American comedian and actor Redd Foxx has a net worth of -$3.5 million. Unfortunately, he owed more than $3.5 million in taxes at the time of his death. Later in this article, additional details regarding his financial situation towards the end of his life are provided.
Redd Foxx was most known for his role on “Sanford and Son” and his racy comedy albums. In the 1950s and 1960s, he became famous for his vulgar nightclub act. Foxx was dubbed “King of the Party Records” and has appeared on more than 50 albums over his career. In 2004, Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time ranked him as the twenty-fourth best stand-up comic of all time.
Foxx portrayed Fred G. Sanford on “Sanford and Son” from 1972 to 1977 and “Sanford” from 1980 to 1981. In 1986, he starred in the television series “The Red Foxx Show” as Al Hughes.
He received the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actor in a Musical or Comedy for Sanford and Son and was nominated for three further awards. Foxx was also nominated for three Primetime Emmys and won two Image Awards.
Redd Foxx died of a heart attack at the age of 68 on October 11, 1991.
Early Years
John Elroy Sanford Foxx was born on December 9, 1922 with the name John Elroy Sanford. Born in St. Louis, Missouri to Fred Sanford and Mary Hughes, his parents. His father, Fred Sanford, was an auto mechanic and electrician. Foxx was only four years old when he left the household. In Chicago, he was reared by his mother and grandmother alongside his older brother, Fred Jr. Foxx has enjoyed performing since he was a child. The Jump Swinging Six performed on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show when he was 16 years old.
Career
Foxx’s ability to perform stand-up comedy in nightclubs contributed to his initial popularity. He relocated from Chicago to the East Coast so that he could tour with the act. After singer Dinah Washington advised him to move to Los Angeles, he received his big break. There, Dootsie Williams of Dootone recordings witnessed his act. After signing a long-term contract, he released a series of comedy albums that have since become cult classics.
Foxx’s shift into mainstream media occurred rather later in life, when he starred in “Sanford and Son,” a remake of the BBC serial “Steptoe and Son.” Foxx portrayed Fred G. Sanford, the actual name of his father and brother, whereas Demond Wilson portrayed his son. In January of 1972, the series debuted on NBC and ran for six seasons. The show contributed to the evolution of the black situational comedy genre. Foxx was able to get employment for a number of his friends and acquaintances, including Slappy White, Don Bexley, LaWanda Page, and Beah Richards, through his leading role on the series.
Foxx left “Sanford and Sons” after six seasons, resulting in the series’ cancellation. He subsequently starred in a brief ABC variety show. 1980 saw him resume his role as Fred G. Sanford in the short-lived spin-off series “Sanford.”
In 1986, Foxx received his own ABC programme, “The Redd Foxx Show.” However, after 12 episodes, the show was cancelled due to low viewership. Then, he played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the “Star Wars” episode of the “Donny & Marie” special. In the 1989 film “Harlem Nights,” written, produced, and directed by Eddie Murphy, who also featured in the film, he played one of the main characters. In 1991, he starred in the short-lived television series “The Royal Family.”
Individual Life and Death
Foxx married four times over his lifetime. 1948 marked his first marriage to Evelyn Killebrew. They were married until 1951, when they divorced. In 1956, he wed dancer and showgirl Betty Jean Harris. Both had been performing at the same nightclub where they had met.
Harris renounced her work to become a full-time housewife, and Foxx adopted Debraca, Harris’s daughter. Harris managed the majority of Foxx’s business operations and schedule prior to their 1974 divorce, which was precipitated by Foxx’s infidelity. After 18 years of marriage, they divorced in 1974, and Foxx did not attend Debraca’s wedding the following year. Foxx married Joi Yun Chi Chung in Las Vegas in 1976. When they met, Joi was 20 years younger than Foxx and working as a cocktail server. Their marriage also ended in divorce in 1979, three years later.
In July of 1991, Jamie Foxx wed Kaho Cho. The two had met in a Las Vegas hotel. Despite having previously rejected marriage after three previous divorces, Foxx noted that Cho had stood by him through numerous financial difficulties, and he was grateful for her support. Foxx suffered a heart attack on the set of “The Royal Family” only a few months after getting married. The Queen of Angels Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center confirmed him dead four hours after his arrival.
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Foxx has been acknowledged with inspiring comedians such as Richard Pryor and Chris Rock. Jamie Foxx, an actor and comedian, has indicated that he selected his professional surname as a tribute to Foxx. Foxx has been depicted in popular culture multiple times after his passing.
In the film “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” he was represented by Aries Spears, and his character from “Sanford and Sons” has appeared on series such as “Family Guy” and “Boondocks.” His archived performances have been featured in “Surely, You Jest,” “Dolemite is My Name” (2019), and “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” His life and humour have also been featured on the television programmes “Unsung Hollywood,” “History of Comedy,” “E! True Hollywood Story,” “Laugh Mobb Present,” and “Biography.”
