Check out what's become of Chicago's original first family in the years since the show went off the air.
Steven Quincy Urkel — Jaleel White
Everyone's favorite suspender-sporting, accordion-playing, polka-loving, DNA-altering, snorting, clumsy, genius hopeless romantic from next door, Steven Q. Urkel was television's most famous nerd of the '90s (sorry, Screech). He continued to serve as a reminder that we used to actually look forward to Friday night television. After spending nearly a decade scientifically pestering his way into Laura Winslow's and our collective hearts, Jaleel White encountered the typical struggles of many child stars. White has struggled to break free of his iconic role, playing tiny parts in random TV shows such as House, Psych, and NCIS over the years. Most recently he was seen on Season 14 of Dancing with the Stars, lasting until Week 7.
Laura Lee Winslow — Kellie Shanygne Williams
When she wasn't busy fending off Steve Urkel's romantic advances, Laura was the ideal daughter, pretty, well-behaved, and an excellent student. However, she generally had pretty awful taste in men — and rarely appreciated Steve's undying loyalty. So basically she was a total bitch. But over the course of the show, Urkel's exhausting persistence wore her down. They even got engaged during the show's final season. Since the finale, Kellie Shanygne Williams has stayed busy in the entertainment industry with small guest roles in TV shows, but she seems to have put most of her focus on her family life.
Carl Otis Winslow — Reginald VelJohnson
The hardworking, honest, caring father was the moral center of the show. He took pride in his family, his house, and his work at the Chicago Police Department. The patriarch of the Winslow family was also a constant foil to Urkel's antics. Over the course of the show he hated, pitied, and — like everyone else — grew to love Steve Urkel. Most actors hate being pigeonholed as one type of character, but I'll be damned if someone can find me a better police officer than Reginald VelJohnson. In addition to starring in Family Matters, he's played a man with a badge in Ghostbusters, Plain Clothes, Die Hard, Turner and Hooch, and Die Hard 2. He can currently be seen on the CW show Hart of Dixie.
Harriette Winslow — JoMarie Payton
Harriette is the reason Family Matters ever came into existence. After appearing as an elevator operator at the Chicago Chronicle on the show Perfect Strangers, JoMarie Payton's character became so popular that a spin-off centered around the Winslow family was born. Harriette's frank and loving relationship with Carl was one of the constants throughout the show's tenure. Payton left the show before its final season and has found consistent work as side characters in TV shows since then, including a multiple-episode arc on Will and Grace as well as the voice of Suga Mama on The Proud Family.
