John Witherspoon, On October 29, 2019, a renowned actor noted for his amusing depictions of father figures on screen, passed away. Witherspoon consistently made an impression, whether it was in his roles as Willie Jones in the Friday series or as Pops in The Wayans Bros.
His net worth was estimated to be $4.0 million at the time of his passing due to his multifaceted career in the entertainment industry.
His wife, Angela Robinson-Witherspoon, and their two boys are the ones who continue to honor his memory today. Nevertheless, we honor this extraordinary entertainer and look back at his life and work.
John Witherspoon Started Out in Comedy and Modeling
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John Weatherspoon, a native of Detroit who was born on January 27, 1942, was one of 11 siblings who all had a passion for the entertainment industry.
One of his siblings, Cato Weatherspoon, was a director of the PBS-TV Network/CH56 in Detroit, while his oldest brother, William Weatherspoon, was the well-known lyricist for Motown.
After starting his modeling career, John used the surname Witherspoon, which he eventually changed. He moved toward humor in the 1960s and 1970s, starting a stand-up career that would help him establish contacts in the entertainment industry.
At the time, Witherspoon considered Tim Reid, Robin Williams, Jay Leno, and David Letterman to be among his close pals. In 2008, Witherspoon made a comedic comeback by embarking on a national comedy tour that was broadcast on Showtime.
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Fridays are famous for Witherspoon
Witherspoon made her debut on television in an episode of the 1970s CBS program Barnaby Jones. His first break came when he was given a regular role on The Richard Pryor Show. He also made appearances in Good Times, What’s Happening!! and The Incredible Hulk.
With greater exposure came even better roles in programs such as Townsend Television, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Hill Street Blues, LA Law, You Again?, 227, What’s Happening Now!, Amen, and Living Single.
He would make his film debut with The Jazz Singer in 1980. Hollywood Shuffle, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, Bird, Vampire in Brooklyn, and The Meteor Man are a few of his other film credits. He also starred in Kidnapped, where he first met Angela Robinson, the woman who would become his wife.
The roles he played in The Wayans Bros. and the Friday series, however, were what really solidified his reputation in Hollywood as a humorous father figure. He became known as the Pops of Hollywood after landing the part of John “Pops” Williams on The Wayans Brothers.
In the films Friday (1995), Next Friday (2000), and Friday After Next, he played the one and only Willie Jones (2002). The fourth and final movie, Last Friday, is now under pre-production with a 2020 release date. It will be the last posthumous project by Witherspoon.
Despite the Friday movies’ combined box office earnings of $121.0 million, the extremely successful stars didn’t make as much from the first movie. Witherspoon was open about the fact that neither he nor his co-stars made more than $5,000 each.
The entire ensemble has improved significantly since then, and rightfully so. By the time the follow-up came around, Witherspoon had received a respectable $400,000 salary. And in the third film, that pay rose to a well-deserved $1.0 million.
Witherspoon has recently made appearances on shows like Black Jesus, The Boondocks, The First Family, The Tracy Morgan Show, and The Tracy Morgan Show.
Here is a comparison of Witherspoon’s net worth to those of his Friday and other co-stars.
| Actor | Net Worth |
| Ice Cube | $160.0 million |
| Marlon Wayans | $40.0 million |
| Shawn Wayans | $30.0 million |
| Nia Long | $13.0 million |
| Regina King | $12.0 million |
| John Witherspoon | $4.0 million |
| Chris Tucker | $3.0 million |
| Anna Maria Horsford | $500,000 |
Witherspoon Died in His Own Home
Witherspoon reportedly possessed two properties in Sherman Oaks, California, according to some publications. He paid $830,000 for his first house in 2001, and $550,000 for his second, both in 2002.
According to a statement from his family, John Witherspoon died on October 29 at his Sherman Oaks residence at the age of 77. He passed away in Los Angeles, according to his manager, Alex Goodman. The reason for death has not yet been made public.
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