Don Bexley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Bexley
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Bexley as Bubba with Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son, 1976
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| Born | March 10, 1910 Detroit, Michigan, United States
or Jamestown, Virginia, United States (sources differ) |
| Died | April 15, 1997 (aged 87) Hampton, Virginia, United States
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| Occupation | Actor, singer, entertainer, comedian |
| Years active | 1941–1991 |
| Known for | role as Bubba Bexley on the NBC-TV series Sanford & Son |
Donald Thomas Bexley (born March 10, 1910 – died April 15, 1997) was an American actor and comedian. He was most famous for playing Bubba Bexley on the popular 1970s TV show Sanford and Son.
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Don Bexley's Early Life
Don Bexley was born in either Jamestown, Virginia, or Detroit, Michigan. His father was a Bible expert and teacher. His mother was a singer who performed classical music. Don often said he was a "clown" even when he was young. He felt he was born to be on stage.
Don Bexley's Entertainment Career
Don Bexley had a very busy career. He was an orchestra leader, a singer, a dancer, a stand-up comedian, and an actor. In the early 1940s, he started performing comedy in New York. He worked with famous entertainers like Milton Berle and Danny Kaye. He even danced with Sammy Davis Jr..
Don Bexley was the first Black stand-up comedian to perform in the "Borscht Belt." This was a group of hotels in New York that were popular for entertainment. During his travels, he met many Black performers, including Redd Foxx. They worked together in cities like New York and Philadelphia. Early in his career, he also danced with a group called Three Shades of Rhythm. Before he was on TV, he performed in plays in Los Angeles and New York.
Working with Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son
In 1969, Don Bexley and Redd Foxx acted together in a movie called Cotton Comes to Harlem. Later, in 1971, Redd Foxx asked Don to join him on a new TV show. This show was the sitcom Sanford and Son. Foxx convinced the show's creators to hire Don Bexley. Don was cast as Bubba, one of Fred G. Sanford's friends.
Don Bexley was 62 years old when he first appeared on television. He quickly became popular as Bubba. Sanford and Son was a huge hit right away. It was one of the top 10 TV shows for five out of six years, from 1972 to 1977. Don Bexley played Bubba again in a short TV show called Sanford Arms. This show had many of the same characters, but not Redd Foxx.
Don Bexley's Later Acting Work
After Sanford and Son, Don Bexley appeared in many other TV shows. These included Cheers, Hunter, and Laverne & Shirley. He also acted in the 1976 movie Sparkle.
One of his last TV appearances was on Redd Foxx's show, The Royal Family. In an episode called "New Beginnings," Don Bexley played an old friend of Redd Foxx's character. In 1989, Don Bexley was working on his own TV show. It was called Cee Cashman and 'Yul Stay Broke. It was about a Black Jewish man who owned a pawnshop. Even before he passed away, Don Bexley was still writing new ideas for plays and TV shows.
Don Bexley's Later Years
In 1989, Don Bexley received an award in Florida. It was called the Outstanding Senior Citizen of the Year award. He moved to Hampton, Virginia, in the 1990s. Even then, he stayed very active. He kept working on new ideas for shows and live performances.
Don Bexley often made public appearances and signed autographs. He attended events like the Newmarket Fair Day-Talent Show in 1996. He also visited the NASA Langley Research Center for their Black History Program in 1997. These activities kept him busy and happy.
Don Bexley's Personal Life and Death
Don Bexley and Redd Foxx were very close friends for almost 50 years. Don was an honorary pallbearer at Foxx's funeral in 1991. Don Bexley lived in Los Angeles for most of his life. In 1996, he moved to Hampton, Virginia, after hurting his hip. He lived with a friend who helped care for him.
Don Bexley passed away on April 15, 1997. He was 87 years old. He died from heart and kidney failure at Hampton Sentara Hospital. He was survived by his wife, Sally Bexley, and his daughters, Donna and Stacies Marie. He also had grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Don Bexley's Filmography
- Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)
- What's Up, Doc? (1972) as Skycap
- Sparkle (1976) as Bubbles
- Little Miss Marker (1980) as Sam
- Vibes (1988) as Lou
