For generations of television viewers, no character was more comically irascible, more wonderfully absurd, than Fred G. Sanford. As played by the legendary comedian Redd Foxx, the junk dealer from Watts was a master of the comedic art form. He was a grump with a heart of gold, a man who would just as soon trade barbs with his son Lamont as he would pretend to have a fatal heart attack to get out of trouble. The famous “It’s the big one, Elizabeth! I’m comin’ to join ya, honey!” routine was a cornerstone of Sanford and Son‘s comedic genius, a running gag that never failed to elicit a laugh.
But in one of the most heartbreaking and tragically ironic moments in television history, the very joke that brought so much laughter became the real-life cause of a beloved star’s demise. The story of Redd Foxx’s death is a surreal and somber account of a moment where life chillingly imitated art, a final act that was sadly, no longer a part of the script.
The Iconic Sitcom Shtick
Fred Sanford’s faked heart attack was a comedic masterpiece. It was a perfect blend of physical comedy, a signature catchphrase, and a brilliant way to get out of whatever predicament Lamont had put him in. The routine was always the same: a sudden moment of stress—a new tax bill, a nagging family member, a perceived betrayal—would cause Fred to clutch his chest. His eyes would widen in mock horror, his breath would become shallow and theatrical, and with a slow, dramatic lean, he would collapse, all while crying out for his late wife, Elizabeth.
The gag worked so well because it was a perfect fake-out. The audience knew, just as Lamont and Aunt Esther knew, that it was a ploy. The punchline was never the heart attack itself, but the reveal that it was just another one of Fred’s schemes. The joke was always on the audience, a playful and knowing wink from a comedic master who was fully in control of his craft. For seven seasons, this routine cemented its place as one of the most memorable and beloved comedic shticks in television history, a signature part of a show that brought laughter and light into the homes of millions.
The Troubled Post-Sitcom Career and Financial Struggles
By the time the final episodes of Sanford and Son aired, Redd Foxx was a household name. But behind the scenes, his life was far from a laughing matter. Decades of a tumultuous career, extravagant spending, and a grueling schedule had taken their toll. By the late 1980s, Foxx was in dire financial straits, having amassed a massive debt to the IRS. In a highly-publicized case, his assets were seized, leaving him with little more than the clothes on his back.
To pay off his debts and regain his footing, Foxx was forced to return to television. He was offered a new sitcom, The Royal Family, a project with a promising premise: he would star as a retired mailman living with his family in a comfortable suburban home. The show was set to be a major comeback, a chance for him to escape his past and start over. It was a new chapter, one that was meant to be a fresh start for a man who had faced immense hardship. Sadly, this new chapter would be his last.
The Tragic Parallel: The Final Act
On October 11, 1991, during a rehearsal on the set of The Royal Family, the line between comedy and tragedy was blurred in the most horrifying of ways. The cast and crew, including his co-star Della Reese, were gathered on the set, preparing to run a scene. In a moment of playful spontaneity, Redd Foxx decided to do his famous routine. He put his hand to his chest, his eyes widened, and he fell to the floor, gasping for air.
The crew, having seen him perform this act countless times, laughed. They assumed it was a joke, a classic Fred Sanford moment, and a way for Foxx to lighten the mood on the demanding set. Della Reese, in a moment that would later be recounted with heartbreaking clarity, even told him to “get up, you old fool.” But this time, he didn’t. His breath became truly labored, his face took on a color of gray, and the theatrical collapse became a devastating reality. He was having a real, and ultimately fatal, heart attack. The laughter on the set died down, replaced by a horrified silence as the cast and crew slowly came to the unbearable realization that this was not an act. It was the end.
His final act was a tragic mirroring of his most famous joke. The man who had made millions laugh with a faked heart attack was, in his final moments, experiencing the very thing he had so often pretended to. He was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. He was a master of his craft, a man who had spent his life making people laugh, and his final performance was a devastating and cruel piece of cosmic irony.
Conclusion
The death of Redd Foxx is a sobering reminder of the fragile line between comedy and tragedy. The joke that brought laughter for over a decade became the very event that ended his life, a heartbreaking and surreal parallel that is almost too much to comprehend. He was a comedic pioneer, a trailblazer who broke down barriers and paved the way for a generation of Black comedians. But his legacy is also forever tied to this final, tragic moment.
His laugh was a gift, his wit was a triumph, but his final moments were a stark reminder of the fragile line between life and art. While the world may forever remember Fred Sanford’s fake-outs, the story of Redd Foxx’s real heart attack on that fateful day remains a devastating and poignant piece of television history, a moment when the show’s most famous gag sadly, and irrevocably, stopped being funny.
