The House Party franchise is getting a refresh later this year in the form of an HBOMAX reboot starring Jacob Latimore and Tosin Cole. As we gear up for the next generation of House Party antics, fans took to social media to share their condolences to OG House Party star Gilbert Gottfried who recently passed away. Gottfried joins a long list of celebrities we’ve lost since House Party made its big-screen debut back in 1990. Let’s take a look at 10 House Party stars who are no longer with us.
Gilbert Gottfried was a beloved comedian known for his signature voice and crass humor. He made his debut in the early 80s as a Saturday Night Live cast member before scoring one of his biggest roles as Iago The Parrot in Disney’s 1992 classic Aladdin. The following year, Gottfried joined the cast of House Party 3 and is credited as luggage Clerk. Gottfried would also have roles in Dr. Dolittle, How to Be a Player, Spongebob SquarePants, and more before passing away on April 12th, 2022, at the age of 67. He had suffered for years from Ventricular tachycardia.
Also featured in House Party 3 was R&B/Pop sensation TLC. The “Creep” hitmakers starred as the fictional group Sex as a Weapon. The film follows Play as he decides to manage the group and books them for a major show. It was one of the first film roles for the group. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes would have a few other roles following this, including guest spots on Living Single and Cousin Skeeter. Lopes would be the sole victim of a car accident in 2002 while she was in Honduras filming a documentary. The film, The Last Days of Left Eye, was later released on VH1 in 2007.
Kid’s father in the original House Party franchise was played by Robin Harris. Harris was a stand-up comedian from Chicago who made a man for himself with his famous Bebe’s Kids stories. Harris was in the middle of pre-production for a Bebe’s Kids film and shooting for House Party when he, unfortunately, died in his sleep of a heart attack. The Bebe’s Kids film could become an animated feature instead, with Faizon Love stepping in for Harris. His death would be written into the House Party franchise and referenced in the two sequels.
Bernie Mac would appear in House Party 3 as Sylvester “Uncle Vester” Robinson, Robin Harris’ on-screen brother. It was Mac’s third film appearance following 1992’s Mo’ Money and 1993’s Who’s the Man? Bernie would, of course, go on to become one of the most beloved comedians in Hollywood with the help of his King of Comedy special and The Bernic Mac show. Mac would, unfortunately, die in 2009 after a years-long battle with sarcoidosis. He was 50 years old.
Last year the world lost AJ Johnson. Johnson also had a history with the House Party franchise and played two roles in the film’s universe. He made his big-screen debut in the original as E.Z.E. Johnson would also appear in part 3 as Butcher. Johnson would, of course, be best known for his portrayal of Ezal in Friday before being recast in the follow-up Next Friday. He was found unconscious in a convenient store in late 2021 and was later pronounced deceased. He had suffered from “multi-system organ failure from chronic ethanol use.”
Helen Martin is a television and film icon who brought her beloved charm to several popular properties, including Beverly Hills Cop, The Wayans Brothers, The Jamie Foxx Show, and more. In addition, she made an appearance in House Party 2 as Mrs. Deevers. Martin made her debut in 1955, with her final role being in the 2000s “Something to Sing About.” She would pass that same year at the age of 90 from a heart attack.
Yvette Wilson made her debut in 1992 on In Living Color in various roles. She would make her official film debut in Poetic Justice before playing Esther in House Party 3. Wilson is most famous for her roles in Moesha and The Parkers, but things slow down for her career shortly after. She suffered from kidney disease and struggled to afford her health care. She would pass in 2012 at the age of 48.
Reynaldo Rey was an American actor and comedian. He was also featured in House Party 3 as Veda’s father. He starred in White Man Can’t Jump, Bebe’s Kids, and Jackie’s Back before suffering a stroke in 2015 that claimed his life. He was 75 years old.
Simply Marvelous was a comedian beloved in the ’90s. She featured in Talkin’ Dirty After Dark and A Get2Gether but was most known for her scenes in House Party 3. She played opposite Reynaldo Rey as Veda’s mom. The Louisana native passed in her home state in 2018 at 64.
John Witherspoon is most known for his role as Willie Jones in Friday and Granddad in The Boondocks. He was also in the original House Party film, where he played Mr. Strickland. Witherspoon had an incredible career with many iconic roles before passing in 2019 at the age of 77 from a heart attack. His last role was in 2020’s Reality Queen.
