Sanford and Son

Sanford and Son is a television sitcom, the American remake of the British sitcom Steptoe and Son. Sanford and Son first aired on the NBC television network on January 14, 1972, and was broadcast for six seasons until the final original episode aired in March 1977 (repeat episodes were broadcast until September of that year).

Later years of the series and 1980 revival

In the midst of taping episodes for the 1975 season, Redd Foxx walked off the show in a salary dispute due to a feud with NBC in which he demanded a salary that the network could not afford. 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. Oddly enough, this would turn out to be the highest rated season of the show's entire run and in fact the highest-rated show of the series' run aired during this period. Foxx later returned.

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After the series was canceled in 1977 (due to ABC giving Foxx a big raise to do a variety show and NBC refusing to give Wilson a raise), a short-lived continuation featuring supporting characters entitled Sanford Arms aired. Whitman Mayo starred in a spinoff series, Grady, during the 1975-76 season.

Related Topics:
ABC - Variety - Sanford Arms - Whitman Mayo - Grady

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In 1980-81, Redd Foxx attempted to revive his old hit with the short-lived Sanford (so named because Demond Wilson declined to reprise the role of Lamont for the new series).

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