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(Applause Books). Black and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story tells the remarkable story of Foxx, a veteran comedian and "overnight sensation" at the age of 49 whose early life was defined by adversity and his post- Sanford and Son years by a blur of women, cocaine, endless lawsuits, financial chaos, and a losing battle with the IRS. Foxx's frank, trailblazing style as the "King of the Party Records" opened the door for a generation of African-American comedians including Dick Gregory, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and Chris Rock. Foxx took the country by storm in January 1972 as crotchety, bow-legged Watts junk dealer Fred Sanford in Sanford and Son , one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history. Fred's histrionic "heart attacks" ("It's the big one, Elizabeth! I'm comin' to join ya, honey!") and catchphrases ("You big dummy!") turned Fred Sanford into a cultural icon and Redd Foxx into a millionaire. Sanford and Son took Foxx to the pinnacle of television success but would also prove to be his downfall. Interviews with friends, confidantes, and colleagues provide a unique insight into this generous, brash, vulnerable performer a man who Norman Lear described as "inherently, innately funny in every part of his being."
- Sales Rank: #767932 in Books
- Published on: 2011-09-27
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.00" h x 1.15" w x 6.00" l, 1.70 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 328 pages
Review
*Starred Review* The thing about a biography of a celebrity who's slipped under the radar (comedian and TV star Foxx died in 1991) is that, if you do it right, you can, in effect, bring back to life a fascinating character. Starr, who's also written bios of Art Carney and Raymond Burr, does it right. This biography of the Sanford and Son star is full of things you probably don't know, like the fact that Foxx's character, Fred G. Sanford, was named after his older brother (Foxx was born Jon Elroy Sanford); that Foxx used to hang out with Malcolm Little, before he became Malcolm X; that, in the 1950s and '60s, Foxx was a wildly popular stand-up comedian (and a huge star in the comedy-album business). His postSanford and Son career never had the same impact, mostly involving failed business ventures, personal problems, and a string of canceled TV shows. Still, Starr refuses to paint Foxx as a pathetic has-been, the way some observers were doing at the time, preferring to show him as a supremely talented man whose own failings (gambling and drugs, primarily) drove him to make a series of unfortunate choices. For Starr, Foxx's 1991 death of a heart attack, on the set of yet another television series, was the tragic culmination of a life and career that had peaked two decades earlier. An excellent biography, respectful and compassionate about its subject and revealing and perceptive about American popular culture. --Booklist, Sept. 1, 2011
Biographical information on John Sanford (1922 91) better known as Redd Foxx is scarce, and this book returns life to a well-deserving comedic legend. Journalist and biographer Starr (Hiding in Plain Sight: The Secret Life of Raymond Burr) covers Foxx's early days in St. Louis and Chicago, his struggles after his mother abandoned him, his jazz band, and his time in New York's Harlem, where he took the nickname Foxy and became best buddies with the future Malcolm X. Foxx perfected his natural comedic skills when he joined the Chitlin' Circuit along the East Coast. According to Starr, Foxx's dependence on cocaine, alcohol, and women kept him from continued success. Generous to a fault, he also trusted the wrong people and spent money as quickly as he made it. Still, Foxx became a Vegas superstar and after the creation of the TV show Sanford and Son, a household name. Verdict Starr reconstructs Foxx's life in a raw, honest manner, interspersing fascinating historical facts along the way. This well-presented biography will be especially valuable to those who were not around when Foxx was at the top of his game. Recommended for anyone interested in TV and African American history. --Library Journal Xpress Reviews, Aug. 12, 2011
About the Author
Michael Seth Starr has covered television for the New York Post since 1995. He has written biographies of Peter Sellers, Art Carney, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, and Raymond Burr and has appeared frequently on TV, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Joy Behar Show, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Early Show, Entertainment Tonight, and Access Hollywood.
Most helpful customer reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
The Tabloid Version of Redd Foxx's Life
By Herbert L Calhoun
Reading the biography of one's hero is quite a different matter than reading a biography of someone distant from one's mind, or of only remote or incidental interest. After completing this biography, I now know for certain what is missing: A sense that the author's writing talents have not quite risen to a level that matches either the humanity or the creative genius of the subject being written about? This author is caught in the Hollywood Tabloid loop?
