Steve Harvey Biography Quotes 6 Report mistakes

Early Life and Family Background
Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr., widely known as Steve Harvey, was born on January 17, 1957, in Welch, West Virginia, and raised primarily in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, Jesse Harvey, worked as a coal miner, and his mother, Eloise Vera Harvey, was a homemaker whose strict sense of fairness and faith left a lasting impression on him. Growing up in a working-class household, Harvey learned resilience early, carrying those lessons from the neighborhoods of Cleveland into every stage of his adult life. He attended Glenville High School and later spent time at Kent State University before leaving to pursue work and, eventually, entertainment. Before comedy, he held a series of jobs, including carpet cleaner, mail carrier, and insurance salesman, which gave him a grounded understanding of the audiences he would later entertain.

Beginnings in Comedy
Harvey first took the stage as a stand-up comedian in the mid-1980s, honing his craft in Cleveland clubs and on the road. The early years were marked by hardship; he has spoken candidly about a period of homelessness during which he slept in his car while traveling between gigs. Persistence led to pivotal television opportunities, notably as a finalist on Star Search, which increased his national visibility. His straightforward, observational humor, blended with Southern cadence and Midwestern practicality, connected him to diverse audiences and opened doors to bigger stages.

Breakthrough on Television
In the 1990s, Harvey became a household name as host of the long-running variety program It's Showtime at the Apollo, where his quick wit and improvisational instincts flourished. He achieved sitcom success with The Steve Harvey Show on The WB, a series that ran for multiple seasons and cemented his onscreen partnership with Cedric the Entertainer. The show also featured Wendy Raquel Robinson and Merlin Santana, whose performances helped define its mix of humor and heart. As his visibility expanded, Harvey emerged as one of the Original Kings of Comedy alongside Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac, and D. L. Hughley, a landmark tour captured in a film directed by Spike Lee. That ensemble provided a defining moment for late-1990s stand-up and amplified Harvey's status as both a comic and an actor.

Radio and Authorship
Parallel to his television rise, Harvey built a formidable radio presence with The Steve Harvey Morning Show, a nationally syndicated program where he blended comedy, relationship advice, and commentary. The show's on-air community became part of his public identity, especially through the rapport with co-hosts like Shirley Strawberry, Carla Ferrell, and nephew and comic collaborator Thomas Miles, known as Nephew Tommy. Harvey's reach extended to publishing with the advice book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, which became a bestseller and later inspired the hit film Think Like a Man, produced with a team that included Will Packer. The book's candid, conversational approach aligned with the persona he had developed on radio and television.

Hosting and Mainstream Presence
Steve Harvey's transition into one of America's most recognizable hosts began with game shows and daytime television. As the host of Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud, he revitalized the programs through unscripted exchanges, timing, and an instinct for turning awkwardness into comedy. He also fronted daytime talk shows that blended interviews, human-interest stories, and advice, further expanding his audience. Harvey's tenure as host of the Miss Universe pageant became globally known after the 2015 broadcast in which he mistakenly announced the wrong winner. He corrected the error on air, naming Pia Wurtzbach as Miss Universe and apologizing to Ariadna Gutierrez and viewers. The incident tested him publicly, but he returned as host in subsequent years, a sign of both the pageant's confidence and his resilience.

Film and Acting
Beyond his sitcom years, Harvey took roles that played to his comic strengths, making appearances in films and television projects tied to the stand-up and talk genres that he helped popularize. While hosting became his most visible lane, the skill set he refined as an actor and comic informed his timing, his sense of character, and his ability to read a room, whether in a studio or in front of a live audience.

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy
Harvey formalized his business interests under Steve Harvey Global, expanding into production, content, events, and international formats, including African versions of Family Feud. His entrepreneurial approach combined personal branding with partnerships across television and digital media. Philanthropy became a central pillar of his public life through the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, which he co-founded with his wife Marjorie. The organization has supported mentoring programs and educational initiatives, with particular emphasis on empowering young people through guidance and practical opportunities.

Personal Life
Family remains central to Harvey's story. He married Marcia Harvey in 1980, and they had three children: twin daughters Brandi and Karli, and a son, Broderick Harvey Jr. After their divorce, he married Mary Shackelford, with whom he has a son, Wynton. In 2007 he married Marjorie Bridges, and together they blended their families. Harvey adopted Marjorie's children, including Lori Harvey, who would become a model and public figure in her own right, as well as Morgan and Jason. Throughout his career, Marjorie has been both partner and collaborator, particularly in philanthropic work. Colleagues and friends such as Cedric the Entertainer and D. L. Hughley have remained part of his professional circle, a testament to the enduring bonds formed during the Original Kings of Comedy era.

Awards, Recognition, and Public Image
Harvey has received multiple Daytime Emmy Awards and NAACP Image Awards, recognition that reflects the breadth of his work across formats. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a milestone that highlights his journey from small clubs to mainstream status. Publicly, his image blends humor with advice-giving, often anchored in themes of personal accountability, faith, and persistence. The staff memo controversy that leaked from one of his shows and the Miss Universe mistake showed how carefully he navigates public scrutiny; in both cases, he responded by doubling down on professionalism and continuing the work.

Global Reach and Later Ventures
As the 2010s and 2020s unfolded, Harvey built a global footprint, notably by hosting versions of Family Feud in Africa and collaborating with international broadcasters. He continued to develop digital content and live events that leveraged his strengths as a host and motivational speaker. Through radio, television, books, and live stages, he cultivated a multigenerational audience that sees him as both entertainer and counselor.

Legacy
Steve Harvey's legacy rests on the rare ability to move fluidly between stand-up, scripted television, radio, books, and high-stakes live broadcasts. The people around him, from collaborators like Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac, D. L. Hughley, and Spike Lee to radio partners like Shirley Strawberry and Nephew Tommy, shaped and reflected his evolution. His family, particularly Marjorie Harvey and their blended children including Lori Harvey, has been woven into his public narrative. From Appalachian roots and Cleveland neighborhoods to international stages, he has turned setbacks into storylines, honing a voice that speaks to perseverance, humor, and reinvention.

Our collection contains 6 quotes who is written by Steve, under the main topics: Funny - Meaning of Life - Learning - Mother - Movie.

Other people realated to Steve: Busta Rhymes (Musician), Nikki Cox (Actress)