Happy Birthday Redd Foxx

“The show doesn't drive home a lesson, but it can open up people's minds enough for them to see how stupid every kind of prejudice can be” - Redd Foxx

(Redd Foxx)

Redd Foxx was born as John Sanford on December 9th, 1922 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was raised in Chicago, IL. When he was 4 his father left the family. He attended DuSable high school. In 1939 Sanford performed on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show as part of the Jump Swinging Six. In 1940 he became friends with Malcolm Little (Malcolm X).

(Sanford (Right) and Malcolm X (Left))

In 1941 Sanford avoided the draft by eating a bar of soap before the physical. In 1946 he recorded 5 songs for the Savoy label. In the early 1950’s Sanford gained notoriety from performing stand up comedy at night clubs.

(Sanford in the early 1950s)

He was signed to a long term contract and released a series of comedy albums. He then was known as “Redd Foxx”.

(Foxx in the 1960s)

He was also 1 of the 1st black comics to play to white audiences on the Las Vegas Strip. In 1972 he starred in the TV show “Sanford and Son”.

(Foxx (Right) and Demond Wilson (Left) in “Sanford and Son” (1972-1977))

In 1977 he left “Sanford and Son”. In 1980 he starred in the TV show “Sanford”.

(Foxx in 1980)

In 1983 he filed for bankruptcy. In 1986 he starred in the TV show “The Redd Foxx Show”.

(Foxx in 1986)

In 1989 Foxx appeared in the movie Harlem Nights.

(Foxx (Left) with Eddie Murphy (Middle) and Richard Pryor (Right) in Harlem Nights (1989))

Also in 1989 the IRS seized his home and 7 vehicles due to owed taxes. In 1991 he starred in the TV show “The Royal Family”.

(Foxx in 1991)

On October 11th, 1991 Redd Foxx died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was 68 years old.

(Foxx’s funeral)

Today is his 94th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Redd Foxx.

Albums by Redd Foxx

• “Laff of the Party” (1956)
• “The Side Splitter Vol. 1” (1959)
• “The Side Splitter Vol. 2” (1959)
• “Racy Tales” (1959)
• “Sly Sex” (1960)
• “Have One On Me” (1960)
• “Laffarama” (1961)
• “Wild Party” (1961)
• “The New Fugg” (1962)
• “Hearty Party Laffs” (1962)
• “Crack Up” (1963)
• “Funny Stuff” (1963)
• “He’s Funny That Way” (1964)
• “Adults Only” (1967)
• “Jokes I Can’t Tell on Television” (1969)
• “Shed House Humor” (1969)
• “Sanford & Foxx” (1972)
• “Dirty Redd” (1973)

TV shows starring Redd Foxx

• “Sanford and Son” (1972–1977)
• “The Captain & Tennille Show” (1976)
• “The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour” (1977–1978)
• “HBO On Location with Redd Foxx” (1978)
• “Sanford” (1980–1981)
• “Viva Shaf Vegas” (1986)
• “The Redd Foxx Show” (1986)
• “Ghost of a Chance” (1987)
• “The Royal Family” (1991-1992)

Films starring Redd Foxx

• All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960)
• Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)
• Norman... Is That You? (1976)
• Harlem Nights (1989)

Videos of Redd Foxx

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uldt6Y-CE3s  “Redd Foxx - Wash Your Ass”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqazleR3FE  “Sanford and Son Intro”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stdi-1tIUhM  “Sanford And Son: This Is The Big One!”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoHBhosppfw  “Fred Sanford on Police Brutality”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSrKLTx_ao  “Unedited version of Sanford and Son”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0vFZ2a090o  “FLIP WILSON & REDD FOXX - 1974 - Comedy Routine”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjvRdMXEaQ0  “Redd Foxx for Colt 45”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUpX2a-N0y8  “Royal Family Intro”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jFQ55vjYrU  “Redd Foxx 1983”

(P.S. sorry for the late post)