One of the most iconic lines in TV—“This is the big one, Elizabeth!”—wasn’t planned. Redd Foxx made it up on the spot.
During a live taping, Foxx forgot a line. Instead of breaking character, he clutched his chest, staggered across the stage, and delivered the now-famous line. The audience exploded with laughter.
Producers considered cutting the moment—but fans loved it. Soon, Fred’s dramatic “heart attacks” became a recurring bit. Foxx used them not just for laughs, but sometimes to derail scenes he didn’t like.
“He knew how to control the room,” said Demond Wilson. “If he didn’t like a scene, he’d fake a heart attack—and rewrite the scene live.”
The bit became a signature. But few realized it was born from a flub. Just another reason Redd Foxx remains one of comedy’s greatest improvisers—and Sanford and Son a timeless classic.
