Jump to content

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
GenreSitcom
Created by
Based onA format
by Benny Medina & Jeff Pollack
Starring
Theme music composerThe Fresh Prince in association with A Touch of Jazz, Inc.
Opening theme"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Ending theme"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (instrumental)
ComposerQuincy Jones
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes148 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Werner Walian
  • Lisa Rosenthal
  • Joel Madison
  • Leilani Downer
  • Joanne Curley-Kerner
  • Joel Markowitz
Production locations
Camera setupVideotape; Multi-camera
Running time21–23 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 10, 1990 (1990-09-10) –
May 20, 1996 (1996-05-20)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz that aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager born and raised in West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, where his lifestyle often clashes with that of his upper-class relatives.

The series was considered Will Smith's star vehicle into television, and later his film career. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a top hit for NBC, running for 148 episodes over six seasons.[1][2] A reunion special/retrospective reuniting the surviving cast debuted on HBO Max in November 2020.[3][4] A more dramatic reimagining of the series, titled Bel-Air and based on the fan film of the same name, was given a two-season order for Peacock, and released on February 13, 2022.[5]

Will Smith and James Avery were the only actors to have appeared in all 148 episodes of the television sitcom.[6]

Summary

[edit]

The theme song and opening sequence set the premise of the show. Will Smith is a street-smart African-American teenager, "born and raised" in West Philadelphia. While playing street basketball, Will accidentally hits a group of young people with the ball, causing a confrontation that frightens his mother, who sends him to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in the opulent neighborhood of Bel Air, Los Angeles.

Will's working class background ends up clashing in various humorous ways with the upper class world of the Banks family – Will's stern uncle Phil and tough but fair aunt Vivian and their children, Will's cousins: spoiled Hilary, pompous Carlton, impressionable Ashley and baby Nicky (introduced in season 3), as well as their sarcastic butler Geoffrey.

Cast and characters

[edit]
  = Main cast (credited)
  = Recurring cast (4+)

Main

[edit]
Actor Character
1 2 3 4 5 6
Will Smith William “Will” Smith Main
James Avery Philip Banks Main
Janet Hubert-Whitten Vivian Banks Main
Daphne Maxwell Reid Main
Alfonso Ribeiro Carlton Banks Main
Karyn Parsons Hilary Violet Banks Main
Tatyana M. Ali Ashley Banks Main
Joseph Marcell Geoffrey Butler Main
Ross Bagley[a] Nicholas Andrew "Nicky" Banks Recurring Main
  1. ^ Various actors portrayed the infant Nicky Banks throughout seasons 3 and 4.

Recurring

[edit]
Actor Character Seasons
1 2 3 4 5 6
DJ Jazzy Jeff Jazz Recurring
Vernee Watson-Johnson[a] Viola "Vy" Smith Recurring
Michael Weiner Kellogg "Cornflake" Lieberbaum Recurring
Lisa Fuller Toni Recurring
Virginia Capers Hattie Banks Recurring Recurring
Jenifer Lewis Helen Smith Recurring Recurring
Charlayne Woodard Janice Smith Recurring
Perry Moore Tyriq "Ty" Johnson Recurring
Brian Stokes Mitchell Trevor Collins-Newsworthy Recurring
Tyra Banks Jacqueline "Jackie" Ames Recurring
Nia Long[b] Beullah "Lisa" Wilkes Recurring
Jim Meskimen[c] Werner Recurring
  1. ^ A different unidentified actress portrayed Will's mother in the opening title sequence.
  2. ^ Nia Long had a one-off role as Will's talkative prom date Claudia in 2-08 before playing Lisa in season 5.
  3. ^ Jim Meskimen had a one-off role as Professor Jeremy Mansfield in 4–03 before returning as Werner in season 6.

