The Life and Times of LaWanda Page Quiz

Answer: St. Louis, Missouri

LaWanda was born on October 19, 1920, in Cleveland, Ohio. Unfortunately, the names of her parents are unknown. However, the little bit about her childhood states that when she was a toddler, her parents moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where LaWanda grew up.

Answer: The Bronze Goddess of Fire

In 1935, at the age of 15, LaWanda became an exotic dancer and chorus girl, and was billed as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire." Some sources state that she played with fire, while other sources state that she swallowed fire. Whichever it was, the fact remains that LaWanda realized a few years later that she wanted to make people laugh. Little did LaWanda know that her dream was about to become a reality.

Answer: Chitlin Circuit

Around 1940, LaWanda began performing on the nightclub circuit, known as the "Chitlin Circuit" in the Midwest. She performed in this circuit with Redd Foxx, Slappy White, and many other off and running comedians. Years later, in an interview, LaWanda said of this time: "Most of those clubs were dumps, the kind of places where if you ain't home by 9 o'clock you can be declared legally dead!", she also said that it was one of the best times of her life. LaWanda worked as a stand-up comedienne until her big break as Aunt Esther in "Sanford and Son."

Answer: Sanford and Son

In 1972, LaWanda was asked by her friend, Redd Foxx, to co-star with him in a television series called "Sanford and Son." The show became an instant hit, with the help of Lawanda's character, Aunt Esther, the hated sister-in-law of Fred Sanford. The series began on January 14, 1972, and remained popular until its last show on September 2, 1977.

However, this was not the end for LaWanda. She had her own series, which was called "Sanford Arms." However, the series only lasted one season. She also made regular appearances on the television series "Sanford," "Grady," and "The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour."

Answer: Complications due to diabetes

On September 14, 2002, LaWanda passed away in Los Angeles, California at the age of 81. The cause of death was complications due to diabetes. LaWanda was a very talented woman, and had small parts in such movies as "Zapped," "Mausoleum," "Shakes the Clown," "The Legend of Dolemite," and "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood". She also made numerous guest appearances on television series, such as "Amen," "Family Matters," "227," "Sinbad," "Dif'rent Strokes," and "The Love Boat."

All information can be found at http://www.dougmacaulay.com/kingspud/GCA_page and http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0905713.html