Add this page to:

Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Newsvine Reddit Google Yahoo Delicious Stumbleupon

Nickname:	/ Chicago Red
Known for:	Harlem Nights, Cotton Comes to Harlem, Norman... Is That You?
Birth name:	John Elroy Sanford
Birthday:	9 December 1922, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Height:	5' 8" (1.73 m)

Comedian. Died of heart attack on the set of The Royal Family. Was one-quarter Seminole Indian. Interred at Palm Memorial Gardens, Las Vegas, Nevada, in the Devotion Section, Lawn Space 4091, 311 G. Was the only artist to be invited to Elvis Presley's wedding at the Alladin Hotel in Las Vegas, on May 1, 1967 One of the few performers to have the lead role in a television show on the three main networks. He was the lead in Sanford and Son, on NBC, the Royal Family, on CBS, and in the Redd Foxx show, and the Redd Foxx Comedy Hour on ABC. Appeared on The Flip Wilson show on January 13th, 1972, the night before the classic Sanford and Son debuted. The two shows were on the same network: NBC. During his early life as a dishwasher, he was called "Chicago Red" to distinguish him from his friend "Detroit Red". "Detroit Red" would later become famous as the political activist-social critic and Black nationalist known as Malcolm X. Due to Foxx's financial woes (the IRS seized and auctioned off his assets in 1989), his widow couldn't pay for his funeral, so Eddie Murphy footed the bill, giving Foxx a lavish, star-studded send-off. Was expelled from one school on the first day for throwing a book at a teacher. Had no biological children, but when he married Betty Jean Harris, he adopted her daughter. Adopted daughter Debraca Foxx is the biological daughter of second wife Betty Jean. One of his greatest assets (and perhaps, weaknesses) was his generosity to others. His most famous character, Fred Sanford, was named in honor of his brother, and many of the actors and character names on the television series Sanford and Son were people who inspired him thoughout his life. Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 165-167. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387 Fred Sanford, Foxx's character on Sanford and Son, was ranked #42 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue]. On "Sanford and Son" one of the main characteristics of his character Fred Sanford was the he had a weak heart and that he always knew that the day for "The Big One" would eventually come. It was a trademark of the show that he would fake a heart attack in the face of some shocking news. In one of the bitterest ironies when Redd Foxx finally did the "The Big One" it was a heart attack and those around him thought he was just joking around and didn't seek immediate help. Briefly attended Du Sable High School in Chicago with future Mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington. Huge fan of the "Little Rascals" and worked frequently with Tommy Bond who played the bully "Butch". Foxx often wore a "Butch" style golf cap in many of his shows because of this.

Site: tvguide.com ? Site type: multicelebrity site:

Description: Redd Foxx Episodes, TV Listings, News, Photos and More » tvguide.com: Redd Foxx

Site: Imdb.com ? Site type: multicelebrity site:

Description: Celebrity Main Details » imdb.com: Redd Foxx