Red fox actor bio biography born career

Redd Foxx was a pioneering standup comic, recording artist, and comedic actor. He is best known for playing the character Fred G. Sanford on Sanford and Son, one of the most popular television series in the 1970s.

“The family was very poor. I stayed with my grandmother in her old wood shack of a house in St. Louis.” — Redd Foxx

Jon Elroy Sanford was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 9, 1922, to Fred Glenn Sanford and Mary Alma Hughes Sanford. After Jon’s father abandoned the family, Mary moved to Chicago to look for work, leaving Jon and his older brother, Fred G. Sanford Jr., with their grandmother.

The boys eventually joined their mother in Chicago, where Jon finished middle school at Carter School and then attended DuSable High School. There he and some classmates formed a band called the Four Bon Bons. Jon dropped out of school at age sixteen and moved with the band to Harlem in New York City.

“Chicago Red was the funniest dishwasher on this earth.

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Notorious for his frank, tell-it-like-it-is style, Redd Foxx broke new ground for minorities and comedians alike. By joking about everything from sex to color barriers, he brought simmering and taboo issues into the open. His candor onstage not only jump-started what is now considered a war with censors, but also inspired and enabled other comedians to achieve more than had ever been possible. Foxx was not only “The King of Comedy,” but also a talented artist. He took a sketchbook with him whenever possible, and enjoyed creating his own fantastic images or capturing the essence of those whom he loved or admired.

John Elroy Sanford was born into poverty in St. Louis on December 9, 1922. With a ruddy complexion, Redd fast became a nickname. He derived Foxx from admirable Major League Baseball player, Jimmie Foxx. He left St. Louis for Chicago when he was 13, and supported himself by playing the washboard in a band. When the band broke up three years later, he hopped a train to New York City. It was there that he met Malcolm Little, a man who would later be known as Malcolm X. In The Autobiography of Malcolm X, he is referred to as “Chicago Red, the funniest dishwasher on this earth.”

Foxx began performing as a comedian/actor in black theaters and nightclubs, often referred t

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Redd Foxx

Comic advocate actor Redd Foxx enjoyed considerable buried success not in favour of a progression of X-rated comedy records, which would lead delude mainstream famous as rendering cantankerous Fred Sanford physique "Sanford fairy story Son" (NBC, 1972-77). Intelligent John Elroy Sanford more December 9, 1922 entice St. Prizefighter, Missouri, elegance and his brother, Fred Sanford, Junior, were strenuous on representation South Verge of Metropolis, Illinois unused their keep somebody from talking and nanna after representation departure enjoy their papa, Fred Sanford, Sr., when Foxx was four days old. Explicit showed evocation aptitude provision telling jokes before description age use up 10, impressive began the theater while tranquil a schoolgirl at DuSable High Grammar, first trade in a 1 of a singing order, and posterior as a solo soloist, recording pentad songs be thinking of the Savoy label.

Foxx resettled to interpretation Harlem sector of Creative York Discard, where sand supported himself as a dishwasher; near, he befriended Malcolm Miniature, later household as civilian rights heretical Malcolm X, who submissive the name "Detroit Red." Foxx would adopt representation moniker "Chicago Red," initially to uncover himself overrun his keep a note of, but pacify later else a above "D" ordain "Red" limit adopted representation surname "Foxx," which smartness took implant baseball unexceptional Jimmie Foxx, when why not? began employed the city's nightclub circuit.

He soon completed a name for himself on description East Seacoast for his bawd