Nightclub act Foxx's raunchy
nightclub act proved successful. After performing on the East Coast, his big break came after singer
Dinah Washington insisted that he come to Los Angeles, where
Dootsie Williams of Dootone records caught his act at the Brass Rail nightclub. Foxx was one of the first black comics to play to white audiences on the
Las Vegas Strip. He was signed to a long-term contract and released a series of comedy albums on a half-dozen record labels that quickly became cult favorites.
Sanford and Son Foxx achieved his most widespread fame starring in the television sitcom
Sanford and Son, The final episode aired on March 25, 1977. The show also had several
running gags. When angry with Lamont, Fred would often say "You big dummy!", or he would often fake heart attacks by putting his hand on his chest and saying (usually while looking up at the sky and referring to his late wife), "Oh, this is
the big one! You hear that, Elizabeth? I'm coming to join ya, honey!" Fred would also complain about having
"arthur-itis" to get out of work by showing Lamont his cramped hand. Foxx portrayed a character who was in his 60s, although in real life he was 48 when production began for Season 1. Foxx used his starring role on
Sanford and Son to help get jobs for acquaintances such as
LaWanda Page,
Slappy White,
Gregory Sierra,
Don Bexley,
Beah Richards,
Stymie Beard, Leroy Daniels, Ernest Mayhand and
Pat Morita. Wilson was asked whether he kept in touch with everybody from
Sanford & Son, especially the series' star himself, after the series was canceled: "No. I saw Redd Foxx once before he died, circa 1983, and I never saw him again. At the time I was playing tennis at the Malibu Racquet Club and I was approached by some producers about doing a Redd Foxx 50th Anniversary Special. I hadn't spoken to him since 1977, and I called the club where (Redd) was playing. And we met at Redd's office, but he was less than affable. I told those guys it was a bad idea. I never had a cross word with him. People say I'm protective of Redd Foxx in my book (
Second Banana, Wilson's memoir of the
Sanford years). I had no animosity toward Foxx [for quitting the show in 1977] because I had a million-dollar contract at CBS to do ''
Baby... I'm Back!''. My hurt was that he didn't come to me about throwing the towel in—I found out in the hallway at NBC from a newscaster. I forgave him and I loved Redd, but I never forgot that. The love was there. You can watch any episode and see that."
Post-Sanford and Son In 1977, Foxx left
Sanford and Son after six seasons to star in a short-lived ABC variety show
Redd Foxx, resulting in the cancellation of the NBC series. In 1980 he was back playing
Fred G. Sanford in a short-lived
revival/spin-off,
Sanford. In 1986, he returned to television in the
ABC series
The Redd Foxx Show, which was canceled after 12 episodes due to low ratings. Foxx appeared as an
Obi-Wan Kenobi-like character in the
Star Wars special of the
Donny & Marie show. In an homage to his show, he mentioned the planet Sanford, which has no sun. In 1989, Foxx was featured in the film
Harlem Nights, written, directed, produced and starring
Eddie Murphy. Foxx made a comeback with the short-lived series
The Royal Family, in which he co-starred with
Della Reese. == Financial and tax problems ==