Comedic legend John Witherspoon died at his home in Sherman Oaks, California on October 29, 2019. Following his stand-up comedy debut in the 1970s, Witherspoon began his onscreen career in episodic television, beginning with a role on detective show Barnaby Jones. In 1977, he was hired as a regular on The Richard Pryor Show. In 1980, Witherspoon moved into film, embarking on a movie career that would span 39 years and 36 features. Here are his best:
6. Hollywood Shuffle
Witherspoon's Mr. Jones is the owner of local hot dog stand Winky Dinky Dog, who advises his aspiring-actor employee, Bobby, to give up on his dreams and fully commit to WDD.
5. Friday After Next
Witherspoon is Willie Jones, former dogcatcher-turned-entrepreneur. He and his brother/business partner, Elroy, bicker constantly and promote their strip mall BBQ joint with crazy local tv ads. When he's not checking badass neighborhood kids, Willie's fighting off the unwanted advances of his son Craig's landlady, Ms. Pearly.
4. Next Friday
After neighborhood bully, Deebo, makes a prison break, Willie drops Craig off with Elroy, the brother he wishes he never had, so that he can lay low in the suburbs until it's safe to come home.
3. House Party
Witherspoon is Play's next door neighbor, Mr. Strickland, who can't get any peace because of the all-night teenage get-together.
2. Boomerang
Witherspoon steals the show as Gerard's style-handicapped dad who shows up to Thanksgiving dinner in a custom-made outfit, gives graphic sex advice at the table and has sex with his wife in the bathroom.
1. Friday
In his first appearance as Willie Jones, Witherspoon is a dogcatcher who hates dogs, suffers from a bad case of IBS and can't wait for his son and daughter to move out so that he and the missus can live in empty-nest bliss.
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