Sanford (TV series)
1980 American TV series or program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sanford is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from 1980 to 1981. The series starred Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford and served as a continuation of the hit sitcom Sanford and Son. Produced by Norman Lear’s Tandem Productions, the revival attempted to reintroduce Foxx’s iconic character to prime time after a four-year absence from network television.[1]
Ray Galton
Alan Simpson
Dennis Burkley
Marguerite Ray
Nathaniel Taylor
Cathy Cooper
Percy Rodriguez
| Sanford | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Based on | Steptoe and Son created by Ray Galton Alan Simpson |
| Starring | Redd Foxx Dennis Burkley Marguerite Ray Nathaniel Taylor Cathy Cooper Percy Rodriguez |
| Theme music composer | Quincy Jones |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Morton Lachman |
| Running time | 22–25 minutes |
| Production companies | Tandem Productions Redd Foxx Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | March 15, 1980 – July 10, 1981 |
| Related | |
Background
Foxx left Sanford and Son in 1976 after a contract dispute with NBC and Tandem Productions. After several years away from network television, he returned under a new agreement negotiated for the 1980 revival. NBC pursued the project to capitalize on the continued popularity of the Sanford franchise and to strengthen its midseason schedule.[2]
Demond Wilson declined to reprise his role as Lamont Sanford, leading writers to rework the series around Fred’s interactions with a new supporting cast while retaining the comedic tone of the original show.[3]
Premise
Following the events of Sanford and Son, Fred Sanford continues running his Los Angeles junk business after his son Lamont moves away. The series introduces new supporting characters, including Cal Pettie, a young partner in the business, and Eve Lewis, Fred’s new romantic interest. The show retains the insult-driven humor and verbal sparring that defined the original series.[4]
Production
Sanford was taped before a live studio audience using a multi-camera setup. Norman Lear remained credited as executive producer, while day-to-day production was overseen by Aaron Ruben and other returning staff from Sanford and Son.[5]
NBC initially ordered 13 episodes for midseason 1980, followed by a second-season pickup for 1980–81. However, the series struggled to find a consistent time slot, often airing opposite top-rated programs on CBS and ABC.[6]
Cast
- Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford
- Dennis Burkley as Cal Pettie
- Nathaniel Taylor as Rollo Lawson (season 1)
- Marguerite Ray as Evelyn "Eve" Lewis (season 1; recurring, season 2)
- Cathy Cooper as Clara (season 1)
- Suzanne Stone as Cissy Lewis (season 1)
- Percy Rodrigues as Winston (season 1)
- LaWanda Page as Esther Anderson (season 2)
- Clinton Derricks-Carroll as Clifford Anderson (season 2; recurring, season 1)
Episodes
Season 1 (1980)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Meeting" | Jim Drake | Ted Bergman and Sy Rosen | March 15, 1980 | |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Meeting" | ||||||||||
|
Fred continues coordinating his junk empire with a new partner, Cal Pettie, Lamont's friend and co-worker from the Alaskan Pipeline. And into Fred's Garden of Eden steps in Eve Lewis. Fred proposes to Eve, but feels very out of place in her sophisticated social circle, especially when wearing a borrowed magician's tuxedo. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Meeting: Part 3" | Jim Drake | Douglas Arango & Phil Doran and Sy Rosen | March 22, 1980 | |||||||
|
After faking a heart attack to get out of his engagement, Fred realizes that he still has feelings for Eve. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "The Still of the Night" | Jim Drake | Ted Bergman | March 29, 1980 | |||||||
|
Fred schemes to make easy money from Cal's smooth bourbon after discovering Cal has built a still and is making lip-smacking good moonshine using his family's secret recipe. | ||||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Dinner at George's" | Sammy Davis Jr. and Jim Drake | Larry Rhine and Mel Tolkin | April 5, 1980 | |||||||
|
Big spender Fred insists on taking Eve to her favorite Beverly Hills bistro, but gets his ego bruised when Eve plots to pay the check behind his back. | ||||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Younger Than Springtime Am I" | Jim Drake | Story by : Michael Morris Teleplay by : Michael G. Moye | April 8, 1980 | |||||||
|
Feeling old, Fred falls for a con man's quack cure and buys a fountain of youth pill called Methusatol. | ||||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Retrospective" | Jim Drake | Douglas Arango and Phil Doran | April 15, 1980 | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | |||||||||||
|
While hauling junk from Eve's home, Fred and Cal are arrested on suspicion of burglary. While sitting in jail, they reminisce about their first meeting and of Fred and Eve's engagement party. | ||||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Perfect Husband" | Jim Drake | Harriett Weiss & Patt Shea | April 26, 1980 | |||||||
|
