25 Famous People Who Guest Starred On THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR - Warped Factor - Words in the Key of Geek.

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25 Famous People Who Guest Starred On THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR

I'd like to take a minute just sit right there, I'll tell you how I become the prince of a town called Bel Air.


Premiering on NBC, September 10th 1990, and running for six seasons and 148 episodes, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air made Will Smith a household name as he portrayed a fictionalised version of himself in a fish-out-of-water environment.

As the street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his wealthy uncle and aunt in their Bel Air mansion after getting into a fight in his hometown, Will Smith also performed the theme tune, Yo Home To Bel-Air...



In real life, Will Smith, under his Fresh Prince persona, had become a successful rapper and together with D.J. Jazzy Jeff had scored hits with tracks like Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble and Parents Just Don't Understand. But by 1989 Smith had lost most of his money thanks to some poor budgeting, and was on the verge of bankruptcy when he got his first acting break with this show. As the song says, his life quite literally did get flipped turned upside down.

Across the seasons many a guest star appeared on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, and we've rounded up 25 of them for you. Some of these guest stars were reletively unknown at the time, others are very famous people that you most likely know but might not realise they guested on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air...


1. Quincy Jones
As well as making several appearances as himself in the series and being the executive producer of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Quincy Jones played the cab driver who Will said "smell ya later" to at the start of every episode.


2. Don Cheadle
Yes, it's the MCU's War Machine Don Cheadle, who played Ice Tray, Will's best friend from Philly in the season 1 episode Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy. Even though this was only the fifth episode of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air it was already a success, and there were plans for a spin-off featuring Cheadle's character. The House Of Lies and Ocean's Trilogy actor revealed some years later that he even shot a pilot for In The House (not the L.L. Cool J sitcom from some years later) but it wasn't picked up.


3. Naomi Campbell
In the season one episode Kiss My Butler, supermodel Naomi Campbell played Helen, Geoffrey's date.


4. Evander Holyfield
Will Smith had previously released a single where he boasted I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson, but how about fellow boxing champ Evander Holyfield? He went toe to toe, in a non-contact way, when Hollyfield guested as himself in the season one Christmas episode Deck The Halls.


5. Queen Latifa
Fellow rapper turned actress Dana Elaine Owens, better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, played Marissa Redman, Hilary's Boss, in the season one finale Working It Out. She then returned during season two as a different character, Dee Dee, in the episode titled She Ain't Heavy.


6. Malcolm-Jamel Warner
The Cosby Show's Malcom-Jamel Warner guest starred on the season two episode Cased Up when he played Hilary's love interest, Eric.


7. Zsa Zsa Gabor
In the next episode from season two of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, titled Hi-Ho Silver, Hungarian-American actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor played Sonya Lamor, Uncle Phil's celebrity client


8. Oprah Winfrey
In the pun-fully titled season three episode A Night At The Oprah, the family come face to face with Ms Winfrey when they all appear on her chat show.


9. Vanessa Williams
Long before her best-known television roles of Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (for which she was nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series) and Renee Perry on Desperate Housewives, ex-Miss America turned singer turned actress Vanessa Williams guest starred on the season three episode A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum where she played Will's idol, Danny Mitchell.


10. Naya Rivera
Glee star Naya Rivera tragically passed away earlier this year, but long before she joined the Cheerios she guest starred on season three of The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air as Cindy, the Bundle Of Joy the episode was named after.


11. Tom Jones
Jones The Voice played himself in episode 18 of season three, titled The Alma Matter, because of course who else would be Carlton's guardian angel than the Welsh songmeister Tom Jones?


12. Hugh Hefner
Playing himself in the season four episode Fresh Prince After Dark, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner kept his trademark dressing gown and silk robes on whilst entertaining the Banks.


13. Robert Guillaume
Best known for his role as Benson in the television series Soap and its spin-off Benson, Robert Guillaume might have taught Geoffrey a thing or two but instead portrayed Pete Fletcher, Will's boss, in the season four episode You'd Better Shop Around. 


14. Donald Trump
It's all good fun until Donnie shows up and spoils the party. Yes, renowned xenophobe, failed businessman and America's great shame Donald Trump reportedly still makes a couple of hundred dollars a year from his season four guest spot on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. Appearing in an episode titled For Sale By Owner, little did the world know what they were in for 22 years later!


15. Dick Clark
American Bandstand and Rockin' New Year's Dick Clark guest starred as himself in the season four finale of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, titled The Philadelphia Story.


16. Pat Morita
Famously known as Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid films, Pat Morita turned up to train Will Smith when he played Mr. Yoshi in the season five episode Love Hurts.


17. Jay Leno 
Will's Up The Dirt Road isn't some dodgy euphemism for something your wife only lets you do on your birthday, rather it's the title of the season five episode of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air which guest starred talk show host Jay Leno as himself.


18. Isaac Hayes
Who's the legendary soul singer, who guest starred on The Fresh Prince? Shaft! You not right... It is, of course, Isaac Hayes. Before he invited the world to suck on his chocolate salty balls Hayes guest starred on the season five episode The Wedding Show (Psyche!) when he played the Minister, who just happened to be an Isaac Hayes impersonator, assigned to officiate Will's express wedding.


19. Chris Rock
Well that's the stuff of nightmares right there! In the second episode of season six of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, SNL alum and top funny guy Chris Rock guest starred as Maurice, a famous actor. And just to make sure you never sleep again comfortably Rock also played Maurice's sister in the same episode.


20. B.B. King
In the season six episode Bourgie Sings The Blues, blues legend B.B. King guest stars as Pappy, the bar's resident blue's player. Careful now, otherwise Carlton might start dancing!


21. Wayne Newton
In the season six episode Viva Lost Wages, who else would appear in a Vegas episode but Mr Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton.


22. Regis Philbin
Regis & Hilary sorta has a ring to it, doesn't it? The hardest working man in showbiz notched up another 30 minutes screen time playing himself in the season six episode I, Stank Hole In One when Hilary gets the chance to co-host with Regis on his big-time show.


23. William Shatner
In the season six episode Eye, Tooth, Hilary secures herself a big name guest star for her talk show in the form of Star Trek and TJ Hooker's William Shatner.


24 and 25. Gary Coleman & Conrad Bain
"What you talkin' 'bout Will Smith!" - Two to finish up with as both Gary Coleman & Conrad Bain guest star on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air series finale as their Diff'rent Strokes characters Arnold & Philip Drummond. The pair attended the Banks' family home open house after Uncle Phil announces they're selling up and all going their different ways.

That's 25 famous people who guest-starred on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. Did you spot them all? And can you name any more? Let us know in the comments below...

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