LaWanda Page , born Alberta Peal, was an American actress and comedienne best known for her portrayal of Aunt Esther in the 1970s TV sitcom Sanford and Son. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Page was raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She began her career in show business working small nightclubs, billed as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire," an act which included her eating fire and lighting cigarettes with her fingertips. She performed the cigarette feat on an episode of Sanford and Son, in which Fred held a circus in his front yard. LaWanda Page and Redd Foxx were very close friends from the time they were... pre-teen age. They attended school and grew up together in St. Louis. Later on, they both entered the field of comedy separately and performed stage acts. Page later recorded several live comedy albums for the Laff Records label in the late 1960s and early 1970s under the LaWanda stage name. One release, a gold-selling album called Watch it, Sucka!, was titled after one of her Aunt Esther character's catchphrases to capitalize on her newfound TV fame.
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| Birthdate: | October 19, 1920 |
| Birthplace: | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Date of death: | September 14, 2002 |
| Also known as: | Alberta Peal |