It was the kind of twist only a sitcom could imagine — but this time, it wasn’t funny.
Redd Foxx, the legendary comedian who brought Fred G. Sanford to life with fiery rants and a hilarious fake heart attack routine, died of a real heart attack on October 11, 1991. And in the cruelest of ironies, it happened on set — while filming another comedy.
Foxx had returned to television with The Royal Family, alongside Della Reese. That day, he suddenly collapsed. Everyone thought it was one of his signature bits. “Come on, Redd,” someone reportedly said. “You got us again!” But this time, he wasn’t acting. Foxx died moments later, never regaining consciousness. He was 68.
The news devastated Hollywood, but especially those who worked with him on Sanford and Son. Demond Wilson, who played Lamont, was inconsolable. He later revealed that despite rumors of tension between them, he had recently reconnected with Foxx. “We were finally making peace,” Wilson said. “And then… he was gone.”
Behind the scenes, the cast and crew organized an unofficial tribute at Foxx’s old home in Las Vegas. Friends recalled how Redd always kept them laughing, even when he was struggling financially. Few fans knew he had once gone bankrupt and battled with the IRS. Yet he never stopped performing. Laughter was his lifeline.
At his funeral, Eddie Murphy, LaWanda Page, and others gathered not just to mourn, but to celebrate. They told stories that never made it to the screen — of Redd’s generosity, his sharp tongue, and his unshakable pride. “He was the soul of Sanford and Son,” said Page. “And he’ll be the soul of every Black sitcom that follows.”
To this day, fans still leave flowers at the location where his character faked so many heart attacks. The cruel irony remains: Redd Foxx, the man who turned fake death into a punchline, died while people laughed — and never got back up.
