Actor/Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50. He Starred in Sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show"

Actor and Comedian Bernie Mac died Saturday morning 2008 at age 50. Bernie Mac died from complications from pneumonia; in a Chicago area hospital. He was born in Chicago and lived with his mother and grandparents. His mother died of cancer when Bernie Mac was only 16 years old.

Bernie Mac gained a prestigious Peabody Award in 2002 for his sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show" which aired over 100 episodes between 2001 and 2006.

He, also, suffered from sacoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body organs. This condition went into remission in 2005. Recently Bernie Mac was hospitalized for pneumonia and died Saturday morning from complications from the pneumonia; which was not related to the disease sacoidosis.

Bernie Mac began doing "stand up" as a child, with the support of his mother, who believed in what he was doing. His sitcom "Bernie Mac Show" aired from 2001 to 2006. He received a Peabody Award for this sitcom in 2002. In 1996, he starred in Spike Lee's movie "Get on the Bus" In 2005 he starred in "Guess Who" a comedy remake of "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" which starred Sidney Poitier. In the 1990s, Bernie Mac appeared several times in the sitcom "Moesha" starring pop star Brandy. In 2001 he and his co-stars were nominated for Grammy Award for best comedy album "The Original Kings of Comedy"

Bernie Mac brought laughter to millions of people. He once said something like "I decided to try to make other people laugh when there wasn't a lot of things to laugh about."