Merlin Santana Biography: Age, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Daughter, TV Shows & Movies

Merlin Santana was an American actor and rapper whose career began as a child model before he became a familiar face on American television.

He gained major recognition as Stanley on The Cosby Show, Marcus Dixon on Getting By, and Romeo Santana on The Steve Harvey Show. He also appeared in Moesha, Sister, Sister, Under One Roof, Showtime, and Half & Half.

Merlin Santana
Wiki Facts & About Data
Name:	Merlin Santana
Born:	March 14, 1976
Died:	November 9, 2002 (age 26 years old)
Place of Birth:	Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York, USA
Nationality:	American
Ethnicity:	Dominican-American
Height:	175 cm (5 feet 9 inches)
Religion:	Christianity
Parents:	Lea Santana, Mr. Santana
Children:	Melinda Santana
Occupation:	Actor, Rapper, Model
Net Worth:	$1 million

Early Life and Education

Merlin Santana was born on March 14, 1976, in Washington Heights, New York City, to parents who had emigrated from the Dominican Republic. His mother was Lea Santana, while his father’s Mr. Santana. Information about his siblings is Unknown.

Raised in New York, he began working as an advertising model at age three, appearing in a commercial for a fast-food chain. He later transitioned into television and film as a child performer. Details about his formal education are Unknown.

Career

Merlin Santana began his entertainment career as a child model before moving into acting. His first screen appearance came as an extra in Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo. In the early 1990s, he appeared on The Cosby Show as Stanley, Rudy Huxtable’s admirer, a role that brought him early recognition. He then starred as Marcus Dixon in Getting By and Marcus Henry in Under One Roof. He also appeared on Sister, Sister, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, Major Dad, and NYPD Blue.

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His breakthrough role came in 1996 when he joined The Steve Harvey Show as Romeo Santana, a charismatic high-school student who became one of his most memorable characters. He remained with the series throughout its run and received several award nominations for his performance. Santana also played Ohagi on Moesha from 1996 to 1999. His later credits included Flossin’, Showtime, Play’d: A Hip Hop Story, JAG, and Half & Half. He was also pursuing music and had recorded three unreleased albums before his death.

Merlin Santana final television appearance came on Half & Half in 2002, while his final film appearance was in the posthumously released comedy The Blues, which arrived in 2003. His career was cut short at only 26, but his performances, particularly Romeo on The Steve Harvey Show, continued to make him a memorable figure from 1990s Black television.

Awards and Nominations

• YoungStar Award — Nominated for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series (1995).
• NCLR Bravo Award — Nominated for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Comedy Series (1996).
• ALMA Award — Nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for The Steve Harvey Show (1998).
• ALMA Award — Nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for The Steve Harvey Show (1999).
• NAACP Image Award — Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for The Steve Harvey Show (2001, 2002).

Personal Life

Merlin Santana, 26 years old at the time of his death, was not married and had one daughter, Melinda Santana. Information about his daughter’s mother and his past relationships is Unknown.

He was close friends with fellow actor Brandon Quintin Adams, with whom he was in the vehicle when he was fatally shot in Los Angeles. Santana was buried at Saint Raymond’s Cemetery in The Bronx on November 18, 2002. He stood approximately 175 cm (5 feet 9 inches) tall.

Net Worth

Merlin Santana’s net worth was $1 million. His income came primarily from his work as a television and film actor, child model, and musician. His longest-running role was Romeo Santana on The Steve Harvey Show, while appearances on The Cosby Show, Moesha, Getting By, and Under One Roof helped establish his career.

Filmography

• The Cosby Show
• Getting By
• Under One Roof
• Moesha
• The Steve Harvey Show
• Showtime
• Half & Half
• The Blues

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