The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air not only made a star out of Will Smith, it added itself in the book of classic TV sitcoms.
The show premiered on Sept. 10, 1990 , airing a total of 148 episodes of the weekly sitcom between 1990 and 1996.
NBC created the series specifically for Smith, who at the time was bigger in the rap game than the acting world. The show aired as part of the network’s Monday night lineup, just ahead of Blossom.
Twenty-four years later and we still love Will, Carlton, Ashley, Hillary, Uncle Phil, Aunt Viv, and Geoffrey.
View 10 facts about the show in the gallery.
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Photo: Tumblr
Lifesaver
Will Smith’s first acting gig was The Fresh Prince, and the series saved him from bankruptcy. Today, he’s worth around $200 million.
Mr. Jones
Series producer Quincy Jones plays the cab driver in the show opening. He was the biggest name on the series at the time of it’s premiere.
All In The Family
Q’s son, QDIII composed the Fresh Prince theme Song.
Real Estate
The house used for exterior shots is up for sale. It’s a 6-bedroom, 7-bathroom Brentwood, Calif. mansion, built in 1937.
Crossover
Smith did two crossover episodes with Blossom to help the network promote both shows.
Still Kickin’
The Fresh Prince is still alive and well in syndication. It’s been acquired by TBS, WGN, Nick at Nite, Disney XD, ABC Family and BET over the years.
Swagger Jacked
Alfonso Ribiero’s “Carlton dance” was inspired by Courtney Cox’s moves in that Bruce Springsteen video.
World Famous
El principe de Bel Air was super popular in Spain. The reruns typically attracted 2.5 millions viewers.
Threads
The cast wore some colorful and classically ’90s fashions on the show that have inspired tons of clothing.
The Next Episode
Smith decided it was time to end Fresh Prince because he was becoming a mega movie star.
