LOS ANGELES — Reggie McFadden, a stand-up comedian and actor best known for his work on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series "In Living Color" and HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," has died. He was 57.

His sister, bestselling author Bernice McFadden, confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter. She said the U.S. State Department notified the family that he had died in Tanzania, where he had been living for many years.

The family has not learned when he died or under what circumstances, and the cause of death is not known.

From Brooklyn to the comedy stage

McFadden was born on Nov. 30, 1968, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He developed a love of comedy early in life and built his career on the stand-up circuit before breaking into television.

His first television credit came in 1991, when he appeared as a stand-up comedian in the seventh season of the A&E series "An Evening at the Improv," a showcase that helped launch many comedians' careers.

He gained wider attention on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," the influential stand-up series that introduced audiences to a........

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