John Fox (April 24, 1953 – May 30, 2012) was an American comedian.McLellan, Dennis (November 26, 1992)

''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

Life

John Fox was born John Edward Moore April 24, 1953 while his father was stationed at

Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune ( or ) is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. He lived in

Waukegan, Illinois Waukegan ( ) is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located north of Chicago, Waukegan is a satellite city within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, its population was 89,321, makin ...

until age 8 when the family moved to

Zion, Illinois Zion is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States census, the population was 24,655. History The city was founded in 1900 by John Alexander Dowie, a Scots-Australian evangelical minister and faith healer who had ...

. The family returned to Waukegan when John was 13. He was an avid baseball player and was a lifelong Cubs fan.

Career

Fox's first show was on June 14, 1979 at the

World Famous Comedy Store The Comedy Store is an American comedy club opened in April 1972. It is located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. An associated club is located in La Jolla, San Diego, California. History The Comedy ...

. Known as the

Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte (; born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. Known for his leading man roles in both dramas and romances, he has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. Nol ...

of comedy, Fox had numerous television appearances on shows, including '' Norm Crosby's Comedy Shop'', ''

Star Search ''Star Search'' (later known as ''Ed McMahon's Star Search'') is an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./ Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 29 ...

'', ''

Make Me Laugh ''Make Me Laugh'' is an American television game show in which contestants watch three stand-up comedians performing their acts, one at a time, earning one dollar for every second that they could make it through without laughing. Each comedian ha ...

'', and '' Showtime Comedy Club Network''. He appeared in the stand-up videos ''Truly Tasteless Jokes'' and '' Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen''. He voiced the role of a pig in the animated feature ''

Rover Dangerfield ''Rover Dangerfield'' is a 1991 American animated musical comedy film starring the voice talent of comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who also wrote the screenplay and story and co-produced the film. It revolves around the eponymous character, a canine ...

''. He had been featured on "

The Bob & Tom Show ''The Bob & Tom Show'' is a syndicated US radio program established by Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold at radio station WFBQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 7, 1983, and syndicated nationally since January 6, 1995. Originally syndicated by Pre ...

" and was the inspiration for the song "The Legend of John Fox," by Pat Godwin. Fox also appeared on

Rodney Dangerfield Jack Roy (born Jacob Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the stage name Rodney Dangerfield, was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, ...

's HBO special, ''Opening Night at Rodney's Place'' and the first ''Redneck Comedy Roundup'' DVD alongside comedians

Jeff Foxworthy Jeffrey Marshall Foxworthy (born September 6, 1958) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and radio and television host. He is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, with Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and formerly Ron White. Known f ...

Bill Engvall William Ray Engvall Jr. (born July 27, 1957) is an American retired stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Engvall has released a number of stand-up comedy albums through Warner Records and the defunct BNA Records. His commercially su ...

, and

Ron White Ronald Dee White (born December 18, 1956) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and author, best known as a charter member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Nicknamed "Tater Salad", he is the author of the book ''I Had the Right to Remain Sil ...

. A popular part of Fox's routine was talking about his various previous jobs.

Death

Fox was diagnosed with

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...

in October 2011. He died of complications from the disease in May 2012 at the age of 59.

Discography

* ''Assorted Nuts LIVE FROM Laughs Unlimited'' (1985) * ''John Fox'' (1988) H2137-2* ''Very Unsensitive'' (1988) T2002* ''The Most Dangerous Man in Comedy'' (1988) C2003* ''Wild & Untamed'' (1988) T2004* ''Joy Jelly'' (1989) T2005* ''I'm Fat, I'm 40'' (1999)

References

External links

* American male comedians 1953 births 2012 deaths 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians People from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina People from Waukegan, Illinois People from Zion, Illinois Comedians from Illinois {{US-comedian-stub