Redd Foxx Spouse: The Complete Story of His Four Wives and Family

Searching for the truth about Redd Foxx’s spouse can send you down a rabbit hole of mixed-up names and copied blog posts. Some sites confuse his real name, his cause of death, and even how many times he married. That confusion stops here. This guide lays out every verified fact about the Redd Foxx spouse timeline, his family, his career, and his final days, backed by trusted sources.

Who Was Redd Foxx?

Redd Foxx Real Name and Early Life

John Elroy Sanford was Redd Foxx’s true name. On December 9, 1922, he was born in St.Louis, Missouri, and spent much of his childhood on Chicago’s South Side. His father, Fred Sanford, worked as an electrician and mechanic but left the family when John was only four years old.

His mother, Mary Hughes, raised him alongside his grandmother. She reportedly had partial Seminole heritage and worked as a domestic helper. Foxx attended DuSable High School in Chicago, where future mayor Harold Washington was a classmate.

He picked up the name “Foxx” as a tribute to baseball star Jimmie Foxx, and the nickname “Red” came from his reddish hair and complexion. Friends on the streets of Chicago called him “Chicago Red,” a nickname he shared with a young dishwasher named Malcolm Little, later known as Malcolm X.

How Redd Foxx Became a Comedy Legend

Long before television fame, Redd Foxx built his name on the nightclub circuit. At the time, his raucous, uncensored stand-up acts were deemed too obscene for mainstream radio and record stores.

He became known as the “King of the Party Records” after recording numerous comedic records that sold in the millions. He was brought to Los Angeles by singer Dinah Washington, where record producer Dootsie Williams gave his career a significant boost. After seeing him play, Frank Sinatra helped him get bigger venues in New York and Las Vegas.[]

By the late 1960s, Foxx was one of the first Black comedians to headline for white audiences on the Las Vegas Strip. That momentum carried him straight into network television, and it also set the stage for the personal chapters covered in every Redd Foxx spouse timeline.

Redd Foxx Spouse History: Meet All Four Wives

Understanding the full Redd Foxx spouse story means looking at four very different marriages, each shaped by fame, finances, and changing circumstances. Below is a closer look at every Redd Foxx spouse he married during his lifetime.

Wife One: Evelyn Killebrew (1948–1951)

Foxx married his first wife, Evelyn Killebrew, in 1948, years before he found fame. At the time, he was still working odd jobs and performing in small East Coast clubs. After around three years of marriage, the couple divorced in 1951.

Wife Two: Betty Jean Harris (1956–1974)

His longest marriage was to Betty Jean Harris, a singer and dancer he wed on July 5, 1956. This Redd Foxx spouse relationship lasted nearly 18 years, spanning his rise to stardom on “Sanford and Son.” Foxx adopted Harris’s daughter, Debraca Denise, during their marriage. The couple separated in 1974 amid reports of infidelity and later divorced.

Wife Three: Yun Chi Chung, Known as “Joi” (1976–1979)

Foxx married Yun Chi Chung, whom he called Joi, on December 31, 1976, in Las Vegas. She worked as a cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Hilton when they met. Cultural and language differences, along with financial strain, contributed to their divorce a few years later.

Wife Four: Ka Ho Cho (1991)

His final marriage was to Ka Ho Cho in July 1991. The two met in Las Vegas, and Foxx credited her loyalty for helping him through serious financial troubles. This Redd Foxx spouse chapter lasted only about three months before his sudden death that October.

Redd Foxx Wife Timeline at a Glance

The table below organizes the complete Redd Foxx spouse timeline for easy reference.

Redd Foxx Children and Family Life

Redd Foxx had one child, a daughter named Debraca Denise, whom he adopted during his marriage to Betty Jean Harris. Debraca later became involved in managing her father’s estate after his death.

Foxx did not have biological children of his own, which is a detail many fans searching for his family history often miss. His marriages and the daughter he decided to raise as his own contributed significantly to his role as a family man, demonstrating the various ways in which each Redd Foxx bride influenced his domestic life.

Redd Foxx’s Brother and Parents

Foxx grew up with an older brother, Fred Sanford Jr. He later named his most famous character after this brother as a personal tribute. A second brother, Leonard, died shortly after birth in 1921, the year before Redd Foxx was born.

His father, Fred “Freddie” Sanford, served in the U.S. Army during World War I before working as an electrician. He left the family when Foxx was a young child, leaving his mother and grandmother to raise him in Chicago.

