Redd Foxx Movies
Long before Eddie Murphy, Andrew Dice Clay, or Howard Stern raised the ire of censors and threatened the delicate sensibilities of mainstream American good taste, there was Redd Foxx, arguably the most notorious "blue" comic of his day. Prior to finding fame in the 1970s as the star of the popular sitcom Sanford and Son, Foxx found little but infamy throughout the first several... (read more) decades of his performing career; salty and scatological, his material broke new ground with its point-blank riffs and brazen discussions of sex and color, and although his party albums were generally banned from white-owned record stores, the comedian's funky narrative style and raspy delivery proved highly influential on comic talents of all ethnic backgrounds.
Foxx was born John Elroy Sanford in St. Louis on December 9, 1922. While still in his teens, he became a professional performer, working as both a comedian and actor on the so-called "chitlin circuit" of black theaters and nightclubs. He formulated his stage name by combining an old nickname, "Red" (given because of his ruddy complexion), with the surname of baseball's Jimmie Foxx. After cutting a handful of explicit blues records in the mid-'40s, beginning in 1951 he often teamed with fellow comic Slappy White, a partnership which lasted through 1955.
Foxx was performing at Los Angeles' Club Oasis when a representative from the tiny Dooto label contacted him about cutting an album. The comedian agreed, and was paid 25 dollars to record Laff of the Party, the first of over 50 albums of Foxx's racy anecdotes. An onslaught of Dooto releases followed, among them over half a dozen other Laff of the Party sets, The Sidesplitter, The New Race Track, Sly Sex, and New Fugg. His records were poorly distributed, and offered primarily in black neighborhoods. When they did appear in white record stores, they were sold under the counter. In the 1960s, Foxx signed to the MF label and his routines became even more explicit, as evidenced by titles like Laff Your Ass Off, Huffin' and a Puffin', I'm Curious (Black), 3 or 4 Times a Day, and Mr. Hot Pants. After a brief tenure on King, he signed to Loma, a division of Frank Sinatra's Reprise imprint. With records like Foxx A Delic and Live at Las Vegas, he became one of the very first performers to use four-letter words on major-label releases.
As the 1960s wore on and long-standing cultural barriers began to crumble, Foxx's audience expanded, and he made a number of television appearances. In 1970, he made his film debut in Ossie Davis' Cotton Comes to Harlem. When the film became a surprise hit, Foxx became a hot talent, and soon signed to star in Sanford and Son, a retooled sitcom version of the British television hit Steptoe and Son. The series, which starred Foxx as junk dealer Fred Sanford, premiered in 1972 and became a huge hit, running through 1977. He also continued recording, issuing You Gotta Wash Your Ass, a live set taped at the Apollo Theater, in 1976. The short-lived programs Sanford, The Redd Foxx Show, and The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour followed; additionally, he starred in the 1976 feature Norman, Is That You?, and became a Las Vegas headliner.
By the early '80s, Foxx's career hit the skids. By the end of the decade, however, his influence on the new breed of African-American comedians was openly acknowledged, and in 1989 Eddie Murphy tapped him to co-star in his black-themed crime-noir film Harlem Nights. Although the film flopped, Foxx's career was renewed, and in 1991 he began work on a new sitcom, The Royal Family. Tragically, he suffered a heart attack on the series' set and died on October 11, 1991. Still, even in death, Foxx's name remained synonymous with off-color comments; on an episode of the hit show Seinfeld broadcast several years later, Jason Alexander's character, George, was chastised for the "curse toast" he delivered at a friend's wedding, prompting an exasperated Jerry Seinfeld to exclaim, "You were like a Redd Foxx record up there!" ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Sanford and Son: Carol
1976
Is Fred (Redd Foxx) telling the truth when he fails to recognize Carol (Spo-De-Odee), a woman who claims she knew him 40 years ago? For once, the redoubtable {%Mr....