Whatever one may think about Jon Sanford (aka Redd Foxx), his life foibles, his erratic ways, his indulgences, like his protégé, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx was a truly great comedian. Anyone who doubts that for a moment need only consider what kind of mind it takes to compose the only two jokes of his that appear in these 305 pages. The first is a riddle on page 50 composed on the spot by Redd in an ad libbed standup routine: What's the difference between a pickpocket and a "peeping Tom:" Redd's answer: "A pickpocket snatches watches!"
Or, the off the cuff answer Redd gave to questions about the Black and White Power era" the first time he appeared live on TV. His answer on page 76 was: "I don't believe in Black or White power, but in green power: With green power you can buy up all of the black and white power. To which the moderator then asked Redd: Why do you think money is green? Without missing a beat, Foxx said: That's because Jews pick it before it gets ripe.
In 305 pages, all of the "Blue Albums," the many thousands of standup routines, these were the only two jokes attributable to the subject's lifetime of comedy? If this biography was intended to be about his life and works, why not instead of going on and on about slews of failed contracts, law suits and legal problems, failed marriages, and a solitary list of his albums, and of the shows he participated in, and of course the salaries he made as a sitcom performer, why not a few more of his jokes? Why not a few anecdotes about his life? What about Redd's happier times? How about what was going on in that exquisitely creative head of his? Or, at least tell us where we might be able to find a video of Redd Foxx live for instance? Anything but reducing his life to a disorganized mess of tabloid fodder?
I never felt so empty after reading 305 pages in my life. Now I know less about Redd Foxx the man or the comedian than I did before reading it. Lucky for me that I did at least have the pleasure of meeting him at his club in LA, and witnessing first hand his raw, unadulterated creative talent. After the club closed for the evening, Foxx regaled the hanger-ons for another hour, and it simply was magical. Of course it was also all off-the-cuff and all ad-libbed. Redd was the happiest one amongst us. This man enjoyed nothing more than making a handful of people laugh. That was what he did; that was his life. Not all this tabloid stuff.
I "got" the stuff about his hardscrabble early life, his womanizing, his drug use, Keno playing, etc., but these things, after all do not add up to a complete life. This author simply seemed incapable of getting out of the Tabloid modality of expression. Anything that could not be reduced to a tabloid line remained un-discussed. What a pity. A life as a litany of tabloid events strung together is not a very fitting tribute to the life of one of America's greatest and most creative comedians. Two stars
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
A touching story of the life Of Redd Foxx
By Mike Mantis
From beginning to the end it is a amazing book. Learn what he came from, and how he came up, and all the turmoil he was able to find joy in making people laugh and have a good time. He was also a troubled soul and it was touching to know through all the gambling,drugs,drinking,marriages,hard times,and easy times Redd, was Redd and always said and did what he felt. A awesome read and touches you inside to hear about a life as amazing as Redd Foxx!!!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Wow, What a Difference a Book Makes!
By Kiwes
One of the main reasons I love reading biographies and memoirs is because I enjoy learning what made a person who they are, and I must say, this book was of no disappointment by any means. What I discovered about the "Chief" as he was known by his close friends and employees, was astounding to say the least. This biography blew me completely away because it just goes to prove, we know celebrities from the characters they portray on television, but we really do not know the celebrity up close and personal.
From Redd's drug addiction to cocaine throughout most of his life and 4 marriages, failed business ventures, pissing people off, and just being Redd, was just quite unbelievable. But this biography also goes to prove another point for me and that is your upbringing has everything to do with how you will turn out later on, and I think his relationship with his mother, especially, caused a great deal of his pain later on in his life.
What was more surprising is to really find out the back story of the Sanford and Son troubles, to the IRS raid he faced, and a multitude of other problems he encountered. As much as it pains me to say this because I respect the work he's done, Redd caused a great deal of the stress himself. He was his own worst enemy and when you factor in cocaine use on top of that, I don't know how the man ever made it at all.
My perception of Redd Foxx has changed tremendously, since reading his life story. He wasn't the person I always thought he was, and once again, that's because I went by what I read in the news reports and things other comedians and the like had to say, but this book really gives you the whole picture--no matter how ugly that picture was. Redd was truly a genius when it came to comedy and nobody could touch him on that. It's just too bad he couldn't control his personal demons because he may still be here, or at least lived longer than 68 years of age, which is young. His own mother outlived him by two years, passing at the age of 93, which was astounding in and of itself.
I loved this book! It saddened me to learn of Redd's personal problems, but again, he brought all of that madness on himself. It's really a great read and the pictures at the end were really nice--chronicling his career at different stages. Boy did I enjoy listening to his old comedy albums and Michael did a great job explaining how all that magic came to be.
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