Palmer Brown, the costumer ofFamily Matters, passed away towards the end of the series, but his legacy lives on, serving as an inspiration for other Black artists.The nine seasons ofFamily Matters, a spin-off ofPerfect Strangers, follow the Winslow family, a middle-class African-American family living in Chicago. The popular sitcom is the third longest-running live-action American sitcom with a mostly Black cast, behind onlyThe JeffersonsandTyler Perry’s House of Payne. The series, at one point, had upwards of 26 million viewers at its peak.
The Winslows and their neighbor Steven “Steve” Quincy Urkel (Jaleel White), who essentially became the main character of the series, got into hijinks and problems from 1989 to 1998 on ABC and CBS. Not only was it a funny, charming series,Family Matterswas also an accurate reflection of the ’90s. Everything from the opening credits to the jokes to the costume stylingscreams a 90s television show. That style did not come around by accident, andtalented creatives like the late Palmer Brown should be credited with the show’s accuracy and memorability.
Palmer Brown Was A Renowned Costumer For Family Matters & Other Sitcoms
Brown Worked On Several Notable TV Shows And TV Movies
Palmer Brown was a famed costumer for television shows from the 1970s through the 1990s. Sadly, not a lot is known about Palmer Brown beyond his credits. The little information about Brown comes from a 2011 interview Jaleel White did withGQ. In the interview, White mentions Brown passed away towards the end ofFamily Mattersfrom AIDS. White said, “I miss him like family”. Brown wasn’t unique in this regard.The AIDS epidemic in the 80s and 90s saw African-Americans account for 49% of AIDs-related deathsin the USA by the late 1990s (viaAPA).
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Gimme a Break!(1982-1987)
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Brown worked on several TV shows across his career, andFamily Matterswas the last of his projects. Brown worked onHomeroom,A Different World,Gimme a Break!,The Redd Foxx Show,On Our Own, andJake and the Fatman. He also worked on a handful of TV movies, includingAnswers,Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, andHeart and Soul.His biggest job besidesFamily MatterswasGimme a Break!, which he worked on for 114 episodes.
Jaleel White Credits Palmer Brown With Creating Steve Urkel’s Iconic Style
White Only Provided The Glasses For The Outfit
The always stylish Jaleel White, who has had quite the transformation since his Urkel days, attributes the dorky neighbor’s wild looks to Brown.
White said about Urkel’s iconic style,
“The thing I brought to the character were the glasses and, after that, Palmer just ran with it, with the flood pants and everything. Between seasons one and three, he really streamlined the look. The patterns became crisper with cords, but the saddle shoes were there from day one and so were the striped shirts and suspenders. All the credit goes to him being a costumer that got passionate about a character.”
Urkel is the consummate nerd with oversized glasses, cardigans, and suspenders, all in different bright shades, with the rainbow being a frequent inspiration. Somehow,this odd assortment of attire eventually became not only iconic but actually stylish, at least when worn by White. Geek-chic has definitely had its moments over the years, and Urkel’s style can be easily spotted in the fashion trend.
Palmer Brown Was A Source Of Inspiration For Black Panther Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter
Carter Was The First Black Person To Be Nominated For An Academy Award In The Best Costume Design Category
Palmer Brown has continued inspiring artists, including Ruth E. Carter, the Academy Award-winning costume designer who won forBlack PantherandBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. She was also nominated for her work onMalcolm XandAmistad. Beginning her career in the late 1980s, Carter has since become one of the most successful and recognizable costume designers working. She was the first African-American to be nominated for Best Costume Design at the Academy Awards andthe first Black woman to win multiple Oscars in any category.
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She was a contemporary of Brown and cited him as one of the only other Black artists working when she entered Hollywood (viaChicagoTribune). Palmer Brown’s work onFamily Matterscontinues to inspire all these years later in ways that would likely even surprise him.
