After being born into poverty, Redd Foxx 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.”
He then began doing stand-up comedy on the infamous “Chitlin’ Circuit” in the 1940s and 1950s. Foxx was one of the premier “blue humor” comedians. Blue humor was very dirty, too dirty for white audiences. For years his party albums were not available in white record stores. In the 1960s his records became available, although marginally in white record stores, leading to minor comedy work on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) (aka “The Ed Sullivan Show”) and The Red Skelton Hour (1951), among other classic variety shows of the time. Foxx developed a fan base in the 1960s that led to increased notoriety. He received his own television series in 1972 called Sanford and Son (1972), which was a reworking of the British sitcom Steptoe and Son (1962). Foxx’s character, Fred Sanford (was actually Foxx’s brother’s name), was a cranky old man who was set in his ways and would insult both friends and strangers at the drop of a hat. He ran a junkyard in Watts, a bad neighborhood in Los Angeles, with his son Lamont (played by Demond Wilson). The show broke down racial stereotypes and was a huge success, making Foxx and the show household names.
One of his good friends in the business was legendary singer and actress Della Reese.
Before both legends passed away, Foxx initially gained notoriety with his raunchy nightclub acts during the 1950s and 1960s. Known as the “King of the Party Records”, he performed on more than 50 records in his lifetime. From movies to television shows, Foxx had since been known as one of the best comedians to have EVER done it.
“We were hungry together. We were out of work together,” Reese laughs loudly. “We shared sandwiches together. He (Foxx) loved helping others. The public makes him out to be a nasty mouth, mean person. He was the total opposite – a gentle loving person. If you needed something, he would go into his pocket and give it to you.”
In the video above, Della Reese explains how infuriating it was to see her friend die and what was worse was how the producers who were running the show they were on acted and reacted to the stars death.
In the words of Reese, Foxx and her were filming a show together called The Royal Family, and on that day, the show Entertainment Tonight, was on set to film a special about Foxx. So during one scene where Foxx had no lines, and was only supposed to be seen in the background, the used a stand in during rehearsal while Foxx was being interviewed.
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What He Died of Was What He Used to Joke About
But in trying to show a sign of authority, the producers of the show dragged Foxx out of his dressing room where then had to only walk behind a chair. Once Foxx found out that he didn’t have any lines and was just being used, he was livid and started cursing, only to grab his heart in pain and look at Reese saying, “Go call my wife. Go get my wife!”
It was a common joke on the Sanford & Son show for Foxx to grab his chest and play like he was having a heart attack, calling out to his late wife character, “Elizabeth”, and it would get tons of laughs. But this time, it was real.
Foxx was rushed to the hospital and four hours later, he was pronounced dead. Foxx died of a heart attack.
What the producers said next was even more horrible.
After the doctor came out and told Foxx’s wife and Reese that he had died. The two producers who were also in attendance only said, “Now who are going to get to do Foxx’s lines.” Upon hearing that they were not in the least concerned with her friend, Reese blew up at the producers and stormed out of the hospital, vowing never to do that show or work on a show like that ever again.
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.
How to Spot the Symptoms
The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes. The discomfort may occasionally feel like heartburn.
Heart attack symptoms in Black men can include chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain in the arms, jaw, neck, or back.
Other symptoms include:
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- Sweating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Feeling anxious
- Coughing or wheezing
- Bluish lips, hands, or feet
- Tiredness that lasts for a few days
Silent Heart Attacks: What Black Men Need To Know
Some people may experience a silent heart attack, which means they have no symptoms. This is more common in older people or people with diabetes.
Risk factors include:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes, Smoking
- High cholesterol
What you can do
- Check your blood pressure regularly
- Exercise regularly
- Control diabetes and high blood pressure
- Quit smoking
- Lower cholesterol
- Visit your doctor regularly
Della Reese passed on November 19, 2017, she and her good friend are now probably laughing and joking in spirit together. Redd Foxx will forever be missed.
