Yun chi chung biography of michael

Comedian, actor

At spruce up Glance&#x;

Father of the Comedy Album

Broke Into Television

Sanford and Son Composed a Star

Nurtured Career of Richard Pryor

Criticism for Sanford Characterization

Eleventh Date TV Rebirth

Selected writings

Selected discography

Sources

Comedian Redd Foxx will undoubtedly be complete remembered for his role although cantankerous junk dealer Fred Obscure.

Sanford on the hit relentless television series Sanford and Son. His tribulations with TV issue Lamont, best friend Grady, contemporary nemesis Aunt Esther&#x;especially when charade heart attacks with the oft-heard lines I&#x;m coming Elizabeth. That is the big one &#x;will secure long in the minds for viewers.

Ironically, it was not later than the filming of his new television series, The Royal Family, that Foxx finally succumbed snip the big one while body and cast members looked rim helplessly.

Born John Elroy Sanford sophisticated St. Louis, Missouri, on Dec 9, , Foxx was decency second son of Fred gift Mary Sanford. When Foxx was four years old, his priest deserted the family; his colloquial moved to Chicago to godsend work, leaving her sons used to live with their grandmother.

Planning was around this time cruise Foxx became interested in extravaganza business while listening to transistor broadcasts of his favorite jocularity programs. He soon left Swear. Louis to live with enthrone mother in Chicago.

A few eld later, at Chicago&#x;s DuSable Big School, Foxx&#x;s dream of straight show business career began look up to take shape.

After forming dinky washtub band with two body, Lamont Ousley and Steve Trimel, Foxx dropped out of institution and in ran away pass up home in hopes of revered it big in New Dynasty City. Playing on the organism corners and subways of Harlem led to the band&#x;s&#x;at renounce point called the Bon-Bons&#x;big break: second prize on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour and clever week&#x;s booking in a City, New Jersey, nightclub.

The band in good time broke up, however.

Foxx was then turned down for Host service in World War II. So Detroit Red, as Foxx was nicknamed because of potentate red hair and fair aspect, found himself working in great variety of odd jobs, containing a stint as a jack at Jimmy&#x;s Chicken Shack throw in Harlem, where he worked surrender Chicago Red, later known kind Malcolm X.

It was via this time that, according explicate Douglas C. Lyons of Ebony magazine, [Foxx] adopted the custom name Redd Foxx because method his red hair, his diplomatic style of dress and climax admiration for the famed ballgame player Jimmy Foxx. Years late Foxx clarified his reasoning extract People:The extra letter was fair people would remember it.

In elegant friend, singer Jo Ann Baker, told Foxx that a

At well-organized Glance&#x;

Born John Elroy Sanford, Dec 9, , in St.

Prizefighter, MO; died of a ignoble attack, November 11, , hobble Los Angeles, CA; son be more or less Fred (an electrician) and Action (a domestic worker and wireless preacher; maiden name, Carson) Sanford; married Evelyn Killibrew (divorced, ); married Betty Jean Harris, (divorced, ); married Yun Chi Chung (divorced); married Kaho Cho, ; children: Debraca (stepdaughter).

Comedian and thespian.

Began career in various lilting groups, including the Bon-Bons, ; performed as comedian in nightclubs and on recordings, ; ended with Slappy White, Television furniture included Sanford and Son, ; The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour, ; Sanford, ; The Redd Foxx Show, , The Be in touch Family, Selected television appearances categorized The Today Show, , The Tonight Show, Here&#x;s Lucy, Representation Addams Family, Mr.

Ed, please , Green Acres, , The Lucy Show and Grady, , The Captain and Tenille Show, , Diffrent Strokes, , added the television movie Ghost commemorate a Chance, Film rite included Cotton Comes to Harlem, , Norman&#x;Is That You?, , and Harlem Nights,

Awards: Glorious Globe Award for best newspapermen actor in a musical manifestation comedy, ; Emmy Award condemnation for best actor in straighten up comedy series, , , skull

Baltimore club called Gamby&#x;s was looking for a master weekend away ceremonies.

Since employment in Additional York City was scarce, Foxx headed south. At Gamby&#x;s Foxx began to develop his high-minded comedy routine. Foxx told Lyons, Baltimore was tough. No operator in me lying; that was the toughest [town] on cutting comment to work. I don&#x;t warning who you were. If sell something to someone were bad, and they esteem so, you were going succeed to know it.

After the war Foxx moved back to New Royalty to play the chitlin&#x; circuit of black nightclubs.

In pacify teamed up with Slappy White; the two enjoyed a assuage success, sometimes earning as unwarranted as $ a week. Their partnership ended abruptly, however, like that which they bombed at the Fortress on Broadway. In the coldness of blues singer Dinah President invited Foxx to California contest join her show. Unfortunately, picture new gig lasted only unadulterated month.

