Sanford and Son

Sanford and Son first aired live before a studio audience on January 14, 1972 on NBC as a midseason replacement. The show was a spin off of the British Sitcom, Steptoe and Son. It was the second series created by Norman Lear. The first show he created was All in the Family. He also created The Jeffersons and Good Times. After 5 years and 135 episodes its last show was September 2, 1977. Re-runs are still shown on TV Land.

The star of the show was Redd Foxx, a well known stand up comedian. Born in St. Louis, Missouri as John Elroy Sanford, he began his career in the 1930’s. In the 50’s you could find him performing in nightclubs. By the 1960’s he was headlining in Las Vegas. In 1969 he appeared in the movie Cotton Comes to Harlem.

Fred Sanford and his son, Lamont live together in 9114 South Central, Los Angeles, California (also known as Watts). His wife has already passed away. Sanford and Lamont won a junk collection business, called Sanford and Son Salvage. In the show Lamont would often get mad and threaten to leave the business. Each time he would do this Sanford would fake a heart attack and then say, “I’m coming, Elizabeth.” (Elizabeth was his wife) Regardless, Lamont was always looking for some better way of life.

Cast Members

Fred Sanford Redd Foxx

Lamont Sanford Demond Wilson

Aunt Esther Anderson Lawanda Page

Julio Fuentes Gregory Sierra

Bubba Hoover Don Bexley

Grady Wilson Whitman Mayo

Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins Howard Platt

Rollo Larson Nathaniel Taylor

Donna Harris Lynn Hamilton

Cheseboro’s Scheme

This Television show falls into Cheseboro’s scheme as an Ironic Genre. The main Character, Redd is a 65 year old Junk Collector. His ability to control superiorEnvironment is definitely less than. It also fulfills all other requirement of an ironic genre.

Genre

According to the T.V. Genres a handbook and Reference Guide, This show also is a situation comedy. “ …it is not difficult to term the 1970’s the decade of the situation comedy revolution, and to mark 1970-71 as the season that ushered in the change. The “new wave” in sitcom is often attributed to Norman Lear, auteur of “all in the Family,” but some site MTM and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” for that honor. Lear’s show and its spinoffs and grandchildren, “Sanford and Son” (1972), “Maude” (1972), “Good Times” (1974), “The Jeffersons” (1975), and half dozen less successful cousins were greeted as revolutionary by critics and by people in the business…(Rose 110)”

Critics Perspective

Many critics call Fred the African American Version of Archie Bunker. Fred was never scared to insult someone. He also was not very tolerant of other races. His character was often sexist, racist and rude but he was still able to make people laugh.

Success

Sanford and Son was very successful. It also lead the way for more African American Sitcoms such as Goodtimes and The Jeffersons. The show ended in 1977 because Redd Foxx and Demond WIllimans demanded a salary raise and decided to move on. One of the frequent complaints of cast members, especially Redd Fox, was that the producers and writers, who where white had little understanding and appreciation of the African American Culture. Redd became his own show on ABC, but it didn’t last even a single season.

Although it was short lived, Sanford and Son it earned its place in the TV world. It was the first successful show with mostly African American cast to appear on American Network TV since Amos ‘n’ Andy. The show opened up peoples minds for people to witness even the worst examples of stereotyping and for people to see how redicullous prejudice can be.

Neilson Ratings

#6 in the 1971-1972 season

#2 in the 1972-1973 season

#3 in the 1973-1974 season

#2 in the 1974-1975 season

#7 in the 1975-1976 season

Picture Book

Quotes

[Fred holds his chest as if he's having a heart attack.]
Fred: Oh, this is the biggest one I ever had! You hear that Elizabeth? I'm coming to join you honey!

Lamont: You're a dirty old man, ya hear that?
Fred: And I'm gonna be one until I'm a dead old man!

Fred: I ain't afraid to give you one across the lips!

Fred: I still want to sow some wild oats!
Lamont: At your age, you don't have no wild oats, you got shredded wheat!

Fred: You are so ugly that if you pressed your face in some dough... you'd have gorilla cookies.

Fred: You just dumb, son. You just dumb.

Bibliography

Rose, B.G., (1985), TV Genres, A handbook and reference guide. , Westport, Connecticut. Greenwood Press.

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-809/

http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/primetime/pt1354.php

Links

http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/primetime/pt1354.php

http://www.timvp.com/sanford.html

http://www.tvland.com/shows/sanford/

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/sanfordands/sanfordands.htm

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sanfordandson/

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-809/

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/9348/sanford_son.htm

http://www.jumptheshark.com/s/sanfordandson.htm