Redd Foxx TV Shows and Movie Career

Foxx is best remembered as Fred G. Sanford on “Sanford and Son,” which aired from 1972 to 1977 and earned him six Emmy nominations along with a Golden Globe win. He later starred in “Sanford” (1980–1981), “The Redd Foxx Show” (1986), and “The Royal Family” (1991), the series he was filming when he died.

On the big screen, Foxx appeared in films including “All the Fine Young Cannibals,” “Cotton Comes to Harlem,” “Norman… Is That You?,” and “Harlem Nights” alongside Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. His stand-up comedy albums remain a cornerstone of his legacy, with more than 50 records released during his career.

Redd Foxx’s Net Worth: From Wealth to Debt

At the height of “Sanford and Son,” Redd Foxx became one of the highest-paid actors on television, reportedly earning millions in a single year. Poor financial management, expensive divorces, and a lavish lifestyle quickly ate into that fortune.

By 1983, Foxx had filed for bankruptcy. In 1989, the IRS seized his Las Vegas home along with seven vehicles and other property to cover unpaid taxes.His estate allegedly owed the IRS about $3.5 million at His final net worth was negative at the time of his death in 1991. Costly divorce settlements from earlier Redd Foxx spouse relationships added further strain to his finances.

How Did Redd Foxx Die? Cause of Death Explained

Redd Foxx died of a heart attack on October 11, 1991, while rehearsing a scene for his new sitcom, “The Royal Family.” He was 68 years old. Because his famous character, Fred Sanford, was known for faking heart attacks on screen, castmates initially thought he was joking when he collapsed.

He was rushed to Queen of Angels Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center and was pronounced dead about four and a half hours later. Redd Foxx is interred in Las Vegas, Nevada’s Palm Memorial Park, often called Palm Eastern Cemetery.

Redd Foxx’s Last Words and Final Days

According to co-star Della Reese, who was on set with him that day, Foxx said “get my wife” twice after he collapsed. At that point, he had been married to his fourth wife, Ka Ho Cho, for only about three months. His unexpected death cut short what many hoped would be a career comeback.

Redd Foxx Age, Height, and Physical Facts

Redd Foxx was born on December 9, 1922, making him 68 years old at the time of his death in October 1991. Height records place him at approximately 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, based on period photographs and industry references. He often appeared older on screen than in real life, since he was only 49 when “Sanford and Son” began, while his character was written as a man in his 60s.

Redd Foxx’s Legacy in Comedy and Pop Culture

Redd Foxx opened doors for generations of comedians, including Richard Pryor and Chris Rock, both of whom cited his fearless style as a major influence. Comedian and actor Jamie Foxx has said he chose his stage surname as a tribute to Redd Foxx, though the two are not related.

In 2004, Comedy Central ranked him 24th on its list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time. Decades after his death, “Sanford and Son” reruns and his classic comedy albums continue to introduce new fans to his work, along with lasting curiosity about the Redd Foxx spouse story behind the legend.

FAQs

1. Who was Redd Foxx’s spouse when he died? 

Redd Foxx’s spouse at the time of his death was Ka Ho Cho. Three months before he died in October from a heart attack, they were married in July 1991.

2. What is Redd Foxx’s real name? 

John Elroy Sanford was Redd Foxx’s true name. He adopted the stage name “Redd Foxx” early in his nightclub career, combining his nickname for his red hair with a tribute to baseball player Jimmie Foxx.

3. How did Redd Foxx die? 

Redd Foxx died of a heart attack on October 11, 1991, while rehearsing for his sitcom “The Royal Family.” He was 68 years old and passed away a few hours after being hospitalized.

4. How many times was Redd Foxx married? 

Redd Foxx was married four times. His wives were Evelyn Killebrew, Betty Jean Harris, Yun Chi Chung, and Ka Ho Cho, with each marriage ending in either divorce or his death.

5. Did Redd Foxx have children? 

Debraca Denise, Redd Foxx’s only daughter, was adopted while he was married to Betty Jean Harris, his second wife. There were no biological offspring born to him.

6. How much money did Redd Foxx have before he passed away? 

Redd Foxx’s net worth was roughly negative $3.5 million at the time of his death, largely due to unpaid taxes, an expensive divorce, and years of lavish spending that outpaced his earnings.

Conclusion

Redd Foxx’s spouse history reflects the same highs and lows that defined his entire career: fast fame, generous spending, painful losses, and a final chapter that ended too soon. Each of Redd Foxx’s spouses, from Evelyn Killebrew to Ka Ho Cho, represented a distinct phase in his extraordinary, erratic life.

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