Steve harvey biography education background

Emmy® Award-winning entertainer, radio personality, motivational speaker, New York Times best-selling author, businessman, and philanthropist.

Beginnings

From a young age Steve Harvey knew that he wanted to be on TV. He held fast to his dream, against all odds for a stuttering African American boy in the 1960s. His unrelenting pursuit formed one of Harvey’s life philosophies: “You have to dream big and believe that you will succeed.”

Steve Harvey was born January 17, 1957, in Welch, West Virginia, as Broderick Stephen Harvey. He is the son of Jesse Harvey, a coal miner, and his wife, Eloise Vera Harvey, a Sunday school teacher. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and remains a Cleveland man at heart. Steve’s family didn’t have much, but their lives were full with their faith. Before Harvey achieved his stardom, he made a promise to God that if he made it, he would thank Him and spread the word. Harvey honors that promise by thanking God at the end of every show and by sharing his gratitude with the audience.

The Leap

Harvey’s entry into comedy was a leap of faith. He was encouraged to perform at an open mic comedy night in 1985. Harvey brought down the house, and the next day he quit his job to pursue his dream. As Harvey says, “You have to jump and take a leap of faith in order to soar.”

The road to success was not an easy one. It left Harvey homeless, living in his car and traveling the country for performances. In 1990, he won a national comedy competition which led to his big break on Showtime at the Apollo. From that moment on, Harvey’s career took off.

Today Steve Harvey remains known as the busiest man in Hollywood. But in addition to his work on screen, radio, stage and print, Harvey is a dedicated mentor and an inspiring motivator to his fans.

Career Highlights

Comedy

Harvey began his career doing stand-up comedy in the mid-1980s.

In 1997, he toured as one of the Kings of Comedy alongside Cedric the Entertainer, the la

American comedian and television host (born 1957)

For the television show, see Steve Harvey (talk show).

Not to be confused with Steve Harley.

Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr. (born January 17, 1957) is an American comedian, television host, actor, writer, and producer. He hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, Family Feud Africa, and the arbitration-based court comedyJudge Steve Harvey, and formerly hosted the Miss Universe competition. His accomplishments include seven Daytime Emmy Awards, two Marconi Awards, and fourteen NAACP Image Awards.

Harvey began his career as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s, and later hosted Showtime at the Apollo and starred in the television sitcom The Steve Harvey Show on The WB. In 2000, he was featured in The Original Kings of Comedy after starring in the Kings of Comedy Tour. His last standup show was in 2012. Harvey is also the host of both Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud, holding this role since 2010. He also hosted Little Big Shots, Little Big Shots Forever Young, and Steve Harvey's Funderdome.

As an author, Harvey has written four books, including his 2009 bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. In 2017, he founded Steve Ha

(1957-)

Who Is Steve Harvey?

Steve Harvey got his start in stand-up comedy. He went on to land a hosting gig on Showtime at the Apollo and his own WB sitcom, and became one of the four comedians featured in Spike Lee's The Original Kings of Comedy. Harvey launched a long-running radio program in 2000, channeling its content into the best-selling relationship book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. He went on to host a pair of daytime talk shows and currently hosts the long-running game show Family Feud.

Early Life and Career

Broderick Steven Harvey was born in Welch, West Virginia, on January 17, 1957. He was the youngest of five children born to Eloise and Jesse Harvey, a coal miner who passed away in 2000 of black lung disease.

When Harvey was young, his family moved to Cleveland, where he graduated from Glenville High School in 1974 before heading back to his home state to attend West Virginia University. After finishing school, Harvey spent his early 20s working a number of jobs — insurance salesman, postman, even wannabe professional boxer — without finding anything that really seemed like his true calling.

Harvey eventually found that on the stage, performing stand-up comedy for the first time in 1985. After honing his act through several years of performances in small clubs, he came close to hitting the big time by the end of the decade, making it to the finals of the Second Annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search in 1989.

'Showtime at the Apollo' and 'The Steve Harvey Show'

From there, Harvey's career really took off. In 1993, he took over as the host of Showtime at the Apollo, the famed syndicated variety show filmed at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater. Harvey would stay on Showtime at the Apollo until 2000, but his hosting duties on the iconic show were far from the only thing on his plate.

In 1996, he got his own sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show, on the fledgling WB network. One of the few programs to gain a