Celebrity guest stars

[edit]

The show is notable for having a heavy celebrity guest presence, with more than forty celebrities guest starring throughout the series. Seasons 1 and 6 had the highest celebrity participation, with over 10 celebrity guest stars each.[7]

Celebrity Season–Episode Notes Ref(s)
Richard Roundtree 1–03 Dr. Mumford, father of Will's love interest. Also played Rev. Sims in 6–18. [7][8]
Don Cheadle 1–05 Ice Tray, Will's best friend from Philadelphia. [7]
Adrienne-Joi Johnson 1–07 Christina Johnson, Will's crush from poetry club. [9]
Bo Jackson 1–09 Themselves. [7]
Heavy D
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Quincy Jones
Al B. Sure
Kadeem Hardison
Naomi Campbell 1–10 Helen, Geoffrey's date. [10]
Isiah Thomas 1–11 Himself. [7]
Evander Holyfield 1–15 Himself. [7]
Vivica A. Fox 1–19 Janet, Jazz's sister and Will's date. [7]
Jasmine Guy 1–21 Kayla Samuels, Will's girlfriend. [7]
Tevin Campbell 1–24 Little T, Teen idol. [7]
Queen Latifah 1–25 Marissa Redman, Hilary's Boss. Also played "Dee Dee" in 2–8. [7][11]
Tisha Campbell 2–1 Kathleen, Will's girlfriend in the episode. [12]
Lela Rochon 2–3 Cindy, Will's girlfriend in the episode. [13]
Malcolm-Jamal Warner 2–9 Eric, Hilary's love interest. [14]
Zsa Zsa Gabor 2–10 Sonya Lamor, Uncle Phil's celebrity client. [7]
Bell Biv DeVoe 2–11 Themselves. [7]
Brandon Quintin 2–12 Ramon, Ashley's friend. He returns as Bryan in 4–18. [15][16]
Allen Payne 2–15 Marcus, Will's basketball rival. [7]
Anna Maria Horsford 2–16 Karen Caruthers, a woman who Geoffrey is attracted to. [17]
Milton Berle 2–18 Max Jakey, Will's hospital roommate. [7]
Bernie Kopell Reprising his role as Dr. Adam Bricker from The Love Boat in Will's nightmare. [7]
John Beradino Reprising his role as Dr. Steve Harding from General Hospital in Will's nightmare. [18]
Bob Eubanks 2–19 Himself, as the host of a game show. [19]
Raven-Symoné 2–21 Claudia, the daughter of Robert, who is Vy's boyfriend in the episode. [20]
Larenz Tate 3–03 Kenny, a student at Bel-Air Prep who woos Ashley [21]
Garcelle Beauvais Veronica, a student at Bel-Air prep who Will pursues. Also appears in 5–25 and 6–06.
Lark Voorhies 3–05 Cindy, Carlton's ex-girlfriend
Sherman Hemsley 3–06, 3–07, 3–10 Judge Robertson, Uncle Phil's rival. Also George Jefferson in 5–17 and 6–24. [7][22][23]
Oprah Winfrey 3–9 Herself. [7]
Vanessa Williams 3–11 Danny Mitchell, Will's idol. [7]
Phil LaMarr 3–15 Edward, Uncle Phil's personal assistant. [24]
Naya Rivera 3–16 Cindy, Hilary's imagined ideal baby sister. [25]
Kim Fields 3–17 Monique, Will's girlfriend. [7]
Tom Jones 3–18 Himself. [7]
Riddick Bowe 3–21 A bully that confronts Carlton, but fights Will instead. [7]
D. L. Hughley 3–22 Keith Campbell, Will's comedian friend from Philly. [7]
Hugh Hefner 4–09 Himself. [7]
Robin Quivers 4–12 Judith, one of the ghosts playing cards. [7]
Boyz II Men 4–13 Themselves. [7]
Sullivan Walker Reverend Boyd.
Branford Marsalis 4–14 Himself. Also plays "Duane" a repair man in 4–18. [7][26]
Stacey Dash 4–17 Michelle Michaels, a famous singer/celebrity. [7]
Robert Guillaume 4–19 Pete Fletcher, Will's boss. [7]
Cree Summer 4–21 Lisa Adams, Will's girlfriend. [7]
John Witherspoon Augustus Adams, father of Lisa. [27]
Pam Grier 4–22 Janice Robertson, a former love interest of Uncle Phil. [28]
Ben Vereen 4–24 Lou Smith, Will's father. [7]
Donald Trump 4–25 Themselves. [7]
Marla Maples
Dick Clark 4–26 Himself. Returned in 6–20 to co-host bloopers of the show with Will Smith. [7]
Leeza Gibbons 5–03 Herself. [29]
Brad Garrett 5–05 John "Fingers" O'Neill. [30]
Kareem Abdul Jabbar 5–06 Himself. [7]
Don Cornelius 5–08 Himself. [7]
Ken Griffey Jr. 5–09 Himself. [7]
Pat Morita Mr. Yoshi, a Martial Arts master who Will comes to learn self-defense from. [31]
Jay Leno 5–10 Himself. Also in 6–5 again playing Himself. [32][33]
John Ridley Himself.
Susan Powter 5–11 Herself. [34]
Isabel Sanford 5–17 Louise Jefferson, couple's therapy member. Returns in 6–24. [22][35]
Isaac Hayes 5–18 The Minister, who happens to be an Isaac Hayes impersonator, assigned to officiate Will's express wedding. [7]
Max Maven 5–21 The Great Mentos, a magician & mentalist that hypnotizes Will. [36]
Charlie Robinson 5–22 Ernest, Uncle Phil's friend and fraternity brother. [37]
Robin Givens 5–23 Denise, Will's love interest. [7]
Chris Rock 6–02 Maurice, a famous actor. Also plays Maurice's sister in the same episode. [7]
B. B. King 6–04 Pappy, the bar's blues player. [7]
Jaleel White 6–07 Derek, Ashley's boyfriend. [7]
Wayne Newton 6–08 Fred, the Casino Manager. [38]
Galyn Görg 6–12 Helena, Nicky's boxing instructor. [39]
Fredia Gibbs One of the women who was throwing Will around the gym in his nightmare.
Daniel Riordan Stan, Carlton's personal trainer.
Regis Philbin 6–21 Himself. [7]
Arthel Neville Herself. [40]
William Shatner 6–22 Himself. [41]
Conrad Bain 6–24 Phillip Drummond, open house attendee. [42]
Gary Coleman Arnold Jackson-Drummond, open house attendee. [42]
Marla Gibbs Florence Johnston, open house attendee. [42]

