John Elroy Sanford was best known by his stage name Redd Foxx. Foxx was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised on Chicago's South Side. His mother was half Seminole. His father, an electrician, left the family when Foxx was four. He was raised by his mother, his minister, and his grandmother. He briefly attended DuSable High School with future Chicago mayor Harold Washington, but never graduated.
In the 1940s, he was an associate of Malcolm Little better known as Malcolm X. In Malcolm's autobiography, Foxx is referred to as "Chicago Red, the funniest dishwasher on this earth." Foxx earned the nickname due to his reddish hair and complexion. His stage name surname was taken from baseball star Jimmie Foxx.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Intro To Sanford and Son
Here is the intro. The legendary Quincy Jones composed this song. Once you hear it, you will never forget it.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Other Characters
Now these characters made show go from good to great. You had a cornucopia of individuals rotating around the two main characters.
Esther Anderson (LaWanda Page), also known as Aunt Esther, is the Bible-toting sister of Fred's late wife Elizabeth. Esther is a staunchly religious Baptist who finds little use for humor. Fred has an intense dislike for Esther, which she gladly returns. His trademark response to her entrance is to make an exaggerated grimace. He would then spew forth colorful insults and liken her to animals ("Why don't you go stick your face in some dough and make some gorilla cookies?") and fictitious monsters such as King Kong and Godzilla. Her usual reaction to his antics is to cringe her face and yell, "Watch it, sucka." Sometimes, cracking from the constant barrage of insults, she would swing her purse wildly in Fred's direction whilst angrily calling him a "fish-eyed fool" or "heathen". When leaving the Sanford home, she often hollers "Oh glory!" Her long-suffering but loving alcoholic husband Woodrow (played by Raymond Allen) began appearing infrequently later in the series. Woodrow eventually became sober so he and Esther could adopt a young orphan, played by Eric Laneuville. Fred and Esther did call a temporary truce, of sorts, in the episode "My Fair Esther". Page first appeared as Esther in early 1973, replacing her sister Ethel (Beah Richards), the first principal in-law character.
Grady Wilson (Whitman Mayo) is Fred's closest friend who appears regularly on the show. Grady's catchphrase is "Good Goobly Goop!" and is uttered by him when something good would happen or he was in a pleasant mood. Grady was Fred's 'sidekick' and would often be involved in get-rich-quick schemes concocted by Fred. When Foxx had a contract dispute with (and walked out on) the show, several episodes were filmed without him. These episodes involved Grady as the central character who was watching over the business and Lamont whilst Fred was 'away' on vacation in St. Louis. Grady was actually named after actor Demond Wilson. Demond Wilson's full name is "Grady Demond Wilson".
Bubba Bexley (Don Bexley) is another of Fred's friends who appears frequently. Bubba is known for his infectious belly-laugh and jovial persona. Bubba is primarily a straight man to set up punchlines for Fred. His loud greeting of "Hey Fred!" drove Fred and Lamont crazy.
RolloRollo Lawson (Nathaniel Taylor) is Lamont's best friend. Fred will often make disrespectful remarks towards Rollo, usually stating that he thinks Rollo is a criminal, as Rollo had spent time in jail. Rollo appears in the show every so often to come pick up Lamont so they can go out and chase women. Also, they sometimes go to pornographic films or what Rollo calls "skin flicks".
Donna Harris (Lynn Hamilton) is Fred's on-again, off-again girlfriend who later becomes his fiancée. She is employed as a practical nurse. Donna is an even-tempered lady who takes in stride Fred's shenanigans and occasional trysts. She also appears to be a bit more of an upper class individual in contrast to Fred's somewhat blunt, crude persona. Lamont, being the overprotecting son, detests Donna at first (infamously branding her as "The Barracuda"), but by Season 6 has completely warmed up to her. Esther was hostile toward Donna at first, almost coming to blows with her during their first meeting on Donna and Fred's wedding day (an event that caused the cancellation of the wedding). Eventually Esther warmed up to her.
Julio Fuentes (Gregory Sierra) is the Sanfords' Puerto Rican next-door neighbor who befriends Lamont. When Julio and his family moved in next to the Sanfords, Fred took an immediate disliking to them and remarked, "There goes the neighborhood". Despite Julio's friendliness, Fred often made crude ethnic jokes about Julio and openly wished he would return to Puerto Rico. However, Fred stood up for Julio's nephew at his elementary school, which had threatened to drop him to a lower grade due to lack of proficiency in speaking English; Fred tutored him for some time as well. In the fifth season, Julio moved away. The Sanfords bought his former home and converted it into a boarding house named "The Sanford Arms".
