09/26/2026
**LaWanda Page โ she was Redd Foxx's one and only choice, and he refused to film without her โจ**
When NBC and the producers wanted to cast someone else as Aunt Esther, Redd Foxx drew a hard line โ *"If you don't hire LaWanda, I walk"* ๐ซ He knew her since they were young, growing up together in St. Louis, and he wouldn't settle for anyone else. The network was hesitant โ she had no TV experience and was in her 50s โ but Redd stood firm, and the moment she stepped on set, everyone saw exactly why.
โShe wasn't just cast โ she was fought for.โ
Her real personality was nothing like the fiery, sharp-tongued Aunt Esther โ co-stars and crew described her as incredibly warm, gentle, soft-spoken, and kind-hearted off-camera . That made her performance even more brilliant: she could summon that thunderous energy for the camera, then instantly melt back into the sweet, graceful woman she truly was ๐
She toured the world as a fire dancer โ billed as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire" โ lighting ci******es with her fingertips and breathing flame on stages from Canada to Japan, long before ever stepping foot in the Sanford living room ๐ฅ. And when her comedy album *Watch It, Sucker!* went gold, it became one of the very first comedy albums by a Black woman to reach that milestone .
She proved you can be fierce and faithful, hilarious and dignified, unforgettable in every way ๐
Who still hears that iconic line every time her face appears?
