Actor John Witherspoon Dead at 77 Actor John Witherspoon has passed away at the age of 77. Originally hailing from Detroit, his Hollywood career started in 1977 on the Richard Pryor Show, and he went on to be best known for the role of “Pops” in the “Friday” movies with Ice Cube. Witherspoon’s first movie role came in the Neil Diamond film “The Jazz Singer” in 1980. What’s your fondest memory of Witherspoon?  What other actors and actresses do you think he inspired over the years?

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