Thomas Mikal Ford

Thomas Mikal Ford (September 5, 1964 – October 12, 2016) was an American actor and comedian best known for his role as Thomas 'Tommy' Strawn in the sitcom Martin (1992-1997). He also had a recurring role as Mel Parker in The Parkers (1999-2001) and played Lt. Malcolm Barker on New York Undercover. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ford initially aspired to be a preacher but discovered a passion for acting during high school. He earned an Associate of Arts from Long Beach City College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California. Ford received an NAACP Image Awards nomination in 1996 for his role in Martin.