Fred and Eve's engagement hits a bump in the road when Eve romanticizes her late husband as an angel and a saint, and flesh-and-blood Fred fears he can't compete. | ||||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | "The Ring" | Jim Drake | Judi Ann Mason | May 10, 1980 | |||||||
|
After being terrorized in a jewelry store robbery, Fred discovers a $12,000 diamond ring fell into his cap. While deciding whether to return or to keep the ring, Officers Hoppy and Smitty appear at the door. | ||||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Cissy and the Nephew" | Jim Drake | Story by : Winston Moss Teleplay by : Marc Sheffler | May 17, 1980 | |||||||
|
Aunt Esther's son Cliff comes to stay with Fred and falls fast for Eve's daughter Cissy. | ||||||||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Cal's Diet" | Jim Drake | Ted Bergman | May 24, 1980 | |||||||
| 13 | 13 | |||||||||||
|
Cal is lonely and depressed about his weight, so Fred and Cliff put Cal on a diet and exercise regimen designed to build up his body and boost his sagging self-confidence. | ||||||||||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Benefit" | Jim Drake | John Donley and Stan Taylor | May 31, 1980 | |||||||
|
Sammy Davis Jr. agrees to perform at Eve's charity benefit for the Children of Watts, but when Sammy doesn't show, Cliff, Cissy, Cal and Fred take to the stage and showcase their talents. | ||||||||||||
Season 2 (1981)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | "Here's Comes the Bride" | Jim Drake | Phil Doran and Sy Rosen | January 9, 1981 | ||||||
| 16 | 2 | ||||||||||
|
Aunt Esther returns and moves in with Fred to watch over Cliff. Cal discovers that due to an error on Fred's marriage license, Fred was actually long ago legally wed to Esther. Fred, Esther and Cal drive to Fremont, Missouri seeking a divorce, but must first plead their case before the county's irascible old judge, who is resistant to tearing asunder what God joined together. | |||||||||||
| 17 | 3 | "Fred Has the Big One" | Jim Drake | Douglas Arango and Phil Doran | January 16, 1981 | ||||||
|
After years of crying wolf, Fred suffers an actual heart attack. | |||||||||||
| 18 | 4 | "Cal the Coward" | Jim Drake | J. Stanford Parker | January 23, 1981 | ||||||
|
When a pair of crooks threaten Fred and Cal at gunpoint, Cal can only cower in the closet. Fred cooks up a caper to give Cal the chance to prove his courage and regain his self-respect. | |||||||||||
| 19 | 5 | "Love Is Blind" | Jim Drake | Story by : Warren S. Murray Teleplay by : Chip Keyes & Doug Keyes | January 30, 1981 | ||||||
|
Fred invites Cliff and his new girlfriend Charlene to dinner, but Cliff neglects to tell Fred that Charlene is blind. | |||||||||||
| 20 | 6 | "Cal's Mom" | Jim Drake | Story by : Ken Hecht Teleplay by : Bob Schiller & Bob Weiskopf | May 29, 1981 | ||||||
|
Cal's mother comes to visit and among her baggage is bigotry against blacks. A special episode addressing racial prejudice. | |||||||||||
| 21 | 7 | "Gaslight" | Jim Drake | Chip Keyes & Doug Keyes | June 5, 1981 | ||||||
|
Suffering from a virus and delirious, Fred misunderstands an overheard conversation and now fears Cal is plotting to kill him. | |||||||||||
| 22 | 8 | "Freeway" | Jim Drake | Ted Bergman | June 12, 1981 | ||||||
|
The city is debating whether to run a freeway through Watts or the wealthy Corban Hills neighborhood. Fred, Cal and Cliff organize their neighbors and lead the charge to save their homes. | |||||||||||
| 23 | 9 | "Jury Duty" | Jim Drake | Ted Bergman | June 19, 1981 | ||||||
|
In this spoof of "12 Angry Men," Fred is the lone juror unwilling to cast a guilty verdict in a murder trial. | |||||||||||
| 24 | 10 | "Cal's Illegal Alien" | Jim Drake | Story by : Michael Morris Teleplay by : Neil Leibowitz | June 26, 1981 | ||||||
|
Cal just met a girl named Maria, but she's an illegal alien hiding in the Sanford home during a rash of immigration raids in the area. | |||||||||||
| 25 | 11 | "Private Lives" | Jim Drake | Story by : Jim Gagan Teleplay by : Douglas Arango & Phil Doran | July 3, 1981 | ||||||
|
Fred and Eve have a lover's quarrel, with each vowing to bring a better date to the art gallery opening. Grady fixes up Fred with a bubble-headed bimbo named Bunny. | |||||||||||
| 26 | 12 | "To Keep a Thief" | Jim Drake | Bill Box & Dick Westerschulte | July 10, 1981 | ||||||
|
The 14-year-old boy who burglarized the Sanford home is ordered to work off the amount he stole. Fred and Cal hope to scare him straight. | |||||||||||
Reception
Critical response to Sanford was mixed. Some reviewers praised Foxx’s return to television, while others felt the new supporting cast lacked the chemistry of the original series.[7]
Ratings were modest throughout the first season. The second season saw further declines, attributed to frequent scheduling changes and competition from established hits.[8]
Syndication
Unlike Sanford and Son, the revival did not achieve long-term syndication success. Only a limited number of markets aired reruns, and the series was overshadowed by the continued popularity of the original show.[9]
Home media
Legacy
Although short-lived, Sanford remains a notable part of Redd Foxx’s television career. The series marked his return to network television and demonstrated NBC’s continued interest in the Sanford franchise. The show is referenced in retrospectives on African American representation in prime-time television.[11]