California: Popular actor Larenz Tate once shared the screen with comedy giant Redd Foxx, who played the role of his grandfather.
Key Takeaways
- Larenz Tate was raised in California by his parents, Peggy and Larry Tate, alongside his two elder brothers.
- Although he played the grandson of legend Redd Foxx in a show, they aren’t actually related.
- Tate respects the late comedian and still cherishes his time with him on “The Royal Family.”
Family Ties
Larenz Tate was born in Chicago, Illinois, to his parents, mother Peggy and father Larry Tate.
The Tate family doesn’t lack actors; his two elder brothers, Larron and Lahmard, are also part of the industry.
Their journey to Hollywood began after Larenz and his family moved to California in the early 1980s.
After being convinced by their parents, the trio practiced drama at the Inner City Cultural Center.
Due to their parents’ motivation and guidance, they have reached the height of the television business, and righteously, they still credit them for playing a big part in shaping their acting careers.
While talking about his parents, Larenz said,
“Fortunately, I grew up in a family that was grounded. My mother and father knew how to guide my career and look out for my best interests.”
Larenz Tate
Slowly securing minor roles here and there, Tate made his small-screen debut in an episode of “The New Twilight Zone“ in 1985, and the rest is history.
Larenz Tate And Redd Foxx Were Grandfather-Grandson Only For a Television Show
Netizens have been confused about Larenz Tate’s and Redd Foxx’s relationship, with some claiming they are related.
One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote,
“Redd Foxx is Larenz Tate (O-Dogg) Grandfather never knew that.”
Another one questioned his claim,
“When tf did Redd Foxx become Larenz Tate’s grandfather?“
Turns out, the confusion started when the legendary comedian Foxx went to “The Arsenio Hall Show” and mentioned that Tate was his grandson in a 1991 appearance.
However, it was later revealed that they were grandfather-grandson only for a television show.
“The Royal Family,” released on September 18, 1991, was an American sitcom produced by comedian and actor Eddie Murphy.
It starred Redd Foxx (as grandfather Alexander Alphonso “Al” Royal), Della Reese (as grandmother Victoria), and Larenz Tate (as grandson Curtis).
The show had good ratings early on but was canceled after the d*ath of Foxx due to a heart attack and inability to get the same rating.
Therefore, we can assure you that the actors weren’t related in real life, but they shared a huge amount of mutual respect for one another.
Mentioning his time in the sitcom, Tate wrote on Facebook,
“RIP #ReddFoxx & love to the entire cast!“
Larenz Tate
Back in 2017, he also gave a tribute to his onscreen grandma, Della Reese,
“Saddened to learn about the passing of a wonderfully gifted & talented woman…the iconic Della Reese. She not only played my tv Grandmother along side the great Redd Foxx. She also was apart of my spiritual growth early on in my life. Truly thankful for all she shared & taught me and my family over the years.”
Larenz Tate
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Actor and comedian Jamie Foxx changed his professional surname to Foxx as a tribute to him.
- Redd Foxx had been wedded four times, with his last marriage to Kaho Cho from Seoul, South Korea, in 1991.
- Laurenz Tate has been married to Tomasina Parrott since 2006, and they are parents to 4 kids.
