Robin Harris Sr., a comedian, and actor, was at his peak three decades ago when he succumbed to a heart attack in his sleep. Robin Sr. was just 36 years old at the time of his death and was well-known for his comedy skills.
Robin Sr. made jokes about being poor and ugly which were far from his true self. Born on August 30, 1953, in Chicago, the legend schooled at Manual Arts High School, and later on, he attended Ottawa University in Kansas.
After graduation, he began working little jobs to prove he was something. Robin Sr. felt he had something to contribute, especially in the entertainment sector, while he was working. He discovered that he was a comedian and could make people laugh.
Robin Sr. moved to Kansas from Los Angeles, where he started his incredible career as a stand-up comedian. He started performing in local clubs until he attracted the attention of Spike Lee and Reginald Hudlin.
Later on, he appeared on “Do The Right Thing,” where he played the role of Sweet Dick Willie and “Mo Better Blues.” In 1990, Robin Sr. became a household name after appearing as Pop in the “House Party.” While acting, he made sure to continue organizing comedy shows.
The star’s talent was finally revealed to the public on March 18, 1990, when his mother was discovered dead in his Four Seasons Hotel room.
After several tests were carried out, medical reports revealed that he had long battled with sleep apnea and finally died from cardiac arrest. Speculations of poison or narcotics were dropped, as no traces were found in his blood.
Although his life was short-lived, Robin Sr.’s legacy lives on through the comedy of others who looked up to him. Robin Harris Jr. was not able to see the genius of Robin Sr.
EXETTA HARRIS
Exetta Harris was married to Robin Harris Sr. at the time of his death in 1990. Together, the couple had two sons, Robin Harris Jr., born six months after his father’s death, and his brother Antoine whom not much is known about.
Exetta, like her husband, has a passion for the film industry. Exetta is a producer and shows her talent on the big screen. However, she ensures that movies live up to expectations. She is a producer and is known for “Unsung Hollywood,” “One Night Stand,” and “Robin Harris: Live From The Comedy Act Theatre.”
Exetta also loves sharing pictures of herself on social media. She once took to her Facebook page to post a picture of herself looking lovely in a lilac shirt.
Her hair was wavy, and her makeup light. Exetta finished the look by adding matching earrings to her look.
Apart from sharing images of herself, Exetta also blesses fans with pictures of her grandkids. To celebrate the new year in 2020, Exetta posted a picture of herself and her grandchildren on her Facebook page. She captioned it:
“The 1st Day of #2020, and we all had a ball 🥰😍😘💕❤.”
KEEPING ROBIN SR.’S LEGACY ALIVE
Since the death of her husband, Exetta and Robin Jr. have made it a top priority to keep Robin Sr.’s legacy alive. In 2019, they produced
the ninth annual comedy salute in honor of the comedian at Regency West in South Los Angeles.Robin Jr. is also a rap artist and has dedicated one of his tracks, “Sons Of a Legend,” to his father. Many hoped he would develop an interest in comedy since he inherited his father’s sense of humor.
Robin Jr. has often spoken openly about Robin Sr. over the years in interviews. He once revealed that he often thought about where his father would be if he were still alive.
Robin Jr. considered the late comedian a pioneer, especially with his style of comedy. He also made it known that he had plans to make a sequel of “Bebes Kids”— a comedy animation that depicts the life of Robin Harris Sr.