Nominated for six Golden Globes and seven Emmys, including Outstanding Series – Comedy, Sanford & Son became one of the first shows in television history to be almost entirely centered around African-American characters. Modeled after the British TV show Steptoe & Son, the series showcased the underappreciated talents of comic genius Redd Foxx (whose skin color and bad language prevented him from becoming a superstar decades earlier). The brainchild of All In The Family creator Norman Lear, Sanford & Son signaled the beginning of a decade of sitcom classics for the prolific 1970’s TV writer – Maude (1972), Good Times (1974), and The Jeffersons (1975) being the others. Wrought with memorable one-liners and well-timed humor, Sanford & Son was a Top 10 Nielsen rated show every year in which it aired except for its final season (ranking a respectable #27).
Sanford & Son, set in the Watts district of Los Angeles, follows the life of Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), a 65-year-old African-American junk dealer who shares his business with his 34-year-old son Lamont (Demond Wilson). With Fred’s wife Elizabeth having passed away twenty years earlier, he often evokes Lamont’s sympathy by clutching his heart and proclaiming, "Oh, I’m coming to join you Elizabeth!" But Fred always survives those near fatal heart attacks, continuing to disperse sarcastic putdowns (often directed at his sister-in-law Esther) and racist stereotypical remarks aimed against whites and Hispanics (especially Lamont’s friend Julio). Using guilt to manipulate his ambitious son into staying and helping run the salvage shop instead of pursuing other endeavors, Fred Sanford spends most of his days lounging around the house (his junk store and home are one and the same) and hanging out with his friends – Grady, Melvin, and Bubba. Well-written and hilarious, Sanford & Son is comedian Redd Foxx at his absolute best.
The Sanford & Son (Season 6) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "The Hawaiian Connection: Part 1" in which three jewel thieves conspire to smuggle some stolen jewels from Hawaii to Los Angeles. When Fred hops a flight to Hawaii to attend a Junkmen of America conference, the thieves plant the jewels on Fred in the hopes of using him as a dupe to carry out their nefarious plan. Other notable episodes from Season 6 include "The Winning Ticket" in which Fred becomes the victim of a con game by a pair of crooks who convince him to run a $500 raffle promotion for Sanford & Son, and "A Matter of Silence" in which Fred nearly goes deaf due to the wax buildup in his ears.
Below is a list of episodes included on the Sanford & Son (Season 6) DVD:
Episode 112 (The Hawaiian Connection: Part 1) Air Date: 09-24-1976
Episode 113 (The Hawaiian Connection: Part 2) Air Date: 09-24-1976
Episode 114 (The Hawaiian Connection: Part 3) Air Date: 10-01-1976
Episode 115 (California Crude) Air Date: 10-08-1976
Episode 116 (The Stakeout) Air Date: 10-15-1976
Episode 117 (I Dream of Choo Choo Rabinowitz) Air Date: 10-22-1976
Episode 118 (The Winning Ticket) Air Date: 11-05-1976
Episode 119 (Committee Man) Air Date: 11-12-1976
Episode 120 (Fred’s Extra Job) Air Date: 11-19-1976
Episode 121 (Carol) Air Date: 11-26-1976
Episode 122 (Aunt Esther Has a Baby) Air Date: 12-03-1976
Episode 123 (Here Today, Gone Today) Air Date: 12-07-1976
Episode 124 (Aunt Esther Meets Her Son) Air Date: 12-10-1976
Episode 125 (Sanford and Gong) Air Date: 12-17-1976
Episode 126 (Fred Meets Redd) Air Date: 01-14-1977
Episode 127 (Chinese Torture) Air Date: 01-21-1977
Episode 128 (A Matter of Silence) Air Date: 01-28-1977
Episode 129 (When John Comes Marching Home) Air Date: 02-04-1977
Episode 130 (The Reverend Sanford) Air Date: 02-11-1977
Episode 131 (The Will) Air Date: 02-18-1977
Episode 132 (Fred the Activist) Air Date: 02-25-1977
Episode 133 (The Lucky Streak) Air Date: 03-04-1977
Episode 134 (Funny, You Don’t Look It) Air Date: 03-11-1977
Episode 135 (Fred Sings the Blues) Air Date: 03-18-1977
Episode 136 (School Daze) Air Date: 03-25-1977
About The Author Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find where you can find more reviews of movies and TV series.