Ah Chew (Pat Morita) is a Japanese-American friend of Lamont who Fred belittled every chance he gets. Fred insults Ah Chew on numerous occasions using clichéd Oriental jokes. Fred actually befriends Ah Chew in a later episode because he wants to use him as a cook when he opens a Japanese restaurant, "Sanford and Rising Son", in the Sanford house. Despite this arrangement, Fred still hurls verbal abuse at Ah Chew.
In the fifth season episode "Sergeant Gork", Pat Morita portrays Colonel Hiakowa, in a flashback where Fred tells Lamont's fiancee's son, Roger, of his supposed heroism in World War II.
Officer "Smitty" Smith and Officer "Hoppy" Hopkins are a pair of police officers who occasionally show up at the Sanfords' residence. One officer was black,
Officer "Smitty" Smith (played by Hal Williams), and one white, Officer "Hoppy" Hopkins (played by Howard Platt). Often, Hoppy would incorrectly use slang, which Smitty would correct (e.g., "cold" instead of "cool" or "right up" instead of "right on") Conversely, the ever-professional Hoppy would deliver a speech filled with police jargon and big words, which would confuse Fred and/or Lamont thus turning to Smitty, who would then translate Hoppy's speech into 'Jive'. Later in the series' run, the officers would often appear individually. Unlike Ah Chew and Julio, Hoppy was the only non African-American character on the show who remained free of Fred's usual insults. In one episode ("This Little TV Went to Market"), Officer "Jonesy"
Jones (Bernie Hamilton) appeared with Hoppy in place of Smitty. In the sixth season episode "The Hawaii Connection", Smitty appeared with his slow-witted new partner, Percy (Pat Paulsen).
Officer "Swanny" Swanhauser (Noam Pitlik) was originally Officer Smitty's Caucasian partner who was replaced early in the second season with Officer Hopkins. Swanny was basically the same as Hoppy, but his demeanor was much more serious and humorless. Like Hoppy, Swanny was never racially insulted by Fred.
May Hopkins (Nancy Kulp) is Officer Hoppy's prim and proper mother who appeared in the fifth season. She was a retired store detective who rented a room at the Sanford Arms next door. Landlord Fred would often insult her when she paid a visit. Much like her son, Mrs. Hopkins would incorrectly use slang, but the more experienced Hoppy would correct her.
Janet Lawson (Marlene Clark) is a divorcee Lamont began dating in the fifth season. Janet also had a young son, Roger (Edward Crawford). The Lawsons appeared occasionally until Lamont and Janet broke up indefinitely in the sixth and final season, due to the return of Janet's ex-husband.
Melvin White (Slappy White) is an old buddy of Fred's who appears in the first season. He appeared in one second season episode as well
Leroy & Skillet (Leroy Daniels & Ernest 'Skillet' Mayhand) are a rambunctious pair of Fred's friends who like to play poker, billiards or joke around. They appeared in the second and third seasons.
Otis Littlejohn (Matthew "Stymie" Beard) is another friend of Fred's who appeared in the third and fourth seasons
George "Hutch" Hutton (Arnold Johnson) is an elderly tenant of the Sanford Arms who befriends Fred. When they first meet, Hutch admits to serving a lengthy sentence in prison to avoid his ugly sister-in-law. This immediately endears him to Fred. He appeared in the fifth season.
Frank Nelson appeared as various comic foils to Fred in the fifth and sixth seasons using his catchphrase "Yeeees?".
Fritzi Burr appeared as various comic foils to Fred from the fourth season to the sixth.
Esther Anderson (LaWanda Page), also known as Aunt Esther, is the Bible-toting sister of Fred's late wife Elizabeth. Esther is a staunchly religious Baptist who finds little use for humor. Fred has an intense dislike for Esther, which she gladly returns. His trademark response to her entrance is to make an exaggerated grimace. He would then spew forth colorful insults and liken her to animals ("Why don't you go stick your face in some dough and make some gorilla cookies?") and fictitious monsters such as King Kong and Godzilla. Her usual reaction to his antics is to cringe her face and yell, "Watch it, sucka." Sometimes, cracking from the constant barrage of insults, she would swing her purse wildly in Fred's direction whilst angrily calling him a "fish-eyed fool" or "heathen". When leaving the Sanford home, she often hollers "Oh glory!" Her long-suffering but loving alcoholic husband Woodrow (played by Raymond Allen) began appearing infrequently later in the series. Woodrow eventually became sober so he and Esther could adopt a young orphan, played by Eric Laneuville. Fred and Esther did call a temporary truce, of sorts, in the episode "My Fair Esther". Page first appeared as Esther in early 1973, replacing her sister Ethel (Beah Richards), the first principal in-law character.
