Today in 1990, This Groundbreaking Comedy Series Made Its Debut
April 15, 1990 marked the premiere of In Living Color, one of the most iconic and influential sketch comedy series in American television history. In Living Color, which ran for five seasons and 127 episodes on FOX between 1990-94, helped launch the careers of several successful actors and comedians and became a fixture of Black culture and comedy.
Created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, In Living Color won a Primetime Emmy in 1990 for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series. Some of the program's most iconic skits are still preserved online, even if the full series is not available for streaming on any major services.
A loaded cast
In addition to the several members of the Wayans family--Keenen Ivory, Damon, Shawn, Kim and Marlon--"In Living Color" also served as a jumping off point for a number of other prominent names.
Over the years, the cast included stars such as:
- Kim Coles
- Tommy Davidson
- Jim Carrey
- David Alan Grier
- Kelly Coffield
- Jamie Foxx
- DJ Twist
- T'Keyah Crystal Keyman
- Steve Park
- Alexandra Wentworth
Also, the show's in-house dance troupe, the famous "Fly Girls," were choreographed by Rosie Perez, and at different points featured Carrie Ann Inaba, Jennifer Lopez, Laurie Ann Gibson and Lisa Joann Thompson, among other dancers.
Love Super Bowl halftime shows? Thank 'In Living Color'
In January 1992, FOX elected to run an episode of In Living Color directly against the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show on CBS. The move was bold, the results astounding.
"The episode pulled in over 20 million viewers, causing a significant dip in CBS's Super Bowl viewership, proving audiences wanted real entertainment during halftime," said Yahoo Sports. "The NFL took notice. Worried about losing viewers, they knew they had to step it up."
The following year, the NFL enlisted the King of Pop, Michael Jackson himself, to headline the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in Pasadena, and the rest is history. The modern tradition of elaborate, star-studded halftime performances for the NFL's biggest game is a direct result of In Living Color's influence.