Today, we look at how there was total DISorder in the court when Fred Sanford decided to become his son’s legal counsel for a dispute in traffic court on Sanford and Son.
This is “All the Best Things,” a spotlight on the best TV episodes, movies, albums, etc.
This is a Year of Great TV Episodes, where every day this year, we’ll take a look at great TV episodes. Note that I’m not talking about “Very Special Episodes” or episodes built around gimmicks, but just “normal” episodes of TV shows that are notable only because of how good they are.
All this month, I’ll be spotlighting great Black-centric TV episodes.
As I noted earlier this month, while there will certainly be many episodes this month that are about serious topics, I think there is definitely a risk of spending time on a month of great Black-centric TV episodes of leaning TOO heavily into dark, somber topics. Those are certainly compelling in their own right, of course, and, again, I’m obviously going to feature them. However, there has to be a place for just goofy FUN, as well, like Sanford and Son, the sitcom starring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson as a father and son who run a salvage business together.
Fred Sanford (Foxx) is an irritable and irascible man, while Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson) is his down-to-Earth son who has to both keep the family business afloat, while also constantly apologizing for his old man. It was a silly show, but it was a silly show that EMBRACED its silliness, and leaned into in a big way to its benefit. It didn’t hurt that it had one of the funniest stand-up comedians of the 20th Century in Redd Foxx at the helm.
In Season 3’s “Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle,” in 1974, the brilliant comedian, Paul Mooney, wrote the story for the episode with Gene Farmer, and Farmer then wrote the teleplay. The episode was directed by Bob LaHendro. Lamont is given a ticket for not yielding the right of way, but Lamont insisted that he HAD to speed up to avoid a car that was running the red light, and had he s stopped short, the car behind him would have rammed into him. The citing officer disagreed with Lamont’s interpretation.
Lamont had received enough tickets (from selective enforcement by the police) that he could soon be in danger of losing his license, and their salvage business obviously revolves around Lamont driving around in his truck to pick up salvage, so he decided to fight the ticket.
First, the Sanford’s friend, Grady (Whitman Mayo, who later received a backdoor pilot for his own spinoff) brings in a lawyer friend to advise the Sanfords. The lawyer, played by the great Antonio Fargas (soon before he made his debut as Huggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch, a role that later led to a backdoor pilot for HIM, too!). Of course, this guy is an “unofficial” lawyer, but he is a HOOT…
You can almost imagine this scene alone got Fargas Starsky and Hutch!
Anyhow, they go to court, and they actually draw a Black judge, but Fred feels that Lamont needs help, so he announces himself as Lamont’s counsel…
In the end, the judge believes Lamont’s story, and rescinds the ticket, but Fred gets a fine for the same price for his courtroom antics!!
Very funny stuff.
Okay, if I’m going to have 310 more of these (and 3 more this month), I could use suggestions, so feel free to email me at brian@poprefs.com!
Redd Foxx was a brilliant entertainer, right down to his name! And to think he so masterfully portrayed a befuddled junkman when he was such a sly fox with a rapier wit and salty disposition.
Yeah, exactly, Henry, it’s particularly funny when some of the sharpest comedy minds can play befuddled so well, like Gracie Allen or Lucille Ball.