LaWanda Page
Encyclopedia
LaWanda Page born Alberta Peal, was an American
actress and comedienne best known for her portrayal of Aunt Esther in the 1970s TV sitcom Sanford and Son
.
, Page was raised in St. Louis, Missouri
. She began her career in show business working small nightclubs, billed as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire," an act which included her eating fire and lighting cigarettes with her fingertips. She performed the cigarette feat on an episode of Sanford and Son, in which Fred held a circus in his front yard.
LaWanda Page and Redd Foxx
were very close friends from the time they were pre-teen age. They attended school and grew up together in St. Louis. Later on, they both entered the field of comedy separately and performed stage acts. Page later recorded several live comedy albums for the Laff Records
label in the late 1960s and early 1970s under the LaWanda stage name. One release, a gold-selling album called Watch it, Sucka!
, was titled after one of her Aunt Esther character's catchphrases to capitalize on her newfound TV fame. During her tenure as a stand-up comic, which lasted all the way to the 1990s, she was often called The Queen of Comedy, or in some mainstream circles, The Black Queen of Comedy. Other than the expletive-free Sane Advice album, released two years after the run of Sanford and Son
, most of Page's albums and stand-up material were raunchy in nature.
for several years. She was beginning to get out of show business because she was moving back to St. Louis to take care of her ailing mother. Foxx, a stand-up comedian himself for several years, was offered a television sitcom back in L.A. When the show was being cast, he told one of the show's producers about Page. The producer had heard of her before as he himself had previously caught her act. Foxx telephoned Page in St. Louis and asked her to read for the role of Aunt Esther. Page came back and auditioned for the role and was offered the part. However, before any taping had begun, producers noticed during rehearsals that Page was unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of producing a television sitcom; she had been more accustomed to performing in nightclubs. One of Sanford and Sons producers stated to Foxx that he will need to fire Page and hold auditions again for the Aunt Esther role so that taping could begin. Foxx insisted Page play the part and he threatened to walk away from the show if she was let go. The producers stuck with Page, who would go on to become one of the most famous television personalities of the 1970s.
The Aunt Esther character was a combination of a devout churchgoer and a tough-as-nails realist. Esther would state whatever was on her mind, and she was very loving to her nephew Lamont. She often sparred with Fred over both the state of Fred's soul and the lack of his success, resulting in them trading barbs. Although the show was Foxx's vehicle, the strong portrayal of the Aunt Esther character by Page allowed her to hold her own against Sanford. The character of Esther was in direct contrast to the raunchy, expletive-filled material of Page's stand-up comedy act and record albums.
s, and over the next two decades occasionally guest-starred in episodes of other popular television shows, including Amen
, Martin
, 227
, Family Matters, and Diff'rent Strokes
. In the early 1990s she appeared on several tracks of the debut album by RuPaul
entitled Supermodel of the World
, most notably the hit song "Supermodel (You Better Work)
". She also appeared in several music videos from the album. Shortly before her death she appeared in a series of comical Church's Chicken
television commercials featuring the catchphrase "Gotta love it!" Among her movie credits are an appearance in the Steve Martin
film My Blue Heaven
; as an extremely foul-mouthed clown in Bobcat Goldthwait
's 1991 comedy Shakes the Clown
; a cameo appearance in the hit movie Friday
, stealing the opening scene with a salty one-liner; and a role in the 'hood parody film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
as the overbearing mother of aging gangsta "Old School."
.
Her daughter, the evangelist Clara Estella Roberta Johnson, died on June 4, 2006, in Los Angeles, California
, at the age of 69.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and comedienne best known for her portrayal of Aunt Esther in the 1970s TV sitcom Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
.
Early life and career
Born in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Page was raised in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. She began her career in show business working small nightclubs, billed as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire," an act which included her eating fire and lighting cigarettes with her fingertips. She performed the cigarette feat on an episode of Sanford and Son, in which Fred held a circus in his front yard.
LaWanda Page and Redd Foxx
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford , better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American comedian and actor, best known for his starring role on the sitcom Sanford and Son.-Early life:...
were very close friends from the time they were pre-teen age. They attended school and grew up together in St. Louis. Later on, they both entered the field of comedy separately and performed stage acts. Page later recorded several live comedy albums for the Laff Records
Laff Records
Laff Records was a small independent record label specializing in comedy and party records originating on the West Coast of the United States. Amongst their artists were Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, LaWanda Page, George Carlin, black ventriloquist duo Richard And Willie, Kip Addotta, Belle Barth, Rex...
label in the late 1960s and early 1970s under the LaWanda stage name. One release, a gold-selling album called Watch it, Sucka!
Watch it, Sucka!
Watch It, Sucka! is the second and most acclaimed album released by American comic and actress LaWanda Page, who released the album in 1972 under the name LaWanda....
, was titled after one of her Aunt Esther character's catchphrases to capitalize on her newfound TV fame. During her tenure as a stand-up comic, which lasted all the way to the 1990s, she was often called The Queen of Comedy, or in some mainstream circles, The Black Queen of Comedy. Other than the expletive-free Sane Advice album, released two years after the run of Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
, most of Page's albums and stand-up material were raunchy in nature.
