Fans of Sanford and Son remember Fred Sanford’s signature bit — clutching his chest, calling out “I’m comin’, Elizabeth!” — as one of television’s most recognizable comedic moves. But during one taping in 1974, the gag got so convincing that it startled the crew.
According to stage manager Stan Robertson, Foxx was in the middle of a heated on-screen argument with Demond Wilson (Lamont) when he suddenly dropped the scripted lines and launched into an extra-long “heart attack” routine. The pause was so drawn out that Wilson, thinking something was wrong, stepped forward to help before realizing the cameras were still rolling.
“He gave me this tiny smirk while still clutching his chest,” Wilson later recalled. “That’s when I knew I’d been had — and the audience ate it up.”
The director kept the take, and the live crowd’s roar of laughter can still be heard in the final episode cut. The prank became one of Foxx’s favorite on-set tricks, a way to keep everyone — cast, crew, and fans — just a little off balance.
