Sanford and Son Was Even More Interesting Behind The Scenes

Fred and Lamont Were Supposed to Be Italian

The producers originally planned for characters Fred and Lamont to be Italian men. They weren’t convinced that black characters would work, but in the end, CBS executive Fred Silverman allowed them to take that risk. After trying out some Italian actors and never having it feel quite right, the network caved.

Fred Silverman and Aaron Ruben had seen dozens of shows fail that had cast black actors, but they believed there was no other way for Sanford & Son to come alive as they had envisioned. The results exceeded their expectations. We’re all glad that CBS took that chance.