Redd Foxx
Redd Foxx
Celebrated Name: Redd Foxx
Real Name/Full Name: John Elroy Sanford
Gender: Male
Age at the time of death: 68 years old
Birth Date: 9 December 1922
Date of Death: 11 October 1991
Birth Place: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Nationality: American
Height: 1.72 M
Weight: 85 Kg
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Marital Status: Married
Wife/Spouse (Name): Evelyn Killebrew (m, 1948; div, 1951), Betty Jean Harris (m, 1956; div, 1975), Joi Yun Chi Chung (m, 1976; div, 1981), Kaho Cho (m. 1991)
Children: Yes (Debraca Denise)
Dating/Girlfriend
(Name):
N/A
Profession: Stand-up comedian, Singer, and Actor
Net Worth in 2024: -$3.5 Million
Last Updated: December 2024

Redd Foxx was a popular American stand-up comedian, singer, and actor. He is most popularly known for his role on the TV show “Sanford and Son.” He has performed on more than 50 records in his lifetime and is often called the “King of the Party Records.” He has performed in different movies as well, including “Cotton Comes to Harlem” (1970) and “Harlem Nights” (1989). He has been the recipient of a Golden Globe Award and 3 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations.

Maybe you know about Redd Foxx very well, But do you know how old was he at the time of his death and what is his net worth in 2024? If you do not know, We have prepared this article about details of Redd Foxx’s short biography-wiki, career, professional life, personal life, today’s net worth, age, height, weight, and more facts. Well, if you’re ready, let’s start.

Early Life & Biography

Redd Foxx, whose real name is John Elroy Sanford, was born on the 9th of December 1922 in St. Louis, Missouri, the U.S. to parents, Fred Sanford and Mary Sanford Carson. His father was an electrician and auto mechanic by profession. He has an elder brother, Fred Jr. as well who provided him with the name for his character on the hit TV show “Sanford and Son.” For his schooling, he went to DuSable High School. In the 1940’s he met Malcolm Little, better known by his other name Malcolm X, who was a popular minister during the civil rights movement.  At the time of World War 2, he avoided being selected by eating half a bar of soap before his physical test began, which resulted in heart palpitations and therefore getting rejected.

Personal Life

Redd Foxx married Evelyn Killebrew in 1948, and they got divorced three years later in 1951. On the 5th of July, 1956, he married dancer Betty Jean Harris, who he first met at a night club. Betty had a 9-year old daughter from her previous marriage at the time, Debraca. Foxx adopted her with open arms, and she adopted his surname “Foxx” as well.

After 18 years, Foxx filed for divorce from Betty on account of incompatibility in May of 1974. Foxx married  Joi Yun Chin Chung on the 31st of December 1976. Joi is 20 years younger than him, and she originally met Foxx at the Las Vegas Hilton, where she was working as a cocktail waitress at the time. The marriage couldn’t last long as Foxx filed for divorce in October of 1979.

She also filed for divorce and charged him with cruelty. The divorce became final in 1981, and Foxx was forced to pay $300,00 for the divorce settlement. Ten years later, in July of 1991, Redd Foxx married Kaho Cho, who is originally from South Korea, and they first met at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

On the 11th of October 1991, Redd Foxx suffered a heart attack on the set of the TV show “The Royal Family.” He was then taken to the Queen Of Angels Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was declared four and a half hours later. He is buried alongside his mother at Palm Eastern Cemetery in Las Vegas.

Age, Height, and Weight

Being born on 9 December 1922, Redd Foxx was 68 years old at the time of his death. His height was 1.72 M tall and weighed 85 Kg kg.

Career

Redd Foxx began his career by performing at nightclubs. He was later signed to a long term contract, and as a result, he was able to release a series of comedy albums that quickly became huge fan favorites.  He later starred in the TV show “Sanford and Son,” which rose him to prominence. The show’s first episode aired on the 14th of January 1972 and continued for six seasons, with the final episode airing on the 25th of March 1977.

In 1980, he starred in a “Sanford and Son” spin-off, which was titled “Sanford.” Six years later, in 1986, he starred in the TV show “The Redd Foxx Show,” which got canceled just 12 episodes later due to low ratings.  Also, he has worked in shows like “Donny & Marie” and “The Royal Family.”  Besides acting in movies, he has made appearances in films as well, such as “All the Fine Young Cannibals” (1960), “Cotton Comes to Harlem” (1970), “Harlem Nights” (1989) and more.  Besides acting, he is a great singer as well, having appeared on more than 50 records in his career. He was even named as the “King of the Party Records.”

Awards & Achievements

Here is a list covering some of the Awards and Achievements earned by Redd Foxx:

  • He won the Golden Globe Award in the category of BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY for “Sanford and Son” in 1973.
  • He was given a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 1992.
  • He has been the recipient of 3 Emmy Award Nominations for his performance in “Sanford and Son.”
  • He was featured on the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time at #24 by Comedy Central in 2004.

Net Worth & Salary of Redd Foxx in 2024

Redd Foxx Net Worth
Redd Foxx Net Worth

Redd Foxx died on the 11th of October, 1991. He had a net worth of -$3.5 Million as of December 2024. Redd Foxx had a great run, and he did earn a lot over the years, but his lifestyle habits combined with his divorce cases and his failure to pay taxes in time got him into debt.  He spent over $1,50,000 while awaiting divorce from his second wife, Betty Jean, after their separation that happened in 1974.

A similar situation happened once again when he was ordered to pay $2,500 a month to his third wife Joi while awaiting divorce after their separation that happened in 1979. Two years later, in 1981, he paid her $300,000 for the divorce settlement.  In 1983, he filed for bankruptcy, and proceedings continued through 1989. On November 28, 1989, the IRS seized his Las Vegas home, vehicles, cash, guns, and semi-automatic pistol he owned to recover the amount of unpaid taxes, which was $996,630 at the time.

Redd Foxx had a great career owing to his natural comic timing and his acting skills. However, his personal life was a mess, and his spending habits weren’t exactly ideal. Hopefully, we can all learn from his life and make better decisions. Here’s thanking him for the great entertainment he provided us with over the years.

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