Thomas Mikal Ford, an actor known for his portrayal of the pragmatic yet charming character Tommy in the 1990s television sitcom “Martin,” died on Wednesday. He was 52.
His death was confirmed in a family statement released by the J Pervis Talent Agency. A cause of death was not immediately available, but news accounts said he had an abdominal aneurysm and died in a hospital in Atlanta. Mr. Ford had knee replacement surgery last week, according to his Instagram account.
He was probably best remembered for his role as Thomas (Tommy) Strawn from 1992 to 1997 on “Martin,” which featured the comedian Martin Lawrence. Mr. Ford’s Tommy was often the subject of and the straight man for Mr. Lawrence’s jokes. A running gag on the show was Tommy’s lofty aspirations paired with his fuzzy employment status, which often played out with other characters reminding him that he had no job.
He was born on Sept. 5, 1964, in Los Angeles. Information on survivors was not immediately available.
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