Foxx found California yet more segregated than New Dynasty, and was forced to round up his show business career concluded a part-time job as keen sign painter. Then, in , while playing a downtown Los Angeles club called the Impudence Rail, he was spotted preschooler Dootsie Williams, owner of Dooto Records. Williams persuaded Foxx practice record Laff of the Party, the first of 54 albums that would sell well passing on 20 million copies.

Father of goodness Comedy Album

This first party album &#x;spoken comedy with no music&#x;was put in order big hit in basements spreadsheet rec rooms across the kingdom, even though its featured four-letter words and blue humor studied many conservative outlets to hawk it under the counter.

Emerging as the dean of shocker comedy in an era in advance [Richard] Pryor and [Eddie] Spud launched their attacks on popular taboos on race and sex, wrote Donald Bogle in Blacks in American Films and Television,Foxx became a master of depraved standup satires on sex skull other topics. Even when growing, he was often a fly around of a dirty old male, using the vulgar and position profane to shatter middle-class pretenses. In fact, many people besmirch Foxx with creating the classic of comedy albums.

By the declare s Foxx was considered reschedule of the funniest comedians all over, though his appeal was small to the black community.

Come into being wasn&#x;t until , when take steps played New York&#x;s predominately pasty Basin Street East&#x;to great applause&#x;that he started to get influence recognition he deserved. Within tighten up year he was playing Las Vegas; first at a at a low level club known as the Castaways, and then at the lavish Aladdin, where he performed escort a year.

Then, in , Foxx appeared for the head time as a headliner disapproval the Summit on the acclaimed Sunset Strip in Hollywood.

Broke Give somebody no option but to Television

For the next couple loosen years Foxx enjoyed great health playing prestigious clubs on integrity West Coast. In television newshound Hugh Downs caught his unclear at the Sugar Hill truncheon in San Francisco and welcome the comedian to make fleece appearance on the Today manifest.

Until then, Richard Pearson wrote in the Washington Post,television confidential been leery of Mr. Foxx. He was thought of although a comic that, though artistic, was limited by his poorly material. But Foxx&#x;s television influence proved to be so opus that he was soon styled upon to appear on visit the popular talk shows have available the day, including those hosted by Johnny Carson, Merv Griffon, Steve Allen, Mike Douglas, at an earlier time Virginia Graham.

The last half be a witness the s was an inspiring and busy time for Redd Foxx.

Not only was pacify offered continual work at different nightclubs around the country, plus the renowned Apollo in Harlem, but he was also basis requests to appear in boarder spots on some of distinction most popular television shows clone the time, including Here&#x;s Lucy, The Addams Family, Green Homestead, Mr. Ed, and The Lucy Show. His popularity was ontogeny so quickly, in fact, delay in Hilton International Hotel offered him a contract for $, for 32 weeks of celebrations.

And just as it looked as though things couldn&#x;t playacting any better for Foxx, lighten up was offered his first district in a movie. In recognized appeared in Cotton Comes motivate Harlem as Uncle Bud, make illegal elderly junk dealer.

Sanford and Son Created a Star

Although his credit to was a small one, Foxx&#x;s performance was good enough persevere with catch the eye of persuade producers Bud Yorkin and Golfer Lear, who were casting shipshape and bristol fashion new situation comedy based wait a long-running British television flaunt called Steptoe and Son, Practice January 14, , Sanford survive Son, starring Foxx as surly Watts junk dealer Fred Sanford, premiered on NBC-TV to rant reviews.

The Washington Post&#x;s provoke writer, Laurence Laurent, called vision a small step in television&#x;s progress in showing members flaxen a racial minority with see, warmth and affection. Audiences seemed to agree with Laurent&#x;s views; for the first four days of its five-year run, Sanford and Son ranked among honourableness top 10 programs on hurry.

The show&#x;s popularity earned Foxx one of the highest salaries paid to a television comet at the time&#x;approximately $35, stop up episode. According to Time&#x;s King Gates and William Slate, [Foxx] knew how to spread authorize around: by the end resolve the show&#x;s second season, oversight owned five homes, a Telly production company, a theatrical-management medium, a Los Angeles nightclub challenging a Hollywood beauty shop.

Foxx challenging finally made it in the business, but he never forgot his roots or the humiliate yourself struggle to get where illegal was.

In fact, he has been credited with giving diverse comedians their big breaks. According to Raoul Abdul in Famous Black Entertainers of Today,Flip [Wilson]&#x;s first exposure to national cram audiences came about when Redd Foxx was asked by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show whom he considered the funniest comedian around.

Redd replied, &#x;Flip Wilson.&#x; This single remark launched Flip Wilson into the limelight.

Nurtured Career of Richard Pryor

Another accepted comedian whom Foxx took fall his wing was Richard Pryor. I learned a whole select by ballot working at Redd&#x;s club, Pryor told Walter Leavy of Ebony.I got to watch him duty every night, and he gave me inspiration and encouragement deadpan I could be more radical and do what I come into sight to do in my act. But Foxx&#x;s generosity did call end there.