Sanford and Son
On Sanford and Son, the character Aunt Esther was the sister of Fred Sanford's late wife Elizabeth. Before getting the role, Page had already been performing her comedy routine in nightclubs in St. Louis and then Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for several years. She was beginning to get out of show business because she was moving back to St. Louis to take care of her ailing mother. Foxx, a stand-up comedian himself for several years, was offered a television sitcom back in L.A. When the show was being cast, he told one of the show's producers about Page. The producer had heard of her before as he himself had previously caught her act. Foxx telephoned Page in St. Louis and asked her to read for the role of Aunt Esther. Page came back and auditioned for the role and was offered the part. However, before any taping had begun, producers noticed during rehearsals that Page was unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of producing a television sitcom; she had been more accustomed to performing in nightclubs. One of Sanford and Sons producers stated to Foxx that he will need to fire Page and hold auditions again for the Aunt Esther role so that taping could begin. Foxx insisted Page play the part and he threatened to walk away from the show if she was let go. The producers stuck with Page, who would go on to become one of the most famous television personalities of the 1970s.
The Aunt Esther character was a combination of a devout churchgoer and a tough-as-nails realist. Esther would state whatever was on her mind, and she was very loving to her nephew Lamont. She often sparred with Fred over both the state of Fred's soul and the lack of his success, resulting in them trading barbs. Although the show was Foxx's vehicle, the strong portrayal of the Aunt Esther character by Page allowed her to hold her own against Sanford. The character of Esther was in direct contrast to the raunchy, expletive-filled material of Page's stand-up comedy act and record albums.
Other film and television appearances
Page also appeared on several episodes of The Dean Martin Celebrity RoastThe Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast is a NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean Martin from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin would periodically “roast” a celebrity. These roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club in New York City...
s, and over the next two decades occasionally guest-starred in episodes of other popular television shows, including Amen
Amen (TV series)
Amen is an American television sitcom produced by Carson Productions that ran from September 27, 1986 to May 11, 1991 on NBC. Set in Sherman Hemsley's real-life hometown of Philadelphia, Amen starred Hemsley as the deacon of a church and was part of a wave of successful sitcoms on NBC in the 1980s...
, Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
, 227
227 (TV series)
227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series starred Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins...
, Family Matters, and Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978 to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985 to March 7, 1986...
. In the early 1990s she appeared on several tracks of the debut album by RuPaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
entitled Supermodel of the World
Supermodel of the World
Supermodel of the World is the debut studio album by American drag queen RuPaul, released on June 8, 1993 by Tommy Boy Records.-Album information:...
, most notably the hit song "Supermodel (You Better Work)
Supermodel (You Better Work)
"Supermodel " is the title of a 1992 song by the dance music singer and drag queen RuPaul. It was the third single from his album Supermodel of the World...
". She also appeared in several music videos from the album. Shortly before her death she appeared in a series of comical Church's Chicken
Church's Chicken
Church's Chicken is a US-based chain of fast food restaurants specializing in fried chicken, also trading outside North America as Texas Chicken. The chain was founded as Church's Fried Chicken To Go by George W. Church, Sr., on April 17, 1952, in San Antonio, across the street from The Alamo...
television commercials featuring the catchphrase "Gotta love it!" Among her movie credits are an appearance in the Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
film My Blue Heaven
My Blue Heaven (1990 film)
My Blue Heaven is a 1990 comedy film directed by Herbert Ross, written by Nora Ephron and starring Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and Joan Cusack.It has been noted for its relationship to the movie Goodfellas, which was released one month after this film...
; as an extremely foul-mouthed clown in Bobcat Goldthwait
Bobcat Goldthwait
Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
's 1991 comedy Shakes the Clown
Shakes the Clown
Shakes the Clown is a 1992 American movie directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, who performs the title role. It also features Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Kathy Griffin, Florence Henderson, Tom Kenny, Adam Sandler, Scott Herriott, LaWanda Page, Jack Gallagher, and a cameo by Robin...
; a cameo appearance in the hit movie Friday
Friday (film)
Friday is a 1995 stoner comedy-drama-buddy film directed by F. Gary Gray. Starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tommy Lister, Jr...
, stealing the opening scene with a salty one-liner; and a role in the 'hood parody film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood is a 1996 parody film by Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Similarly to I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, the film spoofs a number of black, coming-of-age, 'hood films' such as Juice, Jungle Fever, South Central, Higher Learning, Do the Right...
as the overbearing mother of aging gangsta "Old School."
Death
Page died of complications from diabetes on September 14, 2002. She is interred in an outdoor crypt at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, CaliforniaInglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
.
Her daughter, the evangelist Clara Estella Roberta Johnson, died on June 4, 2006, in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, at the age of 69.
As LaWanda
- Mutha Is Half a WordMutha Is Half a WordMutha Is Half A Word is the debut album by American comic and actress LaWanda Page, released in 1971 on the Laff Records label. The comic, born in Ohio and raised in St...
(1971) - Watch It, Sucker (1972)
- Back Door Daddy (1972; featuring Skillet & Leroy)
- Preach On Sister, Preach On!Preach On Sister, Preach On!Preach On Sister, Preach On! is the third solo album by American comic and actress LaWanda Page, her fourth release overall under the eponymous stage name "LaWanda".The album featured her revising the raunchy preacher monologues first introduced on her most popular release,...
(1973) - Pipe Layin' DanPipe Layin' DanPipe Layin' Dan is the fourth solo release by American comedienne and actress LaWanda Page, released under the one-name title of LaWanda, released on Laff Records in 1973....
(1973) - Sane AdviceSane AdviceSane Advice is the fifth solo album for American comedienne and actress LaWanda Page, released on the Laff Records label with just the first name of her stage name, LaWanda ....
(1979)