Donald Thomas Bexley (March 10, 1910April 15, 1997)
Early life
Bexley was born in either Jamestown, Virginia, or Detroit, Michigan, to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bexley. His father was a Bible scholar and teacher, and his mother a classical vocalist. Sanford and Son was an instant hit and remained in the top 10 programs for 5 of 6 years from 1972 to 1977. Bexley reprised Bubba in the short-lived sequel Sanford Arms, which had many of the same characters but not Foxx and Demond Wilson.
Later career
He appeared in many television shows such as Cheers, Hunter and Laverne & Shirley as well as the 1976 film Sparkle. One of his later appearances on television was in an episode of Foxx's The Royal Family. In the episode, "New Beginnings", Bexley made a special guest appearance as an old friend of Al Royal's (Foxx) who attends his funeral. In 1989, Bexley had a sitcom in the works that he had written and would have starred, titled Cee Cashman and 'Yul Stay Broke. It was a story about a Black Jew who owns a pawnshop. Since moving to Hampton, Virginia (before that, he resided in the San Fernando Valley) during the 1990s, Bexley was still quite active, always working on new ideas for shows and live performances. Bexley made personal appearances and signed autographs on many occasions, including the Newmarket Fair Day-Talent Show in September 1996, and the Aberdeen Athletic Association in June 1996. One of Bexley's later signings was during his attendance at the NASA Langley Research Center's Black History Program in February 1997. These types of activities added to his longevity. Their friendship lasted for nearly 50 years. Bexley lived much of his life in Los Angeles, but after injuring his hip, moved to Hampton, Virginia, in 1996 to live with a friend, who served as his caregiver. His wife was Sally Bexley, with whom he had two daughters.