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).

Trivia

• Fred Sanford's hair and beard are fake. In Season 5 episode "The Director," Fred "shaves" his hair and beard off. In Season 6 episode "TV Addict," Fred's hair is oddly very white, the only such instance that he wears this color.
• The theme song of Sanford and Son became a topic in the pilot episode of Malcolm & Eddie. Tow truck driver Eddie Sherman (Eddie Griffin) ponders what Sanford's theme song would've sounded like if it had lyrics to it. A very memorable verse begins:

::Fred Sanford

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

::Fred Sanford had a son and a truck

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

::And a son named Lamont...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• In addition, Eddie comes up with another verse, which includes the phrase "Shady Grady."
• The theme of Sanford and Son, called "The Streetbeater," is written and performed by Quincy Jones, famous jazz musician and song writer. A long version is found on Quincy's Greatest Hits.
• One of Fred's nicknames on the show is "Ready Freddy," which is an obvious play on words between "Redd" and "Fred."
• Famous guests of the show include: Della Reese, B.B. King and Lena Horne.
• One episode had Fred go on The Gong Show, a famous 1970s game show.
• Whitman Mayo's character "Grady Wilson" is actually named after actor Demond Wilson (Lamont Sanford). Demond Wilson's full name is "Grady Demond Wilson." In one episode Lamont is revealed to have no first name--his middle name is actually "Lamont"--and Fred suggests "Menudo" (his favorite dish) as a potential name. However, in a later episode, Lamont's full name is given as "Lamont Grady Sanford".
• Fred originally came from St. Louis, Missouri, which was the birthplace of series star Redd Foxx.
• The character Fred Sanford was named after Redd Foxx's brother.
• Redd Foxx played a dual role as himself and as Fred Sanford in Season 6 episode "Redd Meets Fred." There was a casting call for actors who looked like Foxx for a film project, and Fred decided to audition. Fred wins the competition. Although one of the prizes is a week-long stay with Foxx, the episode never mentions if Fred will hang out with Redd for a week.
• This was the only Norman Lear-produced sitcom that didn't air on CBS.
• Redd Foxx and LaWanda Page had been friends since childhood, and she was his first and only choice to play Fred's sister-in-law Esther.
• A shirt design at the American chain Hot Topic features Sanford's likeness, with the phrase "You big dummy!" at the bottom.