The veteran comedian, who was best known for his role as Willie Jones in 'Friday', died at his home in Sherman Oaks on Tuesday, October 29 at the age of 77.
- Oct 30, 2019
AceShowbiz - The Hollywood industry is mourning the loss of its talent. It's been confirmed that veteran actor and comedian John Witherspoon, who was known for his role as Willie Jones in "Friday", died suddenly at his home on Tuesday, October 29. He was 77.
In a statement confirming John's death, his family admitted to feeling "shocked" over his death. "It is with deepest sorrow that we can confirm our beloved husband and father, John Witherspoon, one of the hardest working men in show business, died today at his home in Sherman Oaks at the age of 77," so the statement read.
It continued, "He is survived by his wife Angela, and his sons JD, Alexander and a large family. We are all in shock, please give us a minute for a moment in privacy and we will celebrate his life and his work together. John used to say 'I'm no big deal,' but he was huge deal to us."
Following news of the star's death, Regina King took to Twitter to pay tribute to John, writing, "My dad, my grandpa, my comedic inspiration! I love you Spoons! Rest in Paradise, King." His son, J.D., also honored his dad through an emotional tribute featuring a collage of their photos together. In the caption of the post, he admitted he wasn't sure how to feel about this.
"I'm sad, but I'm also happy 4 all the great times we had together," he said. "We'd roast each other like homies more than Father & Son, and I really loved that about us. In all seriousness I work as hard as I do thanks to seeing Him grind for literally 77 years of his life, and I'm damn proud to be his son. If I have even half the career & impact he has had on people I'll be very happy. His legacy will live on through me, my family, his friends, and everyone else who was touched by him here on Earth."
J.D. Concluded the post by saying, "He was my best friend & my Hero, I Love U Dad... I'll miss u."
Born in Detroit in 1942, John Witherspoon launched a stand-up comedian career and began acting in the 1970s with guest-starring TV roles. He made his feature debut in 1980's "The Jazz Singer" and was best known for his role as Ice Cube's grumpy dad in "Friday".
