LaWanda Page
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LaWanda Page (October 19, 1920 - September 14, 2002) was an American actress, perhaps best known for her portrayal of Aunt Esther, in the 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio as Alberta Peal, Page started her career in show business in small clubs, working as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire," an act which included her lighting cigarettes with her fingertips. She performed this routine on an episode of Sanford and Son, in which Fred held a circus in his side yard.
Page was convinced by her friend Redd Foxx to become a stand-up comedienne. Page recorded several live comedy albums for the Laff Records label in the late 1960's and early 1970's; One release, Watch it, sucka!, was titled after Aunt Esther's catchphrase to cash in on her newfound TV fame.
On Sanford and Son, Page's "Aunt Esther" character was the sister of Elizabeth, Fred Sanford's (Foxx) late wife. She would sometimes be accompanied by other stalwart ladies from her church, or by her henpecked, slightly inebriated husband, "Woodrow". (Page was Foxx's only choice to play Aunt Esther.)
Aunt Esther was a genuinely funny combination of a devout church-goer and a 'tough-as-nails' realist, often sparring with Fred over both the state of his soul and the lack of his success, and getting insulted by Fred in return over his opinion of her homely looks. She once referred to Fred, during a public prayer, as a "snaggle-toothed jackass;" Fred once told her that, if they pressed her face into some dough, they could make "gorilla cookies." In another 'tender moment,' when Aunt Esther reminded Fred that her name was in the Bible (i.e., the book of Esther), Fred was reminded that "Samson slew the Philistines with your jaw-bone (i.e., that of an Ass; Judges 15:15)." Her "church lady" image was in direct contrast with the "blue" material of her stand-up act and record albums.
Page also portrayed her character on several episodes of Dean Martin's "Celebrity Roasts." She also acted in several episodes of other television shows, including Amen and Martin. Page's career experienced a brief revitalization in the early 90s after she appeared on several tracks of the debut album by RuPaul called Supermodel of the World, particularly the hit song Supermodel (You Better Work). She also appeared in several music videos from the album. Shortly before her death she appeared in several comical Church's Fried Chicken television commercials with the catchphrase of "Gotta love it!" She also made a cameo appearance in the hit movie 'Friday' and stole the show with a movie opening one-liner.
Page succumbed to diabetes in September 2002. She is interred in an outdoor crypt at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
