Born on September 4, 1960, in New York City, Damon Wayans was the third of ten children to Elvira Alethia (Green),a social worker and singer, and Howell Wayans, a supermarket manager. Growing up in the Fulton Housing Projects, Damon developed his comedic skills by creating quirky characters, a coping mechanism to deal with a childhood marked by a severe physical disability, club foot, which led to ostracism by his peers. He wore leg braces, orthopedic shoes, and underwent numerous surgeries before the affliction could be corrected.
Damon dropped out of high school in the ninth grade and worked various jobs, including a mail clerk, before following his older brother Keenen to Hollywood to pursue a career in comedy. He started doing stand-up in 1982, touring the national comedy club circuits, and eventually earned a regular featured slot on Saturday Night Live for one season from 1985 to 1986. He also appeared in several films, including Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Roxanne (1987),and made brief appearances in his brother Keenen's films Hollywood Shuffle (1987) and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988).
Damon gained recognition for his roles in Earth Girls Are Easy (1988),Punchline (1988),and Colors (1988),but it was his work on his brother Keenen's TV sketch comedy show In Living Color (1990) that brought him mainstream success. The show, which featured a talented ensemble, including siblings Kim, Shawn, and Marlon Wayans, showcased Damon's eclectic gallery of characters, including Homey the Clown, Handiman, and Blaine Edwards. The show's creative control and financial issues led to Keenan's departure in 1992, followed by Damon and his siblings within a year.
Damon went on to pursue solo stardom, starring in films such as The Last Boy Scout (1991),Mo' Money (1992),Blankman (1994),Major Payne (1995),Bulletproof (1996),Celtic Pride (1996),and Bamboozled (2000). He also executive produced the animated series Waynehead (1996) and the sitcom My Wife and Kids (2000).
