Comedian Reggie McFadden Dies at 57 in Tanzania

Reggie McFadden, a stand-up comedian who broke through on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam" and later appeared on Fox's "In Living Color," has died at the age of 57, according to his family.

His sister, the author Bernice McFadden, told TMZ that the U.S. State Department contacted the family on Sunday with word that Reggie had died in Tanzania, the East African country where he had been living for roughly the past 18 years. Bernice McFadden said the State Department did not specify when or how her brother died, and she noted that he had been estranged from the family for some time.

McFadden was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he turned to stand-up comedy as a way of coping with the hardships of life in the housing projects. His career took a decisive turn in 1991, when he landed a spot as a comedian on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," then one of the most popular showcases in the country.

That exposure led him to Los Angeles, where he pursued acting work and picked up roles on television series including "Martin," "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper," "Moesha" and "Coach."

Among his most prominent credits was a 1993 stint on the fifth and final season of "In Living Color," the Fox sketch comedy series, on which he portrayed a range of characters. He went on to star in Fox's 1998 sitcom "Getting Personal" and appeared opposite Larry David in a 2001 episode of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

McFadden also took minor roles in several films, including "Jacob's Ladder" and "Little Nicky."

He was 57 years old.