Beginnings
From a young age Steve Harvey knew that he wanted to be on TV. He held fast to his dream, against all odds for a stuttering African American boy in the 1960s. His unrelenting pursuit formed one of Harvey’s life philosophies: “You have to dream big and believe that you will succeed.”
Steve Harvey was born January 17, 1957, in Welch, West Virginia, as Broderick Stephen Harvey. He is the son of Jesse Harvey, a coal miner, and his wife, Eloise Vera Harvey, a Sunday school teacher. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and remains a Cleveland man at heart. Steve’s family didn’t have much, but their lives were full with their faith. Before Harvey achieved his stardom, he made a promise to God that if he made it, he would thank Him and spread the word. Harvey honors that promise by thanking God at the end of every show and by sharing his gratitude with the audience.
The Leap
Harvey’s entry into comedy was a leap of faith. He was encouraged to perform at an open mic comedy night in 1985. Harvey brought down the house, and the next day he quit his job to pursue his dream. As Harvey says, “You have to jump and take a leap of faith in order to soar.”
The road to success was not an easy one. It left Harvey homeless, living in his car and traveling the country for performances. In 1990, he won a national comedy competition which led to his big break on Showtime at the Apollo. From that moment on, Harvey’s career took off.
Today Steve Harvey remains known as the busiest man in Hollywood. But in addition to his work on screen, radio, stage and print, Harvey is a dedicated mentor and an inspiring motivator to his fans.
Career Highlights
Comedy
Harvey began his career doing stand-up comedy in the mid-1980s.
In 1997, he toured as one of the Kings of Comedy alongside Cedric the Entertainer, the late Bernie Mac and D.L. Hughley. The tour’s immediate success led to the taping of one of the most successful comedy specials in history — The Original Kings of Comedy.
In 2006, Harvey released the popular DVD Don’t Trip…He Ain’t Through With Me Yet. Due to the overwhelming demand, he released another comedy special on DVD in 2008, entitled Steve Harvey: Still Trippin’, to critical acclaim.
On August 2, 2012, Harvey performed his final stand-up act at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, ending a 27-year career as a stand-up comedian. The two-hour performance was broadcast live on Pay-Per-View.
TV
His stand-up success eventually led to an eight-year stint as host of It’s Showtime at the Apollo, as well as to various entertainment roles including acting, hosting, writing and producing. On TV, he starred in ABC’s Me and the Boys, The WB’s The Steve Harvey Show and Steve Harvey’s Big Time Challenge. Harvey hit the big screen in movies such as Love Don’t Cost a Thing, You Got Served, Johnson Family Vacation and Madea Goes to Jail.
From hosting Showtime at the Apollo, Harvey became a household name. In addition to Showtime at the Apollo, his hosting career includes The Steve Harvey Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, Steve, Little Big Shots, Little Big Shots: Forever Young, Steve Harvey’s Funderdome, Miss Universe, New Year’s Eve with Steve Harvey, NFL Honors and numerous others. Harvey is one of the only hosts to appear on competing networks at the same time.
Harvey began hosting Family Feud in 2010. Under Harvey, the show achieved record-high ratings and became the first nationally syndicated TV series ever to increase its ratings for seven consecutive years. Harvey has surpassed original host Richard Dawson‘s tenure as the longest-serving host in Family Feud history.
In 2015, Harvey began hosting Miss Universe, which propelled his career internationally. In 2017, he also began hosting New Year’s Eve with Steve Harvey live on Fox.
In 2019, Steve Harvey announced that he was moving his eponymous daytime talk show to Facebook Watch. Steve on Watch, launched in January 2020 and continues to entertain audiences across the Facebook platform.
In 2019, Harvey also announced taking Family Feud to Africa. The show is filmed in South Africa and welcomes families from South Africa to play. The show began airing in 2020, quickly achieving recognition as the number 1 show in South Africa, and today is one of the most popular shows airing in Africa.