Episodes

[edit]
SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedRankRating
First airedLast aired
125September 10, 1990 (1990-09-10)May 6, 1991 (1991-05-06)41[43]12.9[43]
224September 9, 1991 (1991-09-09)May 4, 1992 (1992-05-04)18[44]14.5[44]
324September 14, 1992 (1992-09-14)May 10, 1993 (1993-05-10)1614.6[A]
426September 20, 1993 (1993-09-20)May 23, 1994 (1994-05-23)2113.7[B]
525September 19, 1994 (1994-09-19)May 15, 1995 (1995-05-15)55[45]10.4[45]
624September 18, 1995 (1995-09-18)May 20, 1996 (1996-05-20)55[46]9.6[46]

Development

[edit]
The cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, seasons 1–3. From top left: Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Janet Hubert-Whitten, Alfonso Ribeiro. From bottom left: Tatyana M. Ali, James Avery, Will Smith.

In 1989, music manager Benny Medina, along with his business partner, real estate mogul Jeff Pollack, decided to market a TV story based on Medina's life. Medina had grown up poor in East Los Angeles but his life changed when he befriended a rich white teenager, whose family lived in Beverly Hills and allowed Medina to live with them. Medina decided to use this part of his life as the main focus of the show. However, given that by then a black character living with a white family was a concept that had been done multiple times on TV, Medina decided to change the rich white family to a rich black family. "That way we could explore black-on-black prejudice as well as black class differences", Medina said in an interview for Ebony magazine.[47]

