An actor and stand-up comedian known for his appearances on Def Comedy Jam and In Living Color, Reggie McFadden, has died at the age of 57.
His sister, best-selling author Bernice McFadden, told The Hollywood Reporter that the US State Department informed the family of his death in Tanzania, where he had lived for the past 18 years.
The family has not yet established when McFadden died or what caused his death, according to his sister.
Born on November 30, 1968, McFadden grew up in Brooklyn and reportedly turned to comedy as a way of escaping life in the projects.
He made his television debut on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam in 1991. After relocating to Los Angeles, he went on to appear in minor roles on Martin, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Moesha and Coach, among other television productions.
McFadden later became widely recognised for his work on Fox’s In Living Color, where he appeared in 23 episodes during the fifth and final season between 1993 and 1994.
His sketches on the show included “Wheel of Dozens,” “All Up in the Family,” and the “Dirty Dozens Tournament of Champions.”
He also starred in Fox’s short-lived 1998 comedy series Getting Personal and appeared in films including Jacob’s Ladder (1990), Minor Adjustments (1995) and Little Nicky (2000).
In 2001, McFadden appeared as Officer Burt, the neighbour of Larry David, in an episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Beyond acting, he had his own comedy special on Comedy Central and performed regularly at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
According to his Facebook page, McFadden owned Olduvai Records, a Tanzanian gold mining and entertainment production company.
The company’s website states that Olduvai Records had secured a distribution deal with Sony Music’s The Orchard in New York for its music and audiovisual productions globally.
In May 2025, McFadden released an album titled ENJOY, Vol. 1 on the label.
Reacting to his death, Prof. Rel Dowdell, director of film studies at Hampton University, described McFadden as a talented veteran comedian and actor.
“Reggie McFadden was a very talented, veteran comedian and actor whose diverse choices and dedication to his profession were very evident,” Dowdell said in a statement.
McFadden is survived by his sister Misty, his sons Jaron and Myles, his mother Vivian and his brother Kris.