Since so much of Lopez’s comedy was based around childhood experiences, it was surprising for some fans to learn that his own formative years were anything but memorable. Born on April 23, 1961 in Mission Hills, CA, George’s father left his family when he was two. By age 10, he was living full time with his maternal grandmother and her second husband – Lopez’s mother having left him to begin a new life with another spouse. Tragically, one of his mother’s last acts was to inform him that his father, whom he had been told was dead, was, in fact, alive. These events would provide the dark streak that would inform much of Lopez's later humor.
Lopez discovered his life’s calling in the mid-70s, courtesy of the NBC comedy series “Chico and the Man” (1974-1978), starring Freddie Prinze. The late Latino comedian’s talent and charm inspired Lopez to try his hand at stand-up, which he first accomplished on the day he graduated from high school in 1979. The experience was both enthralling and terrifying, and Lopez would not step on stage for another four years. He supported himself through a variety of jobs until the mid-80s, when he decided to fully commit himself to his comedy. His second attempt proved more successful, as Lopez soon found regular work doing stand-up for amused audiences.
He also made inroads into acting, starting in 1990 with a supporting role in the slapstick comedy “Ski School.” It was at the premiere of this film that Lopez met his wife, Ann Serrano; the pair was married in 1993. During this period, Lopez also met actress Constance Marie, and the pair began formulating an idea for a television series that they envisioned as a Latino version of “The Honeymooners” (CBS, 1955-56).
In 2000, a new opportunity presented itself in the form of a hosting gig for a morning radio show on Clear Channel’s station 92.3 in Los Angeles. With this job, Lopez became the first Latino to headline such a key slot – and on an English-language station, no less. The comic also found time to appear in Ken Loach’s drama “Bread and Roses,” about a pair of Latina siblings who attempt to start a union among office cleaners, and in Patricia Cardoso’s acclaimed film, “Real Women Have Curves” (2002).
Around this time, Lopez was approached by actress Sandra Bullock, who was a fan of his stand-up, and listened as she proposed a network television series based on his comedy and family experiences. Despite his agents’ misgivings, Lopez forged ahead with the idea that he and Constance Marie had conceived, and in 2002, “George Lopez” aired on ABC, with Marie cast, fittingly, as his wife. The first episode was inspired by George’s real-life discovery that his long-absent father was still alive. The show received positive responses from both critics and viewers, and soon found itself a popular TV favorite.
Lopez parlayed his TV success into a number of other opportunities. He was a presenter at the “30th Annual American Music Awards” (2003) and a co-host at the “46th Annual Grammy Awards,” among others. He also provided commentary on HBO’s “Inside the NFL” for the 2003-2004 season.
Lopez returned to his roots with the 2004 comedy album Team Leader (2004), for which he earned a Grammy nomination. He toured extensively to promote the CD and broke house records at numerous theaters, most notably, the Universal Amphitheater, where he sold out seven consecutive nights and performed for an estimated 42,000 people. A film of his performances, entitled "Why You Crying?" aired on Showtime in 2004. That same year saw the publication of his autobiography, also titled “Why You Crying?” which broke The New York Times Top Twenty best-sellers list.
Lopez also branched out again as an actor, landing significant roles in several features and TV movies. He appeared in a Disney holiday TV production titled “Naughty or Nice” in 2004, and provided the sole charm as four characters in Robert Rodriguez’s static kiddie feature, “The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lavagirl in 3-D” (2005).
Despite his ceaseless schedule, Lopez found time to contribute to several charities and lend support to humanitarian and artistic causes. He maintained his own charity, The George and Ann Lopez/Richie Alarcon CARE Foundation, which supported community and arts education; he also pledged considerable support for earthquake victims in El Salvador and Guatemala. For his efforts, Lopez was presented with the 2004 Artist of the Year and Humanitarian Award by Harvard University, as well as the Spirit of Liberty Award from People for the American Way. In 2005, he was named one of the “25 Most Influential Hispanics in America” by Time magazine, and a year later, saw his name join the legends of Hollywood with his own star on the Walk of Fame.
Perhaps the most unusual – and miraculous – award he received during this time was the gift of extended life from his own wife, from whom he received a kidney transplant in August of 2005.