When Sanford and Son premiered on NBC in 1972, it was more than just a sitcom about a cantankerous junk dealer and his long-suffering son — it was a cultural shift.
Adapted from the British series Steptoe and Son, the American version introduced Fred Sanford, played by Redd Foxx, a sharp-tongued, scheming widower whose get-rich-quick ideas constantly backfired. Foxx’s quick wit and streetwise humor brought a bold new energy to primetime television.
The show also opened doors for African American representation on network TV. While The Flip Wilson Show and Julia had already broken ground, Sanford and Son put working-class Black life at the center of a mainstream hit. It proved that comedy rooted in authentic voices could pull massive ratings, paving the way for Good Times, The Jeffersons, and Martin.
Even decades later, Fred Sanford’s fake heart attacks (“This is the big one, Elizabeth!”) remain some of the most quoted moments in sitcom history.
