How Was Redd Foxx Financially Broke Before He Died? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

isiahthomas · 07-11-2009, 04:02 PM

What did he do with his money? I remember hearing that he was having financial problems before he died. How did he end up like that? Was he throwing away his bills in real life without paying them like he did on Sanford And Son? LOL. I hope not.

MickeyMac · 07-11-2009, 04:07 PM

The IRS

Redd Foxx never paid taxes and they came after him. I remember seeing a news report about how the IRS repossed his home and took away his cars. It was sad.

Zoneboy · 07-11-2009, 04:15 PM

I heard years ago that Redd was an extremely generous man who shared his money with those less fortunate than himself. This may have been a factor when the IRS came after him for back taxes. Redd may also have squandered some his money and he may have died broke but if he was able to help others along the way then he didn't die in vain.

isiahthomas · 07-11-2009, 04:15 PM

What makes him think he wasn't supposed to pay taxes? Does he think he was special because he was a celebrity and celebrities aren't supposed to pay taxes like everybody else? LOL. I don't like paying bills either but i have to because if i don't, i'll go to prison LOL. I'm not trying to go there because i know the inmates would be picking on me all the time. Wesley Snipes is lucky he isn't in prison for not paying his taxes. He's supposed to still be going to court about that right? I don't think he's been sentenced yet. Marvin Gaye also was ducking the IRS before he died. That's why he moved to London to get away from them. Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers is supposed to be outta prison now i guess. He only did 3 years for tax evasion. He went to prison 3 years ago.

catlover79 · 07-11-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

The IRS

Redd Foxx never paid taxes and they came after him. I remember seeing a news report about how the IRS repossed his home and took away his cars. It was sad.

Not to mention the IRS auctioned off almost everything else he had.

gidgetgrape · 07-11-2009, 06:50 PM

I remember the news reports about the taxes too. Here are some articles about it:

Redd Foxx Faces Homeless Holidays; IRS Seizes Property‎ - Dec 18, 1989

Redd Foxx and IRS Agree on Payment of Tax Debt‎ - Apr 23, 1990

Redd Foxx Says: 'I Married Kaho Because She Stood by Me when I Didn't Have a Quarter' - Jul 29, 1991

Redd Foxx Returns in New TV Show‎ - Oct 1991
This article also lists his divorce from his third wife as a source of his money problems.

The Ironic Death of Redd Foxx - Part 3
This article states Redd had an expensive cocaine habit too.

GARFIELDKOOL · 07-11-2009, 06:55 PM

That sad, but at the same time, he was underpaid on Sanford and Son. According to the E! Hollywood True Story on Redd Foxx, he was making $15,000 a week. Even though that was the 70s, he should have been making more, because the show was a top 5 hit. At one point, it was neck and neck with All In the Family for the #1 spot. He one time demanded Carroll O'Connor's salary. O'Connor was pulling in $250,000 in episode.

Redd also had a drinking and gambling problem too. That didn't help his finances either.

Mr. Television · 07-11-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

That sad, but at the same time, he was underpaid on Sanford and Son. According to the E! Hollywood True Story on Redd Foxx, he was making $15,000 a week. Even though that was the 70s, he should have been making more, because the show was a top 5 hit. At one point, it was neck and neck with All In the Family for the #1 spot. He one time demanded Carroll O'Connor's salary. O'Connor was pulling in $250,000 in episode.

Redd also had a drinking and gambling problem too. That didn't help his finances either.

and Suzanne Somers thought she was underpaid. Redd was clearly the star of this show and together with Carroll O'Connor and Alan Alda, one of the biggest sitcom stars of the '70s. It's sad what happened to him.

Big Fred Fan · 07-14-2009, 05:45 AM

When Redd died broke, Eddie Murphy paid for his funeral giving him a lavish, Las Vegas star-studded sendoff fit for a king! Redd Foxx was the only celebrity invited to Elvis's wedding! Colonel Tom Parker attended Redd's funeral.

isiahthomas · 07-18-2009, 11:21 AM

That was nice of Eddie Murphy to pay for Redd's funeral. I didn't know Redd had alcohol, gambling and drug problems. That's sad but i guess i shouldn't be surprised because those alcohol and drug problems happens to most celebrities. I will never understand why people drink alcohol, gamble money and do drugs.

magellan333 · 08-08-2009, 01:43 AM

I heard he had a bad coke problem. The TV Party website said he did coke openly on the set of Sanford and Son and wore a gold coke spoon around his neck when doing stand up. I watched one of his standup routines available on Netflix. It is definitely and adult show, but it was funny.

Schmoopie · 08-08-2009, 02:20 AM

It just disgusts me that these actors make a boatload of money per episode (more than some people make in a year, if you factor in inflation!), and just blow it away. So irresponsible. You'd think they would have better sense than that!

magellan333 · 08-08-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

It just disgusts me that these actors make a boatload of money per episode (more than some people make in a year, if you factor in inflation!), and just blow it away. So irresponsible. You'd think they would have better sense than that!

I've never quite understood it either. If I was blessed with such good fortune, I'd have something to show for it and some leftover.

catlover79 · 08-08-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magellan333

I've never quite understood it either. If I was blessed with such good fortune, I'd have something to show for it and some leftover.