Sanford and Son: Fred's Extra Job
1976
To keep Lamont (Demond Wilson) from quitting the junk business, Fred (Redd Foxx) tries to get big a huge bank loan, pretending that business is booming and offering...
Sanford and Son: Aunt Esther Has a Baby
1976
After years of waiting, Aunt Esther (LaWanda Page) is told that the adoption agency has finally found her a child. Nervously anticipating an interview with the adoption...
Sanford and Son: Sanford and Gong
1976
Chuck Barris guest-stars in this zany episode, wherein Fred (Redd Foxx) and his cronies are booked to appear on The Gong Show. Unfortunately for Fred, his wise-guy...
Sanford and Son: Aunt Esther Meets Her Son
1976
Eric Laneuville makes his first appearance as Daniel, newly adopted son of Aunt Esther (LaWanda Page). Upon learning that Daniel is an atheist, the pious Esther...
Sanford and Son: A Pain in the Neck
1976
Fred (Redd Foxx) wins the Watts Businessman-of-the-Year award, but his bad back may prevent him from walking to the podium. Before long, Fred has a pain in other portions...
Sanford and Son: Sergeant Gork
1976
Hoping to impress his future grandson (Ed Crawford), Fred (Redd Foxx) weaves an incredible tale of his "heroic" exploits during WWII. Casting himself as the...
Sanford and Son: Camping Trip
1976
Hoping to "bond" with son Lamont (Demond Wilson) before his marriage, Fred (Redd Foxx) talks Lamont into embarking upon a camping trip. Things go from bad to worse...
Sanford and Son: The Hawaiian Connection, Part 1
1976
Sanford and Son launched its sixth and final season with an unforgettable location-filmed jaunt to Hawaii. Heading to the land of pineapples and hula skirts for a junkman's...
Sanford and Son: The Hawaiian Connection, Part 2
1976
In the conclusion of a two-part story, a gang of jewel thieves have planted their stolen gems on Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), who is in Hawaii to attend a junkman's convention...
Sanford and Son: California Crude
1976
While cultivating their backyard garden, Fred and Lamont Sanford (Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson) apparently strike oil. Their unexpected windfall attracts the attention of...
Sanford and Son: The Stakeout
1976
Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) doesn't know it at first, but his new "lady love," Miss Wallace, is actually a male criminal in drag. Even worse, the cross-dressing crook is on...
Sanford and Son: I Dream of Choo Choo Rabinowitz
1976
To impress his son Lamont's future mother-in-law, Fred (Redd Foxx) tries to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. His plan is to stay awake longer than the current...
Sanford and Son: Can You Chop This?
1976
Shades of "The Handy Housewife Helper" on The Honeymooners! Lamont (Demond Wilson) goes ballistic when he finds that the money he has been saving up for acting lessons...
Sanford and Son: Greatest Show in Watts
1976
Unable to pay his back rent, a tenant of the Sanford Arms leaves his sole possession as collateral. Unfortunately for Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), that possession turns out to...
Sanford and Son: Fred Sanford Has a Baby
1976
With Lamont (Demond Wilson) away on a fishing trip, Fred (Redd Foxx) seizes the opportunity to grab a quick buck by renting out Lamont's room. His new tenant is a...
Sanford and Son: The TV Addict
1976
Lamont (Demond Wilson) thinks Fred (Redd Foxx) is watching too much TV. Fred disagrees, sparking a violent quarrel. Hoping to end his dad's TV addiction once and...
Sanford and Son: Lamont in Love
1976
Marlene Clark makes her first series appearance as Janet Lawson, the new woman in the life of Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson). Nervous around Janet, Lamont's dad...
Sanford and Son: The Escorts
1976
Ever seeking out new sources of income, Fred (Redd Foxx) applies for work at an escort service, only to be bluntly informed that he is "too homely" for such work. Hoping to...
Sanford and Son: The Engagement Man Always Rings Twice
1976
Reconciled to the romance between his son Lamont (Demond Wilson) and Janet Lawson (Marlene Clark), Fred (Redd Foxx) gives his blessing to the couple's...