Medina pitched the idea to Quincy Jones, who had just signed a development deal with Warner Bros. Television. Jones was impressed by the idea and arranged a meeting with NBC chief Brandon Tartikoff. Will Smith was well known at the time as one-half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, which had put him on the mainstream radar, but he had come into debt after failing to pay taxes. At the suggestion of his then-girlfriend, Smith went to a taping of The Arsenio Hall Show where he met Medina by chance. Medina pitched the idea to Smith, but Smith was reluctant, having never acted before. Medina invited Smith to meet Jones at a party that Jones was throwing at his house in December 1989. There, Jones handed Smith a script for a failed Morris Day pilot that he had produced and challenged Smith to audition for Tartikoff on the spot. Smith did so, and the first contract for the show was drawn up that night in a limo outside.[48]

Andy Borowitz and his wife, Susan, are credited as the series' creators. Andy Borowitz, who was on a contract with NBC, was selected by Tartikoff to write the pilot. He based Will's cousins on Quincy Jones's daughters, and named Carlton after his friend Carlton Cuse. In 2015, he remarked that "it was written and taped in about three weeks, start to finish, and somehow it worked. It was just an explosion of really good luck."[49]

The pilot episode began taping on May 1, 1990.[50] Season 1 first aired in September 1990, and ended in May 1991. The series finale was taped on Thursday, March 21, 1996,[51][52] and aired on Monday, May 20, 1996.

The theme song "Yo Home to Bel Air" was written and performed by Smith under his stage name, The Fresh Prince. The music was composed by Quincy Jones, who is credited with Smith at the end of each episode. The music often used to bridge scenes together during the show is based on a similar chord structure.

In seasons 1, 5 and 6, the credits would be played over still frames from the episode that aired and was accompanied by an instrumental version of the main theme that played in the background. In seasons 2–4, the music and stills were dropped, and the credits were now played over bloopers from the episode.

Crossovers and other appearances

[edit]

During the fall 1991–1992 season, NBC gained two hit television shows to anchor their Monday night lineup (Blossom aired immediately after The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). To gain popularity between the two shows, Will Smith appeared in the Blossom episode "I'm with the Band" as himself under his rap stage name, The Fresh Prince. That same season, Karyn Parsons appeared in the Blossom episode "Wake Up Little Suzy" as Hilary Banks. Parsons also appeared in the Patti LaBelle sitcom Out All Night as Hilary.

James Avery had a short cameo as "the father from Fresh Prince" on Family Matters, at the end of the episode "Scenes from a Mall". He appears during the credits in a blooper scene where he surprises Reginald VelJohnson on set.[53]

In the House and Fresh Prince were both executive-produced by Winifred Hervey (who served as the latter series' showrunner for its second and third seasons), David Salzman and Quincy Jones. During the second season's first episode, Alfonso Ribeiro and Tatyana Ali appeared as their Fresh Prince characters (Carlton and Ashley Banks) in the crossover episode "Dog Catchers". Later that season, James Avery (Phillip Banks) appeared as a mediator in the episode "Love on a One-Way Street".

Following Fresh Prince's conclusion, Ribeiro joined the principal cast of In the House for its third season as Dr. Maxwell Stanton, who had personality traits similar to those of Carlton. In the season 4 episode "My Pest Friend's Wedding", Avery and Daphne Maxwell Reid (the second Vivian Banks) guest starred as Stanton's parents. Joseph Marcell, Geoffrey Butler on Fresh Prince, appeared as an officiating minister in the same episode.

Syndication

[edit]

The series was produced by the Stuffed Dog Company and Quincy Jones Entertainment (later Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment in 1993) in association with NBC Productions.

In 1994, the series' distribution rights were picked up by Warner Bros., which continues to hold those rights to this day.[54]

Home media

[edit]

Warner Home Video has released the complete series, seasons 1 to 6, on DVD in Region 1.[55] Seasons 1 to 4 have been released in Regions 2 and 4. Seasons 5 to 6 have been released in Region 2 in Germany, and in the complete series boxset in the United Kingdom.