Same here - I'd keep just enough for my family and I to live on comfortably and give the rest to charity/mission work.

TMC · 02-20-2024, 09:18 PM

How is it that the late comedian Redd Foxx died penniless?

Quote:

He owed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the State of California tax authorities hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, interest and fees. Since Foxx was no longer as popular as he was in the 1970s, he was unable to book the gigs necessary for him to pay back the agencies. Additionally for some reason, Foxx was unable to (or didn’t want to) become a product pitchman which could have earned him millions over the years and probably would have at least stabilized his situation, if not completely corrected it,

Foxx had grown up in era when many entertainers had been paid in cash for performances and they rarely reported those payments. Since many didn’t understand that the person who was paying was going to fill out a 1099 to keep themselves straight with the IRS, they assumed that no one would know that they had received the money. However a combination of the 1099s, ex-wives, and divorce attorneys, meant that the majority of cash was uncovered and the tax authorities wanted near or full repayment of what he owed.

Although his career was being revived (He had costarred in the film Harlem Nights with Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor two years prior to his death in 1991 and he was cast in an Eddie Murphy television production) Foxx was still heavily in debt with the tax authorities. His unexpected death on the set of the program simply meant that he ran out of time before he was able to make good its debt. Foxx’s estate cut a deal with the tax authorities and they finally settled for a fraction of what he still owed them.

Quote:

Promo for Inside Report around 1990 for Redd Foxx owing money to the IRS for unpaid taxes. Footage aired on Channel 13 during Hawaii 5-O.

Quote:

CH drops an installment of 'Here's How' to learn how Redd Foxx went from making $4 Million in one year to dying with his fortune in the negative.

07-11-2009, 04:15 PM	#3
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,339	I heard years ago that Redd was an extremely generous man who shared his money with those less fortunate than himself. This may have been a factor when the IRS came after him for back taxes. Redd may also have squandered some his money and he may have died broke but if he was able to help others along the way then he didn't die in vain.
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08-08-2009, 02:20 AM	#12
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	It just disgusts me that these actors make a boatload of money per episode (more than some people make in a year, if you factor in inflation!), and just blow it away. So irresponsible. You'd think they would have better sense than that!
	__________________ In memory of my wonderful husband. I love and miss you more than words can say, but I will always and forever keep you in my heart. September 23, 1961-January 14, 2019

07-11-2009, 04:02 PM	#1
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	How Was Redd Foxx Financially Broke Before He Died? What did he do with his money? I remember hearing that he was having financial problems before he died. How did he end up like that? Was he throwing away his bills in real life without paying them like he did on Sanford And Son? LOL. I hope not.

07-11-2009, 04:07 PM	#2
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	The IRS Redd Foxx never paid taxes and they came after him. I remember seeing a news report about how the IRS repossed his home and took away his cars. It was sad.

07-11-2009, 06:50 PM	#6
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	I remember the news reports about the taxes too. Here are some articles about it: Redd Foxx Faces Homeless Holidays; IRS Seizes Property‎ - Dec 18, 1989 Redd Foxx and IRS Agree on Payment of Tax Debt‎ - Apr 23, 1990 Redd Foxx Says: 'I Married Kaho Because She Stood by Me when I Didn't Have a Quarter' - Jul 29, 1991 Redd Foxx Returns in New TV Show‎ - Oct 1991 This article also lists his divorce from his third wife as a source of his money problems. The Ironic Death of Redd Foxx - Part 3 This article states Redd had an expensive cocaine habit too.

07-11-2009, 06:55 PM	#7
GARFIELDKOOL Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 02, 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 7,204	That sad, but at the same time, he was underpaid on Sanford and Son. According to the E! Hollywood True Story on Redd Foxx, he was making $15,000 a week. Even though that was the 70s, he should have been making more, because the show was a top 5 hit. At one point, it was neck and neck with All In the Family for the #1 spot. He one time demanded Carroll O'Connor's salary. O'Connor was pulling in $250,000 in episode. Redd also had a drinking and gambling problem too. That didn't help his finances either.

07-14-2009, 05:45 AM	#9
Big Fred Fan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 28, 2008 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 179	When Redd died broke, Eddie Murphy paid for his funeral giving him a lavish, Las Vegas star-studded sendoff fit for a king! Redd Foxx was the only celebrity invited to Elvis's wedding! Colonel Tom Parker attended Redd's funeral.

07-18-2009, 11:21 AM	#10
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	That was nice of Eddie Murphy to pay for Redd's funeral. I didn't know Redd had alcohol, gambling and drug problems. That's sad but i guess i shouldn't be surprised because those alcohol and drug problems happens to most celebrities. I will never understand why people drink alcohol, gamble money and do drugs.

08-08-2009, 01:43 AM	#11
magellan333 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 26, 2003 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 822	I heard he had a bad coke problem. The TV Party website said he did coke openly on the set of Sanford and Son and wore a gold coke spoon around his neck when doing stand up. I watched one of his standup routines available on Netflix. It is definitely and adult show, but it was funny.