Sanford And Son (1972) Cast Reveals What Most Fans Never Figured Out | HO!!!!

When Sanford and Son first aired in 1972, it was more than just another sitcom. It was a cultural phenomenon—a show that brought the everyday struggles, joys, and humor of a black family in Watts, Los Angeles, into millions of American living rooms.

The laughter was infectious, the jokes sharp, and the cast unforgettable. But behind the iconic junkyard gates, the cast of Sanford and Son carried secrets, struggles, and stories that most viewers never imagined.

Red Foxx: The Persona Paradox

Long before the world knew him as Fred Sanford, John Elroy Sanford—better known as Red Foxx—was a king of “blue” comedy. His stand-up routines in Harlem nightclubs were infamous for their foul language and adult themes, a sharp contrast to the family-friendly, albeit edgy, humor that would make him a household name.

Red Foxx’s journey to television stardom was anything but ordinary. He began his career in the 1940s, performing mime and singing in clubs, later becoming a master of ceremonies in Baltimore. By 1947, he was earning $450 a week—a significant sum for a black entertainer at the time.

His big break came in 1964, when NBC’s Hugh Downs saw him perform in San Francisco. Despite concerns about his raw humor, Foxx was invited onto The Today Show, and soon after, other talk shows followed.

When Sanford and Son launched, Foxx was earning $35,000 per episode—an unprecedented salary for a black TV star. But Foxx wanted more. In 1974, he walked off the set, demanding $25,000 a week plus an extra dollar, determined to out-earn Carroll O’Connor of All in the Family.

The producers sued Foxx for $10 million, but his importance to the show was undeniable. In the end, Foxx secured his raise and a share of the show’s net profits.

Yet, the laughter masked personal turmoil. Despite his wealth, Foxx’s extravagant lifestyle led to bankruptcy in 1983. By 1989, the IRS seized nearly everything he owned, citing $2.5 million in unpaid taxes.

Even at the peak of his fame, Foxx was fighting for financial stability—a sobering reality for a man whose character was always scheming for a quick buck.

The Tragic Echo: Art Imitates Life

Foxx’s most famous running gag—faking heart attacks with the cry, “This is the big one!”—became a tragic reality. In 1991, while rehearsing for his new CBS show The Royal Family, Foxx collapsed from a real heart attack.

The cast and crew, so accustomed to his comedic routine, laughed at first, waiting for the punchline. But this time, Foxx didn’t get up. He died on set, his passing eerily mirroring the joke that had made him famous.

Demond Wilson: Lamont’s Untold Story

Demond Wilson, who played Lamont Sanford—the patient, ambitious son—had a life far more complex than his on-screen persona suggested. Before comedy, Wilson served in the U.S.

Army’s Fourth Infantry Division, fighting in Vietnam and suffering wounds in combat. At just four, he debuted on Broadway, and by twelve, he danced at Harlem’s Apollo Theater.

Wilson’s relationship with Foxx was complicated. When Foxx walked off the show in 1977, Wilson learned the news not from his co-star, but from a newscaster in the NBC hallway. The personal slight stung, even as Wilson had a million-dollar contract waiting for him at CBS for a new sitcom, Baby…I’m Back.

But perhaps the most shocking revelation was Wilson’s admission that he and Foxx carried guns on the set for personal safety. “I never did an episode when I wasn’t strapped,” Wilson said. “Red, too. I was strapped. You get ignorant, you’re going to get bust on.”

In an era of racial tension and Hollywood uncertainty, the set of Sanford and Son was far more dangerous than fans ever realized.

After the show, Wilson found a new calling. He became a Pentecostal minister in 1984, founding Restoration House to help former prisoners rebuild their lives.

His memoir, Second Banana, offers a bittersweet look behind the scenes, revealing both the deep bond and the professional rivalry with Foxx.

LaWanda Page: The Fire-Eater Behind Aunt Esther

LaWanda Page’s Aunt Esther was the sanctimonious, Bible-thumping foil to Fred Sanford. But Page’s real story was wilder than any sitcom plot.

Before TV, she was known as the “Bronze Goddess of Fire,” a daring performer who ate fire, lit cigarettes with her fingertips, and endured burns for her craft.

Page’s comedy was as “blue” as Foxx’s, her albums filled with adult humor and biting social commentary. When producers doubted her readiness for TV, Foxx threatened to walk off the show unless she stayed. Their friendship, dating back to childhood in St. Louis, was the real foundation of their on-screen rivalry.

Page’s health suffered from the demanding schedule, and she died in 2002 from complications related to diabetes. A persistent rumor claimed she was the younger sister of actress Lynn Hamilton (Donna Harris), but Wilson confirmed in 2016 that they were not related, though they became close friends.

Witman Mayo, Don Bexley, and Nathaniel Taylor: Supporting Cast, Surprising Lives

Witman Mayo, who played Grady Wilson, was only in his early forties when Sanford and Son aired, though he portrayed a stooped, elderly man. Mayo modeled Grady after his grandfather and had a varied life before acting—serving in the Army, counseling troubled youth, picking grapes, and even playing professional volleyball in Mexico.

After the show, Mayo starred in a short-lived spin-off, Grady, taught acting at Clark Atlanta University, and opened a travel agency.

Don Bexley, Fred’s loyal friend Bubba, was a seasoned entertainer long before Sanford and Son. He was the first black stand-up comic to perform in the Borscht Belt hotel circuit. Red Foxx personally recruited Bexley for the show, giving him his first TV role at 62. Their friendship spanned nearly 50 years, and Bexley served as an honorary pallbearer at Foxx’s funeral.

Nathaniel Taylor, who played Lamont’s streetwise friend Rollo, faced legal troubles after the show, arrested for burglary in 1986. He later opened a performing arts studio to help young actors avoid the pitfalls he encountered.

Lynn Hamilton, Donna Harris on the show, had a long career in Broadway and television, appearing in The Waltons, Good Times, and Roots: The Next Generations. She was married to poet Frank Jenkins for five decades.

Unspoken Script Wars and Cultural Impact

Sanford and Son was groundbreaking, but it was not without controversy. Many writers were white, and the black cast often pushed back on scripts that didn’t reflect real black speech or culture. Red Foxx fought to keep the show authentic, even insisting on using racial slurs in one controversial courtroom scene. While the studio audience cheered, NBC executives worried about backlash.

These script battles highlighted the tension between Hollywood’s vision of black life and the reality lived by its stars. Foxx and his cast demanded authenticity, even when it meant risking their jobs.

Legacy: Bittersweet Truths

Sanford and Son brought laughter to millions, but the lives of its cast were marked by struggle, resilience, and transformation. The show’s legacy is more than its jokes—it’s the untold stories of survival, loyalty, and the fight for representation.

Behind the junkyard gates, the cast of Sanford and Son lived lives far richer and more complex than their TV characters. Their secrets—personal, professional, and cultural—reveal the true cost and power of fame, and the enduring impact of a show that dared to be real.