DVD name Ep # Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
The Complete First Season 25 February 8, 2005[35] February 21, 2005[56] April 13, 2005[23]
The Complete Second Season 24 October 11, 2005[57] November 21, 2005[58] March 1, 2006[59]
The Complete Third Season 24 February 14, 2006[60] June 26, 2006[61] August 9, 2006[62]
The Complete Fourth Season 26 August 8, 2006[63] January 22, 2007[64] December 6, 2006[65]
The Complete Fifth Season 25 May 11, 2010[66] June 18, 2010 2018
The Complete Sixth & Final Season 24 April 19, 2011 May 6, 2011 2018
The Complete Series 148 April 12, 2011

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Awards Outcome Recipient(s) Year
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards:
Top TV Won Quincy Jones
Will Smith
DJ Jazzy Jeff
1994
Emmy Awards:
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction for a Comedy Series Nominated Art Busch 1996
Golden Globe Awards:
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical Nominated Will Smith 1994
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical Nominated[67] Will Smith 1993
NAACP Image Awards:
Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated 1997
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Won Alfonso Ribeiro 1996
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated Will Smith 1997
Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress Won Tatyana M. Ali 1997
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated Janet Hubert-Whitten 1991
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated Nia Long 1996
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated Daphne Maxwell Reid 1996
Kids' Choice Awards:
Favorite Television Actor Nominated Will Smith 1996
Favorite Television Show Nominated 1996
Favorite TV Actress Nominated Tatyana M. Ali 1996
NCLR Bravo Awards:
Outstanding Television Series Actor in a Crossover Role Nominated Alfonso Ribeiro 1996
TP de Oro:
Best Foreign Series (Mejor Serie Extranjera) Nominated 1996
Best Foreign Series (Mejor Serie Extranjera) Won 1994
Teen Choice Awards:
Choice TV Show: Throwback Nominated 2017
Choice TV Show: Throwback Nominated 2018
Choice TV Show: Throwback Nominated 2019
TV Land Awards:
Best Broadcast Butler Nominated Joseph Marcell 2004
Favorite "Fish Out of Water" Nominated Will Smith 2004
Young Artist Awards:
Best Performance by an Actor Under Ten – Television Won Ross Bagley 1996
Best Performance by an Actor Under Ten in a TV Series Won Ross Bagley 1995
Best Youth Comedienne Nominated Tatyana M. Ali 1994
Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series Nominated Larenz Tate 1993
Best Young Actor Guest Starring or Recurring Role in a TV Series Nominated Tevin Campbell 1992
Best New Family Television Comedy Series Won 1991
YoungStar Award:
Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series Won Tatyana M. Ali 1997

Cultural impact and legacy

[edit]

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's success is considered to be a watershed moment for hip-hop and black television,[68][69] with many publications referring to it as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.[70][71] Professor Andrew Horton stated: "Smith's genre of comedy, popularized on the sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, translated well into commercial box-office appeal. The Fresh Prince watered down and capitalized upon the then growing popularity of hip-hop and almost anticipated its dominance on the American scene".[72]

Author Willie Tolliver noted: "What The Fresh Prince did accomplish was to put Smith and his character Will into an environment of affluence and possibility, thus changing the terms of his own Black identity. This social and cultural mobility is central to Smith's racial significance, and this will become evident again and again; he moves the image of the Black male into unaccustomed spaces just as Smith himself was in the process of conquering Hollywood."[73]

Reboot series

[edit]

On August 13, 2015, it was reported that a reboot of the show was in development by Overbrook Entertainment, with Will Smith serving as a producer.[74][75] In August 2016, during a promotional interview with the E! television network for his then upcoming film Suicide Squad, Smith denied that a reboot was in development, saying that it would happen "...pretty close to when Hell freezes over".[76]

In 2019, a mock trailer titled Bel-Air was uploaded on YouTube, written and directed by Morgan Cooper, for a darker, more dramatic re-imagining of the sitcom.[77][78] Will Smith subsequently heavily praised the fan film, commenting that "Morgan did a ridiculous trailer for Bel-Air. Brilliant idea, the dramatic version of The Fresh Prince for the next generation", expressing interest in expanding the idea beyond the short film into a full Bel-Air reboot series.[79][80]

