fox was one of the rare organists to perform on nationally televised entertainment programs in the 1960s and 1970s, such as "the mike douglas show", "the ed sullivan show", and "cbs camera three", bringing organ masterworks to mass audiences as no other organist had done before. his last commercially-released recording, though unauthorized, was made at his return (by popular demand) to riverside church in concert on may 6, 1979. fox's 50th year of performing began when he appeared with the dallas symphony in september 1980, in what was to be his final public performance. racked with pain from terminal prostate cancer, for which he had undergone unsuccessful treatment in 1976, fox completed only one of the two concerts, returning to florida to be hospitalized near home. on october 25, he died in palm beach, florida and lay in state in casa lagomar, in which his funeral was conducted by his business manager, david snyder. a later funeral was held at crystal cathedral in california.