Most people remember Redd Foxx from “Sanford and Son,” his groundbreaking sitcom that made American television history. But few know the woman who stood beside him during his final months. Ka Ho Cho married the legendary comedian in July 1991, just months before his unexpected death. Their story, though brief, offers a window into the private side of a public figure and the woman who chose a quiet life after losing him.
Who is Ka Ho Cho?
Ka Ho Cho became known to the public as Redd Foxx’s fourth and final wife. Born in South Korea, she met Foxx while working in Las Vegas during the early 1990s. Most sources identify her as a dancer or casino employee at Bally’s Hotel, though details about her early career remain limited. Unlike many celebrity spouses, she never sought the spotlight. After Foxx’s death in October 1991, she stepped away from public view almost entirely. Her story matters because it reminds us that not everyone connected to fame wants to live in it.
Early life and background
Information about Ka Ho Cho’s life before meeting Foxx is sparse. Reports consistently place her birthplace in Seoul, South Korea, though her exact age and family background haven’t been widely documented. By the time she arrived in Las Vegas, she had already established herself in the entertainment industry there. The city in the early 1990s was a magnet for performers, dealers, and hospitality workers from around the world. Las Vegas offered opportunities that drew people looking to build new lives, and Cho found herself part of that scene.
How she met Redd Foxx
Their paths crossed in Las Vegas, where Foxx was performing and Cho was working. At 68, Foxx was still a draw in Vegas, performing stand-up comedy and making television appearances. The comedy legend had been married three times before, and each marriage ended in divorce. When he met Cho, he was ready to try again. Friends later said he seemed genuinely happy during this period. The casino scene brought them together naturally. Foxx was a regular presence at Vegas establishments, and Cho worked in that world. Their relationship developed away from cameras and tabloid attention.
Las Vegas in the early ’90s
The city was experiencing one of its periodic reinventions. Major hotels competed for entertainers and audiences. Performers like Foxx drew crowds who wanted to see legends work their craft up close. The atmosphere mixed old-school showmanship with modern casino culture. Wedding chapels dotted the Strip and surrounding areas, ready to marry couples at a moment’s notice. This was the backdrop where Foxx and Cho built their relationship.
The Las Vegas wedding
On July 5, 1991, Redd Foxx and Ka Ho Cho married at the Little Church of the West, one of Las Vegas’s most famous wedding chapels. The venue had hosted celebrity weddings for decades. Foxx was 68, Cho significantly younger, though her exact age wasn’t publicized. The ceremony was small and private, attended by close friends and family. Unlike Foxx’s previous marriages, which had drawn media attention, this one felt more personal. The Little Church of the West later included the couple on its list of notable weddings, cementing their place in Vegas history.
A brief marriage: the final months
Foxx and Cho had less than four months together as husband and wife. During that time, Foxx continued working. He was filming a new CBS sitcom called “The Royal Family” alongside Della Reese. The show was meant to mark his return to network television. Cho supported him through the production schedule. Friends who saw them together described a couple who seemed comfortable with each other. Foxx had spent years dealing with financial troubles and IRS problems. Having Cho in his life appeared to bring him some peace during what turned out to be his final chapter.
At his side — Redd Foxx’s death
On October 11, 1991, Redd Foxx collapsed on the set of “The Royal Family.” Cast and crew initially thought he was joking, doing one of his famous physical comedy bits. He wasn’t. Foxx had suffered a massive heart attack. Paramedics rushed him to Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. Ka Ho Cho was there, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times and other sources covering his death. She stayed with him at the hospital as doctors tried to save his life. Foxx died that evening at age 68. Cho had been married to him for only 97 days.
Aftermath and public life (Where is she now?)
After Foxx’s death, Ka Ho Cho faced more than just grief. Foxx died with significant debt, and the IRS seized many of his possessions. The financial mess complicated an already painful time. Cho chose not to speak publicly about her loss or the situation she inherited. Press coverage of Foxx’s death mentioned her, but she gave no interviews. Over the years, she maintained that privacy. No reliable public records show what path her life took after 1991. Some reports suggest she returned to a private life, possibly leaving the entertainment world entirely. Her decision to stay out of the public eye has been consistent and deliberate.
Name variants and record confusion
If you search for information about her, you’ll find several spellings: Ka Ho Cho, Kaho Cho, Ka Ha Cho, and sometimes Ka Ho Foxx. These variants exist because Korean names transliterated into English can be written in differently ways. There’s no standard rule for spacing or combining syllables. News outlets at the time used different versions, and that inconsistency stuck. All these spellings refer to the same person. Understanding this helps when researching her story, since sources may use different versions without realizing they’re talking about the same woman.
Why her story matters
Celebrity marriages usually come with publicity, social media posts, and constant media coverage. Ka Ho Cho’s relationship with Redd Foxx happened in a brief window where she could choose privacy, and she did. Her story shows that grief doesn’t require a public stage. She loved someone famous, lost him suddenly, and dealt with the aftermath without turning it into a narrative for consumption. That choice deserves respect. Many people connected to celebrities struggle with whether to step into the light or stay in the shadows. Cho made her choice clearly.
Closing snapshot
Ka Ho Cho remains known primarily as the woman who married Redd Foxx in his final months. She was with him when he died, witnessed the chaos that followed, and then quietly exited the public story. Born in South Korea, she came to Las Vegas looking for opportunity and found love with a comedy legend. Their time together was too short to build a long history, but it was real. For anyone wanting verified facts about her life, start with the Los Angeles Times obituary coverage from October 1991 and the Little Church of the West wedding records. Beyond those sources, her life remains hers alone, lived away from cameras and questions.