In August 2020, it was announced that Will Smith and Morgan Cooper would be developing a reboot of the series based on Cooper's Bel-Air. The series had reportedly been in the works for over a year since Cooper posted his Bel-Air trailer on YouTube, with Netflix, Peacock and HBO Max all currently bidding for the series.[81] On September 8, 2020, Peacock gave Bel-Air a two-season order, with the series produced by and copyrighted to Universal Television.[82][83] In September 2021, the full cast was announced with newcomer Jabari Banks cast as Will Smith, Adrian Holmes as Philip Banks, Cassandra Freeman as Vivian Banks, Olly Sholotan as Carlton Banks, Coco Jones as Hilary Banks, Akira Akbar as Ashley Banks, Jimmy Akingbola as Geoffrey, Jordan L. Jones as Jazz and Simone Joy Jones as Lisa.[84] The series premiered in February 2022.[85]

Reunion

[edit]

Much of the cast virtually reunited over a video call in an episode of Smith's Snapchat reality series Will From Home that premiered in April 2020.[86] A reunion of the surviving original cast, The Fresh Prince Reunion, aired on HBO Max in November 2020. Among other reminisces, Janet Hubert appeared, also appearing around this time in a joint radio interview with Smith where the two reconcile.[87][88] More information and context were offered regarding the situation between Smith and Hubert and her exit when the two met for their conversation. Hubert discussed the turmoil in her personal life, her abusive marriage and that she had not actually been fired by the show. She was offered what she described as a "bad deal" to return for the fourth season and she turned it down. Smith talked about how grappling with his rapidly increasing fame at such a young age led him to make decisions during that time that he now regrets and wishes he had made differently.[89] The reunion show also features a tribute to James Avery, who died in 2013, that was shown to the surviving cast. The tribute brought the entire cast to tears.[90]