Grady Wilson (Whitman Mayo) is Fred's closest friend who appears regularly on the show. Grady's catchphrase is "Good Goobly Goop!" and is uttered by him when something good would happen or he was in a pleasant mood. Grady was Fred's 'sidekick' and would often be involved in get-rich-quick schemes concocted by Fred. When Foxx had a contract dispute with (and walked out on) the show, several episodes were filmed without him. These episodes involved Grady as the central character who was watching over the business and Lamont whilst Fred was 'away' on vacation in St. Louis. Grady was actually named after actor Demond Wilson. Demond Wilson's full name is "Grady Demond Wilson".
Bubba Bexley (Don Bexley) is another of Fred's friends who appears frequently. Bubba is known for his infectious belly-laugh and jovial persona. Bubba is primarily a straight man to set up punchlines for Fred. His loud greeting of "Hey Fred!" drove Fred and Lamont crazy.
RolloRollo Lawson (Nathaniel Taylor) is Lamont's best friend. Fred will often make disrespectful remarks towards Rollo, usually stating that he thinks Rollo is a criminal, as Rollo had spent time in jail. Rollo appears in the show every so often to come pick up Lamont so they can go out and chase women. Also, they sometimes go to pornographic films or what Rollo calls "skin flicks".
Donna Harris (Lynn Hamilton) is Fred's on-again, off-again girlfriend who later becomes his fiancée. She is employed as a practical nurse. Donna is an even-tempered lady who takes in stride Fred's shenanigans and occasional trysts. She also appears to be a bit more of an upper class individual in contrast to Fred's somewhat blunt, crude persona. Lamont, being the overprotecting son, detests Donna at first (infamously branding her as "The Barracuda"), but by Season 6 has completely warmed up to her. Esther was hostile toward Donna at first, almost coming to blows with her during their first meeting on Donna and Fred's wedding day (an event that caused the cancellation of the wedding). Eventually Esther warmed up to her.
Julio Fuentes (Gregory Sierra) is the Sanfords' Puerto Rican next-door neighbor who befriends Lamont. When Julio and his family moved in next to the Sanfords, Fred took an immediate disliking to them and remarked, "There goes the neighborhood". Despite Julio's friendliness, Fred often made crude ethnic jokes about Julio and openly wished he would return to Puerto Rico. However, Fred stood up for Julio's nephew at his elementary school, which had threatened to drop him to a lower grade due to lack of proficiency in speaking English; Fred tutored him for some time as well. In the fifth season, Julio moved away. The Sanfords bought his former home and converted it into a boarding house named "The Sanford Arms".
Ah Chew (Pat Morita) is a Japanese-American friend of Lamont who Fred belittled every chance he gets. Fred insults Ah Chew on numerous occasions using clichéd Oriental jokes. Fred actually befriends Ah Chew in a later episode because he wants to use him as a cook when he opens a Japanese restaurant, "Sanford and Rising Son", in the Sanford house. Despite this arrangement, Fred still hurls verbal abuse at Ah Chew.
In the fifth season episode "Sergeant Gork", Pat Morita portrays Colonel Hiakowa, in a flashback where Fred tells Lamont's fiancee's son, Roger, of his supposed heroism in World War II.
Officer "Smitty" Smith and Officer "Hoppy" Hopkins are a pair of police officers who occasionally show up at the Sanfords' residence. One officer was black,
Officer "Smitty" Smith (played by Hal Williams), and one white, Officer "Hoppy" Hopkins (played by Howard Platt). Often, Hoppy would incorrectly use slang, which Smitty would correct (e.g., "cold" instead of "cool" or "right up" instead of "right on") Conversely, the ever-professional Hoppy would deliver a speech filled with police jargon and big words, which would confuse Fred and/or Lamont thus turning to Smitty, who would then translate Hoppy's speech into 'Jive'. Later in the series' run, the officers would often appear individually. Unlike Ah Chew and Julio, Hoppy was the only non African-American character on the show who remained free of Fred's usual insults. In one episode ("This Little TV Went to Market"), Officer "Jonesy"
Jones (Bernie Hamilton) appeared with Hoppy in place of Smitty. In the sixth season episode "The Hawaii Connection", Smitty appeared with his slow-witted new partner, Percy (Pat Paulsen).
