NetflixMovies
John Witherspoon

John Witherspoon

19 movies on Netflix

Biography

John Witherspoon was an American actor and comedian whose career moved between stand-up, television, and film. Born in Detroit, he worked occasionally as a model before his first television appearance on Barnaby Jones in the 1970s. He became a regular on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977 and later played Pops Williams on The Wayans Bros. from 1995 to 1999. His film credits included Hollywood Shuffle (1987), Bird (1988), House Party (1990), The Five Heartbeats (1991), Boomerang (1992), The Meteor Man (1993), and Vampire in Brooklyn (1995). He portrayed Willie Jones in Friday (1995), Next Friday (2000), and Friday After Next (2002). On television he starred as Granddad Freeman in The Boondocks from 2005 to 2014 and appeared in Black Jesus from 2014 to 2019. He released the comedy album 63 Cent in 2008 and died in 2019.

77years old at death

  • Born Detroit
  • Died Sherman Oaks
  • Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
  • John Weatherspoon (birth name)

Movie Career

Films
19
Career span
19 years1987 to 2006

Genres

First and latest

Share

Did you know?!

  1. About the name

    John Witherspoon was originally known by the surname Weatherspoon, but at some point he made the decision to change it to Witherspoon.

  2. Big break

    In 1977 Witherspoon became a regular on The Richard Pryor Show, the NBC comedy series, a job that led to his 1982 appearance on WKRP In Cincinnati.

John Witherspoon movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top of the page, the section list
  1. Friday1995 Comedy, Dramaas Mr. Jones

    IMDb rating 7.2139K votes

  2. Next Friday2000 Comedyas Mr. Jones

    IMDb rating 6.248K votes

  3. Friday After Next2002as Mr. Jones

    IMDb rating 5.833K votes

  4. Littleman2006as Pops

    IMDb rating 4.667K votes

  5. Vampire in Brooklyn1995as Silas Green

    IMDb rating 4.727K votes

  6. The Ladies Man2000as Scrap Iron

    IMDb rating 5.215K votes

  7. House Party1990as Mr. Strickland

    IMDb rating 6.518K votes

  8. Boomerang1992as Mr. Jackson

    IMDb rating 5.733K votes

Most often with

Reginald Hudlin directed three of these films, Robert Townsend three. Ice Cube appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top of the page, the section list
Ice Cube, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Ice CubeTommy 'Tiny' Lister, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Tommy 'Tiny' ListerClifton Powell, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Clifton PowellTisha Campbell-Martin, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Tisha Campbell-MartinBebe Drake, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Bebe DrakeRobert Townsend, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Robert TownsendReginald HudlinDirector, 3 filmsSee the 3 films by Reginald HudlinRobert TownsendDirector, 3 filmsSee the 3 films by Robert Townsend

Films together

  • Ice Cube4 films together, 1995 to 2002
    Ice Cube's page
    • Friday After Next2002IMDb rating 5.8Witherspoon as Mr. JonesCube as Craig
    • Next Friday2000IMDb rating 6.2Witherspoon as Mr. JonesCube as Craig Jones
    • I Got the Hook Up1998IMDb rating 4.2Witherspoon as Mr. MimmCube as Gun Runner
    • Friday1995IMDb rating 7.2Witherspoon as Mr. JonesCube as Craig Jones
  • Tommy 'Tiny' Lister3 films together, 1995 to 2000
    Tommy 'Tiny' Lister's page
    • Next Friday2000IMDb rating 6.2Witherspoon as Mr. JonesLister as Deebo
    • I Got the Hook Up1998IMDb rating 4.2Witherspoon as Mr. MimmLister as T-Lay
    • Friday1995IMDb rating 7.2Witherspoon as Mr. JonesLister as Deebo
  • Clifton Powell3 films together, 1990 to 2002
    Clifton Powell's page
    • Friday After Next2002IMDb rating 5.8Witherspoon as Mr. JonesPowell as Pinky
    • Next Friday2000IMDb rating 6.2Witherspoon as Mr. JonesPowell as Pinky
    • House Party1990IMDb rating 6.5Witherspoon as Mr. StricklandPowell as Sharane's Brother
  • Tisha Campbell-Martin3 films together, 1990 to 1997
    Tisha Campbell-Martin's page
    • Sprung1997IMDb rating 5.1Witherspoon as DetectiveCampbell-Martin as Brandy
    • Boomerang1992IMDb rating 5.7Witherspoon as Mr. JacksonCampbell-Martin as Yvonne
    • House Party1990IMDb rating 6.5Witherspoon as Mr. StricklandCampbell-Martin as Sidney
  • Bebe Drake3 films together, 1992 to 2002
    Bebe Drake's page
    • Friday After Next2002IMDb rating 5.8Witherspoon as Mr. JonesDrake as Mrs. Pearly
    • Bebe's Kids1992IMDb rating 5.9Witherspoon as Card Player #1voiceDrake as Barflyvoice
    • Boomerang1992IMDb rating 5.7Witherspoon as Mr. JacksonDrake as Mrs. Jackson
  • Robert Townsend3 films together, 1987 to 1993
    Robert Townsend's page
    • The Meteor Man1993IMDb rating 5.3Witherspoon as Clarence James Carter IIITownsend as Jefferson Reed
    • The Five Heartbeats1991IMDb rating 7.6Witherspoon as Wild RudyTownsend as Duck
    • Hollywood Shuffle1987IMDb rating 6.9Witherspoon as Mr. JonesTownsend as Bobby Taylor / Jasper / Speed / Sam Ace / Rambro
  • Reginald HudlinDirector, 3 films, 1990 to 2000
    All films by Reginald Hudlin
    • The Ladies Man2000IMDb rating 5.2Witherspoon as Scrap Iron
    • Boomerang1992IMDb rating 5.7Witherspoon as Mr. Jackson
    • House Party1990IMDb rating 6.5Witherspoon as Mr. Strickland
  • Robert TownsendDirector, 3 films, 1987 to 1993
    All films by Robert Townsend
  • Also three films together1 more actor
    • Bobby McGeeSprung (1997), The Meteor Man (1993) and The Five Heartbeats (1991)

    When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What John Witherspoon's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top of the page, the section list

Combined worldwide box office

$470 million

15 of the 19 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 19 films: 15 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas.

  • 15Worldwide figure
  • 3US gross only
  • 1Never in cinemas

Top grosser

Boomerang1992as Mr. Jackson$131 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 89% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    Boomerang1992as Mr. Jackson
    $131M27.9% of the total
  2. 2
    Littleman2006as Pops
    $104M22.1% of the total
  3. 3
    Next Friday2000as Mr. Jones
    $60M12.7% of the total
  4. 4
    Friday After Next2002as Mr. Jones
    $34M7.1% of the total
  5. 5
    Friday1995as Mr. Jones
    $28M6.0% of the total
  6. 6
    House Party1990as Mr. Strickland
    $26M5.6% of the total
  7. 7
    Vampire in Brooklyn1995as Silas Green
    $20M4.2% of the total
  8. 8
    Soul Plane2004as Blind Man
    $15M3.1% of the total
The Ladies Man (2000), $13.7 millionBebe's Kids (1992), $8.4 millionThe Meteor Man (1993), $8.0 millionFatal Instinct (1993), $7.8 millionSprung (1997), $7.6 millionHollywood Shuffle (1987), $5.2 millionBird (1988), $2.0 million

$52.8 millionfrom the other 7 films with a worldwide figure, 11% of the total

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top of the page, the section list