Martin Star Tommy Ford Dead at 52

Actor Tommy Ford, who played Martin Lawrence’s friend Tommy on the Fox sitcom Martin, has died at age 52.

Ford passed away Wednesday in an Atlanta hospital after an aneurysm ruptured in his abdomen, TMZ is reporting. Ford was rushed to the hospital on Sunday and placed on life support; he was surrounded by family and friends at the time of his death.

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Ford is best known for playing levelheaded straight man Tommy Strawn on Martin, appearing in every episode across five seasons. (He was credited as “Thomas Mikal Ford” at the time.) The character of Tommy was often a voice of reason, but his lack of employment was a running gag on the show. For his work on Martin, Ford earned a NAACP Image Award nomination in 1996 for best supporting actor in a TV comedy.

Ford also had a recurring role as Kim’s ex-husband Mel on UPN’s The Parkers, and joined the final season of New York Undercover as Lieutenant Malcolm Barker. In recent years, he guest starred on BET’s Let’s Stay Together, and in an episode of Brandy Norwood’s BET series Zoe Ever After earlier this year.

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