Officer "Swanny" Swanhauser (Noam Pitlik) was originally Officer Smitty's Caucasian partner who was replaced early in the second season with Officer Hopkins. Swanny was basically the same as Hoppy, but his demeanor was much more serious and humorless. Like Hoppy, Swanny was never racially insulted by Fred.
May Hopkins (Nancy Kulp) is Officer Hoppy's prim and proper mother who appeared in the fifth season. She was a retired store detective who rented a room at the Sanford Arms next door. Landlord Fred would often insult her when she paid a visit. Much like her son, Mrs. Hopkins would incorrectly use slang, but the more experienced Hoppy would correct her.
Janet Lawson (Marlene Clark) is a divorcee Lamont began dating in the fifth season. Janet also had a young son, Roger (Edward Crawford). The Lawsons appeared occasionally until Lamont and Janet broke up indefinitely in the sixth and final season, due to the return of Janet's ex-husband.
Melvin White (Slappy White) is an old buddy of Fred's who appears in the first season. He appeared in one second season episode as well
Leroy & Skillet (Leroy Daniels & Ernest 'Skillet' Mayhand) are a rambunctious pair of Fred's friends who like to play poker, billiards or joke around. They appeared in the second and third seasons.
Otis Littlejohn (Matthew "Stymie" Beard) is another friend of Fred's who appeared in the third and fourth seasons
George "Hutch" Hutton (Arnold Johnson) is an elderly tenant of the Sanford Arms who befriends Fred. When they first meet, Hutch admits to serving a lengthy sentence in prison to avoid his ugly sister-in-law. This immediately endears him to Fred. He appeared in the fifth season.
Frank Nelson appeared as various comic foils to Fred in the fifth and sixth seasons using his catchphrase "Yeeees?".
Fritzi Burr appeared as various comic foils to Fred from the fourth season to the sixth.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Trouble In Paradise?
Sanford and Son was enormously popular during most of its run, and was one of the top ten highest-rated series on American television from its first season (1971-72) through the 1975-76 season. With its coveted 8pm Eastern Friday night time slot, Sanford and Son put enough of a dent into the middling audience of ABC's The Brady Bunch to drive it off the air in 1974. Sanford and Son peaked at #2 in the Nielsen ratings during the 1972-73 season, and stayed there for three years in a row. The series was second only to All in the Family in terms of ratings.
In the midst of taping episodes for the 1973-74 season, Redd Foxx walked off the show in a salary dispute. His character was written out of the series for the rest of the season. The continuity of the show explained that Fred Sanford was away in St. Louis attending his cousin's funeral and leaving his friend Grady (Whitman Mayo) in charge of the business. NBC sued Foxx and as part of the settlement, Foxx later returned. Foxx had filmed less than ten episodes before Fred "left for St. Louis". The show was still quite popular when it was canceled (due entirely to Foxx's departure from the show) in 1977.
In the midst of taping episodes for the 1973-74 season, Redd Foxx walked off the show in a salary dispute. His character was written out of the series for the rest of the season. The continuity of the show explained that Fred Sanford was away in St. Louis attending his cousin's funeral and leaving his friend Grady (Whitman Mayo) in charge of the business. NBC sued Foxx and as part of the settlement, Foxx later returned. Foxx had filmed less than ten episodes before Fred "left for St. Louis". The show was still quite popular when it was canceled (due entirely to Foxx's departure from the show) in 1977.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
More Background About The Show
Earlier in the show's run, it adhered more closely to the format laid out by its British predecessor, Steptoe and Son, with Fred and Lamont often at loggerheads over various issues. Fred and Lamont were also depicted as being equally manipulative (Fred with his constant threats of "the big one" and his "arthur-itis"; Lamont with his attempts to drive a wedge between Fred and his girlfriend, Donna, who he saw as usurping his mother's place). Lamont was depicted at times as the greedier of the two. In one episode, for example, he refused to sell two coffins for less than what he thought they were worth, despite the fact that this clearly upset his superstitious father. Lamont sometimes received his comeuppance for being disdainful of his father's habits and ways (an example of this would be the time Lamont was upbraided by a Nigerian woman he hoped to impress by "adopting" African culture; she considered his attitude towards Fred to be disrespectful). There were moments when Lamont was shown to be naive and foolish, such as the episode where he invited his new "friends" over to play poker. His more-experienced father saw right away that they were out to cheat Lamont after they had gained his confidence by letting him win a few smaller-stakes games.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Answer To Archie Bunker
On the show's premiere in 1972, newspaper ads touted Foxx as NBC's answer to Archie Bunker, the bigoted white protagonist of All in the Family. (Both shows were adapted by Norman Lear from BBC shows.)