Explanatory notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  2. ^ Coker, Cheo Hodari (May 20, 1996). "Good Night, 'Prince'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  3. ^ "HBO Max to Drop "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion" Early: Today at 5PM PT". Futon Critic. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  4. ^ Hutchinson, Emily (November 13, 2020). "Will Smith releases first trailer for Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion as premiere date is revealed". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  5. ^ Petski, Denise (December 16, 2021). "'Bel-Air': Peacock's 'Fresh Prince' Drama Reboot Sets Super Bowl Sunday Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  6. ^ "What the Cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Is Up to Now as Bel-Air Debuts". People.com. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao "The Complete History of Guest Stars on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"". COMPLEX. September 10, 2012. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air "Hare Today..."". imdb.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  9. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Def Poet's Society (TV Episode 1990) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  10. ^ Kiss My Butler, archived from the original on March 13, 2017, retrieved May 3, 2020
  11. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air "She Ain't That Heavy"". imdb.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  12. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Did the Earth Move for You? (TV Episode 1991) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  13. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Will Gets a Job (TV Episode 1991) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  14. ^ Cased Up, archived from the original on November 23, 2020, retrieved May 3, 2020
  15. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air "Something For Nothing"". imdb.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  16. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air "Stop Will! In The Name Of Love"". imdb.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  17. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Geoffrey Cleans Up (TV Episode 1992) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  18. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Ill Will (TV Episode 1992) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  19. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Eyes on the Prize (TV Episode 1992) - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  20. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Vying for Attention (TV Episode 1992) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  21. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" That's No Lady, That's My Cousin (TV Episode 1992) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  22. ^ a b "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Will Is from Mars... (TV Episode 1995) - IMDb, retrieved September 20, 2020
  23. ^ a b "Buy Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The - The Complete 1st Season (5 Disc Set) @ EzyDVD". Ezydvd.com.au. April 27, 2005. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  24. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Robbing the Banks (TV Episode 1993) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  25. ^ Malone, Chris (September 10, 2020). "The 10 Most Notable Guest Stars on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  26. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air "Sleepless In Bel-Air"". imdb.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  27. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" The Harder They Fall (TV Episode 1994) - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  28. ^ ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" M Is for the Many Things She Gave Me (TV Episode 1994) - IMDb". imdb.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  29. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Reality Bites (TV Episode 1994) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb, archived from the original on January 10, 2015, retrieved April 23, 2023
  30. ^ Jensen, Shelley (October 10, 1994), Fresh Prince: The Movie (Comedy), Will Smith, James Avery, Daphne Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, The Stuffed Dog Company, Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, NBC Productions, archived from the original on March 9, 2021, retrieved September 22, 2020
  31. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Love Hurts (TV Episode 1994) - IMDb, archived from the original on May 10, 2021, retrieved March 27, 2023
  32. ^ Jensen, Shelley (October 16, 1995), The Script Formerly Known As... (Comedy), Will Smith, James Avery, Daphne Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, The Stuffed Dog Company, Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, NBC Productions, retrieved November 13, 2020
  33. ^ Jensen, Shelley (November 21, 1994), Will's Up a Dirt Road (Comedy), Will Smith, James Avery, Daphne Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, The Stuffed Dog Company, Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, NBC Productions, retrieved November 13, 2020
  34. ^ Jensen, Shelley (November 28, 1994), Will Steps Out (Comedy), Will Smith, James Avery, Daphne Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, The Stuffed Dog Company, Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, NBC Productions, retrieved March 2, 2023
  35. ^ a b "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The: The Complete First Season DVD @ DVD Empire". Dvdempire.com. February 8, 2005. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  36. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Save the Last Trance for Me (TV Episode 1995), archived from the original on November 7, 2022, retrieved May 1, 2023
  37. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" To Thine Own Self Be Blue... and Gold (TV Episode 1995), archived from the original on February 9, 2017, retrieved April 12, 2023
  38. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Viva Lost Wages (TV Episode 1995) - IMDb, archived from the original on January 12, 2010, retrieved March 26, 2023
  39. ^ Boxing Helena, archived from the original on July 24, 2022, retrieved March 2, 2023
  40. ^ Eye, Tooth, archived from the original on February 8, 2017, retrieved May 1, 2023
  41. ^ Eye, Tooth, archived from the original on February 9, 2017, retrieved May 3, 2020
  42. ^ a b c "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" I, Done: Part 2 (TV Episode 1996) - IMDb, archived from the original on April 27, 2014, retrieved May 3, 2020
  43. ^ a b "1990-91 Nielsen ratings - Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums". www.sitcomsonline.com.
  44. ^ a b "The 1991-92 Season Full Nielsen Ratings...and other interesting tidbits - Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums". www.sitcomsonline.com.
  45. ^ a b "The TV Ratings Guide: 1994-95 Ratings History".
  46. ^ a b "The TV Ratings Guide: 1995-96 Ratings History".
  47. ^ "The Real-Life Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". Ebony Magazine. April 1991. pp. 34, 38.
