Redd Foxx Marriages: The Four Wives Of A Comedy Icon

Redd Foxx shaped American comedy through raw humor and groundbreaking party records, but his personal life faced constant turbulence. Best known for portraying grumpy junk dealer Fred G. Sanford on the hit sitcom Sanford and Son, Foxx walked down the aisle four times. His romantic journey included long-term commitments, short-lived unions, intense legal battles, and a final marriage that lasted until his sudden death in 1991. Examining his four marriages reveals how the private life of a comedy legend clashed with his public ascent to stardom.

Understanding Foxx's marital history requires looking past the television persona. While Fred Sanford frequently referenced his deceased fictional wife Elizabeth to dodge responsibilities or launch comedic complaints, the real Redd Foxx navigated complex relationships, financial pressures, and shifting fame. Each of his four marriages marked a distinct era of his life, stretching from his early days scraping by in the entertainment industry to his peak television years and eventual financial troubles.

Evelyn Killebrew: The Early Years (1948–1951)

Long before television fame or Las Vegas residency headliner status, John Elroy Sanford married his first wife, Evelyn Killebrew, in 1948. At this stage, Foxx was still trying to establish a foothold in the entertainment world, working small club gigs and struggling to make ends meet in eastern cities.

The marriage lasted three years before ending in divorce in 1951. Little public documentation survives regarding the specific pressures of this early union, but the timing coincided with Foxx's grueling grind on the club circuit and his early partnerships with fellow entertainers like Slappy White. As Foxx's career ambitions pulled him in multiple directions, the young couple split, paving the way for his eventual relocation to the West Coast and his breakthrough as a solo comedy pioneer.

Betty Jean Harris: The Longest Partnership (1956–1975)

Foxx's second marriage proved to be his longest and most consequential domestic chapter. On July 5, 1956, he married Betty Jean Harris, a dancer and showgirl who performed on the nightclub circuit. Harris shared professional circles with LaWanda Page—the legendary performer who later played Foxx's sharp-tongued television rival Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son.

During this nineteen-year marriage, Foxx transitioned from a gritty chitlins circuit comic to a mainstream recording star and television icon. He also adopted Harris's nine-year-old daughter, Debraca, who took the surname Foxx.

However, life behind the scenes grew increasingly strained as Foxx's fame exploded in the early 1970s. The immense pressure of a grueling television production schedule, combined with Foxx's demanding personality and financial disputes with network producers, took a heavy toll on the household. The marriage dissolved in a contentious divorce finalized in 1975, just as Sanford and Son was reaching peak cultural saturation. The split involved significant financial settlements that reflected Foxx's newfound television wealth.

Joi Yun Chi Chung: A Brief Chapter (1976–1981)

Shortly after his high-profile divorce from Betty Jean, Foxx married Yun Chi Chung (sometimes referred to as Joi Yun Chi Chung) in 1976. The wedding took place during a transitional period for the comedian as he wrapped up Sanford and Son and attempted various other television projects and live touring ventures.

This marriage proved considerably shorter than his previous one, lasting roughly five years before ending in divorce in 1981. Public details regarding this period of Foxx's life remain relatively sparse, but biographers note that Foxx maintained an erratic schedule, moving between Las Vegas residencies and television soundstages. Following the conclusion of his third divorce, Foxx publicly expressed disillusionment with the institution of marriage, vowing that he would never walk down the aisle again.

Ka Ho Cho: The Final Years (1991)

Despite his vows to stay single, Foxx changed his mind later in life. In March 1989, while visiting Bally's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, he met Ka Ho Cho, who had emigrated from Seoul, South Korea.

At the time, Foxx was facing severe financial turmoil, including intense battles and tax liens with the Internal Revenue Service that stripped away many of his assets. According to interviews Foxx gave to Jet magazine at the time, Cho stood by him through these crushing trials without demanding wealth or status. Foxx famously remarked that she saw him with a nickel and stuck around in hopes of seeing him with a dollar.

The couple married in July 1991 at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas, followed by a reception at the Hacienda Hotel. Foxx was 69 years old. Tragically, this final chapter was cut short just months later. On October 11, 1991, while filming the CBS sitcom The Royal Family alongside co-star Della Reese, Foxx suffered a massive heart attack on set. Crew members initially thought he was joking—mimicking his famous fake heart attack routine from Sanford and Son—but the emergency was real, and he passed away hours later. Ka Ho Cho was by his side, remaining his widow and preserving his legacy.

Common Misconceptions About Redd Foxx's Marriages

Public memory often conflates Foxx's real-life relationships with his television character. Clearing up these common points provides a clearer picture of the man behind the microphone:

• Elizabeth was not a real person: On Sanford and Son, Fred Sanford constantly invoked his late wife Elizabeth when arguing with Lamont or trying to garner sympathy ("It's the big one, Elizabeth, I'm coming to join ya!"). In reality, Foxx was never married to anyone named Elizabeth.
• He didn't have biological children: While Foxx raised and adopted Debraca Foxx during his marriage to Betty Jean Harris, he did not father biological children during any of his four marriages.
• Marital stress mirrored career stress: Foxx's marital instability frequently aligned with major career pivots. His divorces often coincided with periods where he transitioned from underground party records to mainstream television stardom, shifting his lifestyle dramatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Did Redd Foxx have children?

He did not have biological children, but he adopted his second wife's daughter, Debraca, who took his last name.

Who was Redd Foxx's wife when he died?

At the time of his death in October 1991, Foxx was married to Ka Ho Cho, whom he had wed earlier that same year in Las Vegas.

Why did Redd Foxx's second marriage end?

His marriage to Betty Jean Harris ended in a 1975 divorce after nineteen years, strained by the intense pressures of Foxx's rising television fame, heavy touring schedules, and personal disputes.