Sanford and Son

1972 - 1978

Inspired by the British series, Steptoe and Son, this show follows the daily lives of junk man, Fred Sanford, and his son, Lamont, as they attempt money-making schemes and look for love in Watts, Los Angeles. It made history as the first ever American sitcom to feature an all Black cast and paved the way for many more.

• Stars: Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson
• Created by: Norman Lear

Where to Watch

Episode Tropes

Season 1

• Auction Mishap: Episode 1, "Crossed Swords" (1972). Fred and Lamont auction off a porcelain antique and join in the bidding to drive up the price, but they end up buying their own item.
• Little Black Book: Episode 7, "A Pad for Lamont" (1972). Lamont finally gets his own place, and to celebrate, he decides to get a date by calling some of the women in his little black book.
• Found Money: Episode 12, "The Suitecase Case" (1972). Lamont picks up an old suitcase that Fred thinks is junk, but when he opens it, they discover it's full of cash. Fred wants to spend the money, but Lamont is nervous and wants to turn it into the police.

Season 2

• Maid to Order: Episode 14, "The Light Housekeeper" (1972). After Fred and Lamont get into a minor car accident, Fred is left with an injured arm and leg, so Lamont hires a maid to help out around the house while Fred is out of commission.
• Poker Night: Episode 6, "The Card Sharps" (1972). Lamont hosts a poker game with a group of hustlers despite Fred's warnings.
• Hyp-NO-sis: Episode 5, "Tooth or Consequences" (1972). Fred refuses to see a dentist for his toothache, so he calls a hypnotist, who accidentally hypnotizes Lamont instead.
• Joe Hollywood: Episode 24, "Rated X" (1973). When Fred decides to audition for an independent film, the idea of being a movie star makes him instantly go Hollywood, sporting sunglasses and a cigarette holder.
• Accidental Porno: Episode 24, "Rated X" (1973). Lamont, Fred, and Rollo audition for an independent film, thinking they'll be discovered and become movie stars, but the movie turns out to be a porno.
• False Arrest: Episode 24, "Rated X" (1973). When Fred, Lamont, and Rollo audition for a film that turns out to be a porno, they're all arrested in a raid.

Season 3

• We Were Robbed: Episode 3, "Fred, the Relucant Fingerman" (1973). Julio's house is robbed, and his goat, Chico, goes missing. Fred saw who did it, but he refuses to talk to the police.
• Reluctant Witness: Episode 3, "Fred, the Reluctant Fingerman" (1973). Fred witnesses two men robbing Julio's house, but he refuses to talk to the police because he's afraid the theives will retaliate.
• We're with the Band: Episode 4, "Presenting the Three Degrees" (1973). Rollo and Lamont co-manage a down-on-their luck singing group, and Lamont convinces Fred to let them stay at the house while they try to get a gig.
• Fear of Flying: Episode 8, "Superflyer" (1973). Fred finds out that his uncle passed away and left him some money, but he has to fly to St. Louis to get it. He's never been on a plane, and he's terrified of flying.
• The Star Boarder: Episode 12, "Grady, the Star Boarder" (1973). Fred wants to take Donna to Disneyland for her birthday, but he and Lamont are broke. When Grady complains about the house where he boards, Fred invite him to board at their house.
• See You in Court: Episode 15, "Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle" (1974). Lamont is wrongfully issued a traffic ticket, and Fred convinces him to go to court and fight it.

Season 4

• Electric Dreams: Episode 2, "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" (1974). Fred's late cousin George left Lamont $7,000 with the caveat that he must get married, have a child, and name the child George within one year. To help move things along, Fred signs Lamont up for a computer dating service.
• Horsing Around: Episode 8, "My Kingdom for a Horse" (1974). A man cons Fred into buying a retired race horse by convincing him he could make big bucks selling the horse as a breeding stud, but the horse turns out to be a gelding that can't breed.
• Magic Brownies: Episode 11, "Fred's Treasure Garden" (1974). Grady is tending Fred's garden while he's away, and he discovers a crop of what he calls "wild parsley," which Lamont and Rollo identify as marijuna. They plan to turn it over to the police, but Grady has already picked it and served it in a salad to Aunt Esther and the two cops, Smitty and Hoppy, who all get stoned.
• When I Paint My Masterpiece: Episode 12, "Tower Power" (1974). When Fred sees some "assemblage art" at a museum, he decides to create his own. He spends all his time building his masterpiece: a tower of junk.
• Election: Episode 17, "Strange Bedfellows" (1975). To impress his date, Lamont calls into a radio show and speaks passionately about unemployment in the community. A local campaign manager hears him and encourages him to run for state assembly.
• Game Show: Episode 18, "The Masquerade Party" (1975). Fred, Bubba, and Grady attend a Let's Make a Deal type game show called "Wheel and Deal" in an attempt to win a birthday present for Lamont.
• Raging Bull*&@!: Episode 19, "Golden Boy" (1975). Fred hopes to make some big money sponsoring a boxer named Junior Joe Louis, but his demands for more money get Junior's big fight canceled, so Fred stages one in the junkyard instead.
• Dead Wrong: Episode 24, "The Over-the-hill Gag" (1975). When Lamont mishears a doctor telling Fred that he "only has six months" to pay his bill, he thinks Fred only has six months to live.

Season 5

• What Happens in Vegas...: Episode 5, "Earthquake II" (1975). When an earthquake leaves Fred and Lamont's house ashambles, and the newspaper warns of an even bigger one on the way, Fred leaves Lamont to sell the house while he takes a trip to Vegas and gambles away all his money.
• Hostage Situation: Episode 3, "Bank on This" (1975). While at the bank applying for a loan, Fred and Lamont are held hostage by two bank robbers, one of whom went to high school with Lamont.

Season 6

• Adopt-me-not: Episode 10, "Aunt Esther Has a Baby" (1976). Aunt Esther and Uncle Woody want to adopt a child, but they're afraid they'll be turned down because of Woody's drinking problem, so they ask Fred to pose as him for their interview.
• Pretend We're a Couple: Episode 10, "Aunt Esther Has a Baby" (1976). Fred agrees to pretend he's Aunt Esther's husband for an adoption interview because her alcoholic husband, Woody, would blow it.
• Meet Yourself: Episode 14, "Fred Meets Redd" (1977). Fred wins a Redd Foxx lookalike contest and gets to meet his idol, Redd Foxx.
• Back to School: Episode 24, "School Daze" (1977). Fred has been sneaking out at night, and Lamont and Donna are concerned that he's seeing another woman, but it turns out he's been taking night classes to finally earn his high school diploma.

Character Tropes

• The Magnificent Bickersons: Fred Sanford & Aunt Esther Anderson - Played by Redd Foxx and LaWanda Page.