Redd Foxx
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
John Elroy Sanford
Born Date: December 9, 1922
Born Place: St. Louis, Missouri
Died Date: October 11, 1991
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Redd Foxx best known for his portrayal of the grumpy junk dealer Fred G. Sanford in the 1970s hit sitcom Sanford and Son. Known as the "King of the Party Records," he was a pioneer in using raunchy, adult-oriented humor to cross over from the Black "Chitlin' Circuit" to mainstream popularity.
Early Life and Career:
Early Life: Raised in Chicago by his mother and grandmother after his father left. He dropped out of school at 13 and ran away to New York City.
Harlem Days: While working as a dishwasher at Jimmy's Chicken Shack, he befriended Malcolm Little (later Malcolm X). Because of their similar reddish hair, he was nicknamed "Chicago Red".
Stage Name: He combined his childhood nickname "Red" with a "d" and took the surname of baseball player Jimmie Foxx.
The "Chitlin' Circuit": He spent the 1940s and 1950s performing on the African-American nightclub circuit, developing a reputation for raw, blue comedy.
"King of the Party Records": In the 1950s and 60s, he recorded more than 50 comedy albums, which were immensely popular among African Americans despite being too raunchy for mainstream white stores at the time.
Breakthrough: Sanford and Son:
Television Stardom: In 1972, he was cast as Fred Sanford in Sanford and Son on NBC.
Impact: The show was a massive hit, making him one of the highest-paid television stars of the era and helping to break racial barriers in television.
Awards: He won a Golden Globe Award in 1972 and received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his role.
Catchphrases: Known for his catchphrase, "It's the big one, Elizabeth!" (a reference to a faked heart attack) and "You big dummy!".
Later Career and Financial Troubles:
Post-Sanford: He left the show in 1977 following contract disputes to star in a short-lived variety show.
Financial Issues: Despite earning high income, mismanagement and a lavish lifestyle led him to file for bankruptcy in 1983. In 1989, the IRS seized his possessions.
Comeback: He returned to popularity with a role in the 1989 film Harlem Nights with Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.
Born Date: December 9, 1922
Born Place: St. Louis, Missouri
Died Date: October 11, 1991
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Redd Foxx best known for his portrayal of the grumpy junk dealer Fred G. Sanford in the 1970s hit sitcom Sanford and Son. Known as the "King of the Party Records," he was a pioneer in using raunchy, adult-oriented humor to cross over from the Black "Chitlin' Circuit" to mainstream popularity.
Early Life and Career:
Early Life: Raised in Chicago by his mother and grandmother after his father left. He dropped out of school at 13 and ran away to New York City.
Harlem Days: While working as a dishwasher at Jimmy's Chicken Shack, he befriended Malcolm Little (later Malcolm X). Because of their similar reddish hair, he was nicknamed "Chicago Red".
Stage Name: He combined his childhood nickname "Red" with a "d" and took the surname of baseball player Jimmie Foxx.
The "Chitlin' Circuit": He spent the 1940s and 1950s performing on the African-American nightclub circuit, developing a reputation for raw, blue comedy.
"King of the Party Records": In the 1950s and 60s, he recorded more than 50 comedy albums, which were immensely popular among African Americans despite being too raunchy for mainstream white stores at the time.
Breakthrough: Sanford and Son:
Television Stardom: In 1972, he was cast as Fred Sanford in Sanford and Son on NBC.
Impact: The show was a massive hit, making him one of the highest-paid television stars of the era and helping to break racial barriers in television.
Awards: He won a Golden Globe Award in 1972 and received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his role.
Catchphrases: Known for his catchphrase, "It's the big one, Elizabeth!" (a reference to a faked heart attack) and "You big dummy!".
Later Career and Financial Troubles:
Post-Sanford: He left the show in 1977 following contract disputes to star in a short-lived variety show.
Financial Issues: Despite earning high income, mismanagement and a lavish lifestyle led him to file for bankruptcy in 1983. In 1989, the IRS seized his possessions.
Comeback: He returned to popularity with a role in the 1989 film Harlem Nights with Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.