'In Living Color' Comedian Reggie McFadden Dead at 57

Reggie McFadden, best known as a comic on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam" and Fox's "In Living Color," has died, according to his family.

Reggie's sister, author Bernice McFadden, tells TMZ ... the U.S. State Department contacted their family Sunday and informed them that Reggie had died in Tanzania, where he had been living for approximately the last 18 years.

Bernice says the State Department did not indicate when or how Reggie had died. She also said Reggie had been estranged from his family for a while over "family s--t."

Reggie was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he became a stand-up comic to deal with the ills of living in the housing projects. He caught his big break in 1991 when he became a comedian on HBO's popular "Def Comedy Jam" show.

Then he moved to L.A. to pursue acting roles, appearing in TV shows such as "Martin," "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper," "Moesha" and "Coach."

One of his biggest TV credits came in 1993 when he played various comedy sketch characters on the fifth and final season of "In Living Color." He also starred in Fox's 1998 sitcom, "Getting Personal," and secured a role opposite Larry David in a 2001 episode of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."  

Reggie also had minor roles in several movies, including "Jacob's Ladder" and "Little Nicky."

Reggie was 57.