John Elroy Sanford

In 1922 this man was born in St. Louis and grew up in Chicago. Sanford's mother was a half Seminole Indian, was abandoned by her husband when the boy was four. Schooled in Chicago John dropped out of high school and shortly thereafter moved to New York.
In New York the young man became an associate in crime with Malcolm Little. Both men had the nickname that included "Red" because the process used to flatten their hair turned it to a reddish color. Malcolm Little, after serving time in prison became Malcolm X, leader of US Muslims and assassinated by his own people in the early 1960's. Sanford's and Little's relationship is chronicled in Alex Haley's biography of Malcolm X.
Malcom X thought he was the funniest dishwasher on earth, and soon he began workingin nightclubs as a standup comedian. Soon he gave himself the stage name Redd Foxx , taking the surname from from baseball star Jimmie Foxx. A carreer that took him through standup, Las Vegas, movies and television, Redd Foxx found national appeal inthe sitcom "Sanford and Son". Redd played the role of Fred Sanford which was the actual name of John's older brother who had died.
Redd Foxx died in 1991 while working on a new television show with friend Della Reese.
So there you have it John Elroy Sanford = Redd Foxx.

"I'm coming, Elizabeth"