Fred Sanford was a widower (he moved to South Central Los Angeles from St. Louis), whose wife Elizabeth had died some two decades before. Fred had raised Lamont alone and missed Elizabeth deeply. According to Fred his son was named for Lamont Lomax, a (presumably fictional) pitcher from the Homestead Grays. At first, Fred's main foil on the show was in his sister-in-law and Lamont's aunt, Ethel (Beah Richards). Ethel's involvement in the Sanford family squabbles lasted only until midway through the second season, whereupon she was replaced with her more tart-tongued sister, Esther (LaWanda Page). Fred and Esther's relationship as in-laws went on to become a major part of the series' legend, as Fred loved to regularly put Esther down with a passion. Esther's disdain for Fred went back to when he and Elizabeth were dating; she had disapproved of Fred marrying her sister. He would often contort his face upon Esther's entrance and make disparaging remarks to her, comparing her with King Kong and Godzilla and using colorful metaphors to describe her. A running gag: whenever Lamont threatened to leave or things were not going Fred's way, he would fake a heart attack and say, "You hear that, Elizabeth? I'm coming to join ya, honey!" No one fell for the transparent ruse. Despite his stubbornness, Fred would sometimes redeem himself with acts of kindness, even to those (like Esther) who he insists he does not like. In the last episode of the series, Fred earned his high school diploma, and was the valedictorian of his graduating class.
Fred Sanford was a widower (he moved to South Central Los Angeles from St. Louis), whose wife Elizabeth had died some two decades before. Fred had raised Lamont alone and missed Elizabeth deeply. According to Fred his son was named for Lamont Lomax, a (presumably fictional) pitcher from the Homestead Grays. At first, Fred's main foil on the show was in his sister-in-law and Lamont's aunt, Ethel (Beah Richards). Ethel's involvement in the Sanford family squabbles lasted only until midway through the second season, whereupon she was replaced with her more tart-tongued sister, Esther (LaWanda Page). Fred and Esther's relationship as in-laws went on to become a major part of the series' legend, as Fred loved to regularly put Esther down with a passion. Esther's disdain for Fred went back to when he and Elizabeth were dating; she had disapproved of Fred marrying her sister. He would often contort his face upon Esther's entrance and make disparaging remarks to her, comparing her with King Kong and Godzilla and using colorful metaphors to describe her. A running gag: whenever Lamont threatened to leave or things were not going Fred's way, he would fake a heart attack and say, "You hear that, Elizabeth? I'm coming to join ya, honey!" No one fell for the transparent ruse. Despite his stubbornness, Fred would sometimes redeem himself with acts of kindness, even to those (like Esther) who he insists he does not like. In the last episode of the series, Fred earned his high school diploma, and was the valedictorian of his graduating class.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Sanford & Son
Sanford and Son stars Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford, a 65-year-old junk dealer living at 9114 S. Central Ave. in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California; and Demond Wilson as his 30-year-old son, Lamont Sanford.
Foxx played Sanford as a sarcastic, stubborn, and argumentative antiques and junk dealer, whose frequent money-making schemes routinely backfired and created more troubles. Lamont dearly would have liked to enjoy independence but loved his father too much to leave him to his devices and schemes. Although each owned an equal share in the business and technically Fred was the boss, Lamont often found himself doing all the work and having to order his father to complete tasks and duties. Often, Sanford can be heard insulting his son, usually calling him a "big dummy". Lamont insulted his father also, sometimes referring to him as an "old fool".
Foxx played Sanford as a sarcastic, stubborn, and argumentative antiques and junk dealer, whose frequent money-making schemes routinely backfired and created more troubles. Lamont dearly would have liked to enjoy independence but loved his father too much to leave him to his devices and schemes. Although each owned an equal share in the business and technically Fred was the boss, Lamont often found himself doing all the work and having to order his father to complete tasks and duties. Often, Sanford can be heard insulting his son, usually calling him a "big dummy". Lamont insulted his father also, sometimes referring to him as an "old fool".
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