Famed actor and comedian John Witherspoon passed away suddenly at the age of 77.
Witherspoon’s family issued the following statement to Deadline:
“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, […] 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.”
Witherspoon was most known for his roles in the Friday film franchise, The Wayans Brothers, and as the voice of ‘Grandad’ on The Boondocks.