Merlin Santana

Dominican-born Merlin Santana was a beloved actor, well-known for his memorable performances in television. In 1979, he began his career as an advertising model for fast food chains. In 2001, he co-starred in the feature "Flossin," which was directed by Todd Bridges. Santana's early acting career was mostly founded on his roles in various television comedies, such as "The Cosby Show" (NBC, 1984-1992), "Major Dad" (CBS, 1989-1993) and "Getting By" (1992-94). He also appeared in "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper" (ABC, 1992-97). He also appeared in the TV movie "In the Line of Duty: Street War" (NBC, 1992-93). In the nineties, he shifted his entertainment career towards more dramatic roles, appearing on "NYPD Blue" (1993-2005), "Under One Roof" (CBS, 1994-95) and "Matt Waters" (CBS, 1995-96). Santana's music was most recently featured in "The Door in the Floor" (2004) with Jeff Bridges. He also was featured in the TV movie "Play'd: A Hip Hop Story" (VH1, 2001-02). He also worked in television during these years, including a part on "Half & Half" (UPN, 2002-06). He also appeared in the Robert De Niro action movie "Showtime" (2002). Santana passed away in November 2002 at the age of 26.