By Nellie Andreeva, Deadline

October 30, 2019 | 1: 29am

John Witherspoon, actor-comedian who for an extended time made audiences chortle in television reveals and motion photographs, including the hit Friday franchise, died at his residence this day. He used to be 77.

“It is miles with deepest sorrow that we can confirm our loved husband and father, John Witherspoon, one in every of the hardest working men in point to trade, died this day at his residence in Sherman Oaks at the age of 77,” Witherspoon’s family said in a press beginning to Deadline. “He is survived by his better half Angela, and his sons JD, Alexander, and a huge family. We’re all in shock, please give us a minute for a moment in privateness and we will seemingly be able to rejoice his life and his work together. John faded to negate ‘I’m no large deal’, nevertheless he used to be big deal to us.”

Comedy huge Witherspoon used to be born in Detroit in 1942 as John Weatherspoon. He launched a stand-up comedy career and began acting within the leisurely 1970s with guest-starring TV roles, making his aim debut within the 1980 The Jazz Singer. Witherspoon regarded in quite a lot of motion photographs, including Hollywood Shuffle, Boomerang, Vampire in Brooklyn, I’m Gonna Receive You Sucka, Fowl and The Meteor Man.

Witherspoon used to be presumably top recognized for his role because the grump Mr. Jones alongside Ice Dice and Chris Tucker in Friday. He additionally regarded within the sequel Subsequent Friday, and used to be anticipated to reprise his role within the prolonged-gestating final installment of the franchise titled Final Friday.

Witherspoon additionally voiced Gramps on the cult keen series The Boondocks. He seemingly would’ve returned for the series’ upcoming revival on  HBO Max. Also recognized for his role as Pops on The Wayans Brothers, Witherspoon did stints on such comedy series as The Tracy Morgan Thunder, The First Family and Shadowy Jesus.

Even with his busy film and TV career, standup comedy remained a in point of fact grand a part of Witherspoon’s life. At age 77, he persisted to set aside on a stylish foundation and had quite a lot of dates developing at the time of his loss of life.