In 2021, Harvey announced his new courtroom comedy series for ABC. Harvey will welcome real-life people into his courtroom to rule on conflicts ranging from family disputes and sour friendships to actual small claims. The new series is set to air the first quarter of 2022.
Harvey is one of the most recognizable and sought-after celebrities in the world. His relatable, honest and inspiring personality has made him one of the most trusted personalities in media. 178,000,000 US viewers welcome Steve Harvey into their homes on a yearly basis—that’s over 55% of the total U.S. population.
FM Radio
Harvey began his radio career in 2000. His show, The Steve Harvey Morning Show, airs on more than 100 radio stations nationally and reaches over six million weekly listeners. The Steve Harvey Morning Show is the most listened to syndicated morning show in America.
Author
In addition to his wide-ranging accomplishments as an entertainer, Harvey is also a best-selling author.
In 2009, he wrote Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment. A New York Times best-seller, it inspired the 2012 movie Think Like a Man, in which he starred. In 2010, Straight Talk, No Chaser: How to Find, Keep, and Understand a Man was also a New York Times best-seller. Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success: Discovering Your Gift and the Way to Life’s Riches was released in 2014.
During the taping of Family Feud, Harvey opined about taking risks to realize your dream. His comments were taped and released. To his surprise, the video went viral and led to him penning his New York Times best-seller Jump in 2016.
Harvey is a prolific best-selling author whose books have been translated into 30 languages around the world.
Awards (Partial list)
Harvey has received accolades throughout his career. He received 14 Daytime Emmy nominations resulting in six Daytime Emmy Awards. Harvey was also nominated for one Primetime Emmy as the host of Little Big Shots. In addition to his Emmys, Mr. Harvey has received 10 NAACP Image Awards and a total of 14 nominations.
In 2014 and again in 2017, he received two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host and Outstanding Talk Show Host. He was the first double-winning host ever.
In 2013, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Awards include: (partial list)
Four-time winner: NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Three-time winner: Outstanding Comedy Series (as executive producer/star of The Steve Harvey Show – 2000, 2001, 2002)
2001: NAACP Image Awards Entertainer of the Year
2007: Syndicated Personality/Show of the Year – Radio & Records magazine
2011: BET Humanitarian Award – 2011 BET Awards
2013: Favorite New Talk Show Host – 39th People’s Choice Awards
2013: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2013: Marconi Award winner – Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year
Three-time winner: NAACP Image Awards Outstanding News/Talk/Info Series (as executive producer/host of Steve Harvey – 2014, 2015, 2017)
2014: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host – Family Feud
2014: Daytime Emmy Award for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Informative (as host/executive producer of Steve Harvey)
2014: NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee (Radio)
2015: East 112th Street in Cleveland renamed Steve Harvey Way
2015: NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Host – Talk/Reality/Variety/News/Information
2015: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Informative (as host/executive producer of Steve Harvey)[80]
2015: Marconi Award winner – Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year
2016: NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Host – Talk/Reality/Variety/News/Information
2016: NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Variety Series/Special (as host of Family Feud)
2016: Honorary Doctorate Degree Received at Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama
2017: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host – Steve Harvey[81]
2017: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host – Family Feud[81]
2018: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host – Steve[82]
2019: NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
2022: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host – Family Feud
Steve Harvey Global
Harvey’s success has resulted in one of the most prolific brands in Hollywood. In 2017, he launched Steve Harvey Global (SHG), uniting his various businesses under one roof and one vision. Visit Steve Harvey Global for further details.
Philanthropy and Family Life
Harvey is an active humanitarian and philanthropist. He and his wife, Marjorie, founded The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation in 2010, which helps under resourced communities receive the tools for success. Through the foundation, they have launched several mentoring programs including The Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men and Girls Who Rule the World.
The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation impacts thousands of families yearly through mentoring programs, education and financial assistance. In addition to their own foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey dedicate time and resources to like-minded charities that further their cause. Visit Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation for further details.
Steve and Marjorie Harvey are devoted to their family of seven children and seven grandchildren, Mr. Harvey’s proudest accomplishment.