  48. ^ "Will Smith Says He Became The Fresh Prince of Bel Air After Getting in Trouble with the IRS". people.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  49. ^ "'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Writer Andy Borowitz on Rappers and Retiring from TV". Variety. August 19, 2015. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  50. ^ Wolf, Matt (February 11, 1991). "'Fresh Prince' makes Marcell changed man". Kentucky New Era. Associated Press. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  51. ^ Cerone, Daniel (July 17, 1990). "Rap's Prince Soon to Be TV Royalty?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  52. ^ "The Hollywood Minute". CNN. Cable News Network Inc. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  53. ^ Meshulam, Yael (September 30, 2020). "Carl Loses When Uncle Phil Crashes "Family Matters" Set". The Dad. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  54. ^ "WarnerBros.com | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | TV". www.warnerbros.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  55. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air DVD news: Announcement for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - The Complete 6th Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. May 25, 2007. Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  56. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - The Complete First Series DVD: Amazon.co.uk: Will Smith, James Avery, Janet Hubert-Whitten, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana M. Ali, Joseph Marcell: DVD". Amazon.co.uk. February 21, 2005. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  57. ^ "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The: The Complete Second Season DVD @ DVD Empire". Dvdempire.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  58. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - The Complete Second Series DVD: Amazon.co.uk: Will Smith, James Avery, Janet Hubert-Whitten, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana M. Ali, Joseph Marcell, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Ellen Falcon: DVD". Amazon.co.uk. November 21, 2005. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  59. ^ "Buy Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The - The Complete 2nd Season (4 Disc Set) @ EzyDVD". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  60. ^ "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The: The Complete Third Season DVD @ DVD Empire". Dvdempire.com. February 14, 2006. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  61. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - The Complete Third Season DVD: Amazon.co.uk: Will Smith, James Avery, Karyn Parsons, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana M. Ali, Joseph Marcell: DVD". Amazon.co.uk. June 26, 2006. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  62. ^ "Buy Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The - The Complete 3rd Season (4 Disc Set) @ EzyDVD". Ezydvd.com.au. August 9, 2006. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  63. ^ "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The: The Complete Fourth Season DVD @ DVD Empire". Dvdempire.com. August 8, 2006. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  64. ^ "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - Series 4 [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Will Smith: DVD". Amazon.co.uk. January 22, 2007. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  65. ^ "Buy Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The - The Complete 4th Season (4 Disc Set) @ EzyDVD". Ezydvd.com.au. December 6, 2006. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  66. ^ "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The: The Complete Fifth Season DVD @ DVD Empire". Dvdempire.com. November 5, 2010. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  67. ^ "Awards for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". Imdb.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
  68. ^ "The story behind Will Smith's iconic 'hug' scene in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  69. ^ Uschan, Michael V. (March 13, 2009). Will Smith. Greenhaven Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-4205-0201-5. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  70. ^ Becoats, Kellen (February 10, 2022). "Sitcom or Not, 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Knew How to Pull Off Drama". The Ringer. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  71. ^ "Fresh Prince GOAT". GQ Australia.
  72. ^ Horton, Andrew; Rapf, Joanna E. (December 14, 2015). A Companion to Film Comedy. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-16955-0. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  73. ^ Tolliver, Willie (January 6, 2022). Deconstructing Will Smith: Race, Masculinity and Global Stardom. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-7569-5. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  74. ^ Lovett, Jamie (August 13, 2015). "Will Smith Producing A Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Reboot". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  75. ^ "'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Reboot in the Works". thenewbenjamin. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015.
  76. ^ Loughrey, Clarisse (August 2, 2016). "Will Smith says Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot will happen when 'hell freezes over'". The Independent. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  77. ^ Greene, Andy (March 13, 2019). "Hilarious 'Bel Air' Trailer Reimagines 'The Fresh Prince' as a Dramatic Movie". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  78. ^ Kirkland, Justin (March 14, 2019). "The Fresh Prince Gets a Dramatic Reimagining in the Trailer for Bel-Air". Esquire. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  79. ^ Smith, Will (April 26, 2019). "How I Really Feel About That BEL-AIR Trailer". YouTube. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  80. ^ Parker, Ryan (April 26, 2019). "Will Smith Calls Dramatic Fan-Made 'Bel-Air' Trailer 'Brilliant'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  81. ^ "'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Drama Reboot in the Works". The Hollywood Reporter. August 11, 2020. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  82. ^ "NBCUniversal Media Village". www.nbcumv.com. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  83. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 8, 2020). "'Bel-Air': Peacock Gives 2-Season Order to 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Drama Reboot from Morgan Cooper & Westbrook Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  84. ^ Baumtgartner, Drew (September 14, 2021). "Peacock's 'Fresh Prince' Reboot 'Bel-Air' Announces Full Cast". Collider. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  85. ^ Petski, Denise (December 16, 2021). "'Bel-Air': Peacock's 'Fresh Prince' Drama Reboot Sets Super Bowl Sunday Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  86. ^ "Will Smith Has a Virtual Reunion With The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Cast". E! Online. April 29, 2020.
  87. ^ Harris, Aisha (November 19, 2020). "Let's Talk About That Reconciliation During The 'Fresh Prince' Reunion Special". NPR.org. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  88. ^ "Will Smith 'so happy' to settle decades-long feud with Janet Hubert in 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' reunion". www.radio.com. November 19, 2020. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  89. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion", Variety, November 18, 2020, archived from the original on December 5, 2020, retrieved December 7, 2020
  90. ^ "'Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air' Reunion: Cast Talks Sitcom's Trailblazing Impact, Pays Tribute To James Avery; Will Smith And Janet Hubert Settle 27-Year Feud". Deadline.com. November 18, 2020.
[edit]