The Soul Man
A former R&B star becomes a minister in St. Louis.
The Soul Man is an American sitcom that aired on TV Land from 2012 to 2016. It is a spin-off from Hot in Cleveland, originating from a 2011 backdoor pilot episode. The series was created by Suzanne Martin and Cedric the Entertainer.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Sitcom
- Creator
- Cedric the Entertainer; Suzanne Martin
- Starring
- Cedric the Entertainer
- Niecy Nash
- Wesley Jonathan
- Jazz Raycole
- John Beasley
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 5
- Episodes
- 54
- Executive producers
- Cedric the Entertainer
- Eric Rhone
- Keith Cox
- Larry W. Jones
- Sean Hayes
- Suzanne Martin
- Todd Milliner
- Lynda Obst
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
The series follows Reverend Boyce "The Voice" Ballantine, a former R&B superstar who left his Las Vegas lifestyle after receiving a calling to become a preacher at his father's church in St. Louis. His wife Lolli, daughter Lyric, and younger brother Stamps are reluctant to abandon their glamorous former life for a more modest existence.
Cast and characters
Cedric the Entertainer plays Reverend Sherman Boyce Ballentine, a former R&B singer turned minister; the character's middle name "Boyce" was the maiden name of Cedric's real-life mother. Niecy Nash portrays Lolli Ballentine, Boyce's wife who owns a beauty salon. Wesley Jonathan plays Fletcher Emmanuel "Stamps" Ballentine, Boyce's carefree younger brother and former tour manager who struggles to find work. Jazz Raycole appears as Lyric Ballentine, Boyce's daughter adjusting to the family's new life; she was a main cast member in season one and recurring in seasons two and three. John Beasley plays Barton Moses Ballentine, Boyce's and Stamps' father, a retired minister on the church Board of Elders; he was main cast in season one and recurring thereafter. Gary Anthony Williams portrays Lester, a church member serving in various roles including choir director. Hattie Winston appears as Sister Coriann Pearly in seasons one through four. Kim Coles plays Wanda in season one. Cedric Yarbrough and Yvette Nicole Brown portray Paul and Robyn, the Ballentines' bickering former Las Vegas neighbors, in seasons one through three and season five. Kellee Stewart plays Kim, Lolli's younger sister and an anesthesiologist who becomes Stamps' girlfriend, in seasons one through four. Malcolm Barrett appears as Bird in season two, co-owner of a bar and grill with Boyce. Malik S plays Curtis, Stamps' friend with a prison record, in seasons two through five. Sherri Shepherd portrays Nikki, Boyce's irritating cousin from Chicago who becomes church treasurer, in seasons one and four. Nyima Funk plays Terri in season four. Aloma Wright appears as Shirley, the church secretary, in seasons four and five. Missi Pyle plays Alicia, Boyce's campaign manager for his mayoral run, in season five.
Development and production
On April 18, 2011, Cedric the Entertainer was announced to guest star in a season two episode of Hot in Cleveland, which served as a backdoor pilot for a spin-off. The episode, titled "Bridezelka," was written by Hot in Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin and aired on August 24, 2011. In November 2011, Niecy Nash was cast as the female lead opposite Cedric; the two had previously worked together in the 2007 film Code Name: The Cleaner. John Beasley, Wesley Jonathan, and Jazz Raycole were also cast. Suzanne Martin and Cedric wrote the pilot and executive produced with Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner. The pilot was filmed on December 2, 2011. On January 12, 2012, TV Land picked up the pilot to series under the title Have Faith, ordering 12 episodes. On March 11, 2012, the series title was changed to The Soul Man. Phoef Sutton served as showrunner for the first season, and Stan Lathan directed the first season. Guest stars in season one included Anthony Anderson, Tamar Braxton, Trina Braxton, Robert Forster, Cee Lo Green, Tim Reid, and Sherri Shepherd.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of The Soul Man are there?
The Soul Man has 54 episodes across 5 seasons.
When did The Soul Man first air?
The Soul Man first aired on 20 June 2012.
When did The Soul Man end?
The Soul Man last aired on 22 June 2016.
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