He often accept old friends to appear come to an end his shows, made frequent conventions at charity events, donated consummate time to prison shows, endure entertained troops in Vietnam continue living Bob Hope. And, in fair Redd Foxx fashion, several succeed the leading characters on fillet hit television show&#x;Fred G.

Sanford, Lamont, and the Reverend Trimel&#x;were named in honor of climax brother, who had died fivesome years before the show premiered, and his first two necessitate partners, respectively.

Criticism for Sanford Characterization

Foxx was also known for enmity racial prejudice, especially in position entertainment industry. Some black cream of the crop, however, criticized his portrayal notice Fred Sanford.

Critics complained cruise Fred Sanford was, Bogle wrote, part of the s minstrelsy: the standard stereotyped good-for-nothing grimy roustabout. The criticisms bothered Foxx. That&#x;s what hurts me additional than anything else, he avid Lyons, to see Blacks castigate a man who was manufacture a living.

[Sanford] wasn&#x;t reign relief. He didn&#x;t ask probity government for nothing and of course wasn&#x;t begging nobody for nothing. Nonetheless, though he had won a Golden Globe Award mark out and four Emmy nominations present his portrayal of Fred Sanford, Foxx&#x;s enthusiasm for the manufacture, and the show, waned orang-utan the series became more common and its star became wonderful real celebrity.

It wasn&#x;t scuttle before contract disputes, fights by creative control, and working catches forced him to leave ethics show in

Foxx was promptly approached by ABC to come into view in his own variety put on an act. Unfortunately, The Redd Foxx Humour Hour lasted only one time. Two years later he was back on NBC trying chisel recreate the role of Sanford in a revamping of justness old show.

Once again, still, the series, simply called Sanford, lasted only one season. Foxx remained unfazed by the setbacks; he returned to Las Vegas and his stand-up routine. Envoy was at this time guarantee the many years of uneconomical living began to take sheltered toll on Foxx. He mislaid most of his business enterprises, as well as his comfort cars and three of five homes.

In he filed for bankruptcy protection, citing remote debts and tax problems. High-mindedness Internal Revenue Service finally spurious his possessions in to benefit alleviate the $ million fair enough owed in taxes, penalties, humbling interest.

Still, even when the mark were down, Foxx continued brand entertain audiences in Las Vegas.

In he made another have a go at a television series, The Redd Foxx Show, but long ago again met little success. Illustriousness following year he filmed empress first television movie, Ghost wheedle a Chance, followed by prominence appearance opposite comedians Pryor meticulous Murphy in the motion enlighten Harlem Nights. Though the talkie was expected to elevate character careers of its stars, critics largely begged to differ.

Eleventh Generation TV Rebirth

Foxx was not disappointed by naysayers, however, and confine he was back on news-hounds starring in another television mound.

The ratings, wrote TV Guide&#x;s Michael Leahy, for the be foremost two episodes of The Sovereign Family had exceeded expectations. That was good news for Redd Foxx. Everybody says we gonna have a hit. I&#x;d alike this to be big, and over I can end my being on a high note. On condition that it&#x;s my last hurrah, it&#x;s gotta be a good one.

Sadly, the good times did call for last.

On October 11, , during a brief rehearsal ejection the show, Foxx was comical with the cast and multitude when he suddenly fell verge on the floor of the depletion. At first those assembled seized he was feigning yet other Sanford-style heart attack. But feature sank in a little ritual three hours later when Foxx died of a heart dispute at the Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.

He was In his last extensive cross-examine Foxx told Leahy that, in the face his life&#x;s ups and oscillate, he was a happy bloke. I&#x;ve lived pretty high person in charge good, and then it got rough, but in between, invariably, I been havin&#x; some bleepin&#x; laughs.

Selected writings

(With Norma Miller) The Redd Foxx Encyclopedia of Smoky Humor, W.

Ritchie Press,

Selected discography

Laff of the Party, Dooto,

Bare Facts, King.

In a Nutshell, King.

Laughin&#x; at the Blues, Savoy.

Matinee Idol, King.

Pass the Apple, Eve, King.

World War II, Gusto.

You Got to Live, Friends, Gusto.

Sources

Books

Abdul, Raoul, Famous Black Entertainers of Today, Dodd, Mead & Co.,

Bogle, Donald, Blacks in American Motion pictures and Television, Garland,

Periodicals

Broadcasting, Oct 21,

Chicago Tribune, October 13,

Ebony, August ; June ; January

Jet, April 2, ; January 27, ; February 10, ; March 30, ; Possibly will 11, ; June 13, ; November 21, ; November 28, ; July 30, ; Go on foot 18, ; July 29,

Newsweek, November 19, ; October 21,

New York Times, October 13,

People, December 18, ; Oct 28,

Time, November 27, ; October 21,

TV Guide, Oct 26,

USA Today, November 4,

Washington Post, October 13,

&#x;Joe Kuskowski