On a 1991 soundstage, an actor did a pratfall, looked up, and said “get my wife.” Nobody moved, because Redd Foxx had spent two decades faking heart attacks for laughs. This time it was real, and the crew chuckled until they realized the punchline had finally killed the comedian.

This deep dive follows John Elroy Sanford from a Chicago dishwasher to the king of underground party records, the man who redefined the Black television sitcom, and ultimately a tragic figure who died in financial ruin. It’s the quintessential story of American creation and self-destruction.

• Washing dishes in Harlem alongside Malcolm X, when they were “Chicago Red” and “Detroit Red”
• Eating half a bar of soap to fail his WWII draft physical through induced heart palpitations
• Recording over 50 “blue” party records and breaking the color barrier on the Las Vegas Strip
• Transforming at 48 into the elderly Fred Sanford and demanding the network hire his old friends
• The bankruptcy, the 1989 IRS raid that left him a bed, and Eddie Murphy paying for his funeral