Reggie McFadden, In Living Color and Def Comedy Jam comedian, dies aged 57

The comedian and actor Reggie McFadden, who became a familiar face on television screens in the 1990s through Def Comedy Jam and the sketch show In Living Color, has died at the age of 57.

His sister, the author Bernice McFadden, said the US State Department had notified their family of his death in Tanzania. McFadden had been living in the East African country for about 18 years. At the time of the announcement, his family did not yet know the date or the cause of his death.

Born in Brooklyn on 30 November 1968, McFadden grew up in public housing projects and turned to stand-up comedy as a young man to build a career outside of them. He got his first major national exposure in 1991 on HBO's influential showcase Def Comedy Jam.

The move to Hollywood

Following his stand-up success, McFadden moved to Los Angeles, where he quickly picked up guest-starring roles on popular 1990s sitcoms, including Martin, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, Moesha and Coach.

His most prominent television role came in 1993, when he joined the cast of Fox's groundbreaking sketch comedy show In Living Color for its fifth and final season. McFadden appeared in 23 episodes, performing in recurring segments such as "Wheel of Dozens" and "All Up in the Family".

He went on to co-star in the short-lived 1998 Fox comedy series Getting Personal and made guest appearances on several other programmes. Comedy fans also remember him as Officer Burt, Larry David's neighbour, in a memorable 2001 episode of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. On the big screen, he secured roles in films including the psychological horror Jacob's Ladder in 1990 and the Adam Sandler comedy Little Nicky in 2000.

McFadden was also a regular on the stand-up circuit, performing at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and filming his own solo comedy special for Comedy Central.

A new life in Tanzania

Nearly two decades ago, McFadden stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight and relocated to Tanzania. There, he founded Olduvai Records, a business that combined music production with gold-mining operations.

The label established a global distribution deal with Sony Music's subsidiary The Orchard, and McFadden released his own comedy and music album, ENJOY, Vol. 1, through the company in May 2025.

Professor Rel Dowdell, the director of film studies at Hampton University, paid tribute to him as "a very talented, veteran comedian and actor whose diverse choices and dedication to his profession were highly evident." Fellow stand-up comic Tony Luewellyn wrote on social media: "Rest in peace, fellow comedian, Reggie McFadden. Another fallen veteran comedy brother!"

McFadden is survived by his mother, Vivian; his sisters, Bernice and Misty; his brother, Kris; and his two sons, Jaron and Myles.