ford's face graced both television and movie screens during the late 1980s and the 1990s. His most famous role was portraying Thomas "Tommy" Strawn on the sitcom Martin, which aired on FOX from 1992 until 1997. His career began on the NBC sitcom A Different World.

Ford appeared in Season 2 in the March 2, 1989 episode "The Thing About Women." He portrayed Jaleesa Vincent's (Dawnn Lewis) ex-husband, Lamar Collins.

After getting the OK for a visit, Lamar shows up at his former wife's dorm and first runs into her friends Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), Kim Reese (Charnelle Brown), and Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer).

In this episode, the comedian was portrayed as a bit more serious. The women are smitten by Lamar, whom Whitley refers to as a " silver-tongued devil." He kisses their hands and says all the right words, and when Jaleesa walks down the dorm steps, he appears blown away by her.

Walter Oakes (Sinbad) is the man that Jaleesa is currently dating, and he appears as comic relief to mock his rival. He even mimics Lamar, referring to Jaleesa as "baby girl."

While they are having dinner, Lamar believes Jaleesa will give him another chance. From this brief appearance on A Different World came a stellar acting career.

Thomas Mikal Ford received an NAACP Image Awards nomination in 1996 for his role as Tommy on Martin in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Tommy Strawn was usually (but not always) the straight man to the antics of Martin (Martin Lawrence) and Cole (Carl Antony Payne II). Ford's fans may also fondly recall some of his other roles.

He portrayed Lt. Malcolm Barker on New York Undercover, which ran on FOX from 1994-1999, and he played Mel Parker from 1999-2001 on the UPN series The Parkers.

In 1993, Ford produced and directed the play South of Where We Live. It tells the story of six African-American professionals who return to the neighborhoods where they were raised and learn about the social issues currently unfolding.

The actor also portrayed "Mink" in the Kid 'n Play movie Class Act. In Harlem Nights, he played Tommy Smalls and was in the 1997 crime drama Against the Law.

Ford said he wanted to be a preacher early on but decided to pursue acting instead. He attended Long Beach City College and earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1985. He transferred to the University of Southern California, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting.

n this one episode of A Different World, Ford plays to perfection the man who is a sneak, a snake, and a con artist. The way he moves, the tone of his voice, and his addressing Jaleesa as "baby girl" indicate that he is not a man to be trusted.

Lamar attempts to come off as suave and debonair but raises red flags among viewers. In season one, Jaleesa admitted that her ex-husband had cheated on her and had a child with another woman.

When Ford gives a face to Lamar, all that is mentioned is that Jaleesa came home one night to find her spouse in bed with a woman named Sondra. During their dinner date, Lamar admits that he is still living with Sondra because he needs a place to stay.

At that point, Ms. Vincent says she is completely over him and walks out of the restaurant. This performance launched Ford's career, and he was not alone in that respect.

There were other actors who later became famous who were also in a single episode of A Different World. These include Tommy Davidson, Halley Berry, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Michael DeLorenzo, Marisa Tomei, Tisha Campbell, and many more. DeLorenzo and Ford worked together on New York Undercover, and Campbell was his co-star on Martin.

Thomas Mikal Ford was born on September 5, 1964, and passed away on October 12, 2016, at the age of 52. The cause of death was said to be a stomach aneurysm, and his many fans were left in shock. He lives on in the characters he left behind, in the sitcoms that can be streamed or viewed on retro channels.