Sanford and Son Was Even More Interesting Behind The Scenes

The Spin-Offs Flopped

After Sanford and Son was canceled in 1977, a spin-off show came on the air. The supporting characters, including Grady, Aunt Esther, and Bubba, appeared in the short-lived Sanford Arms, but Norman Lear stepped down. It wasn’t the first attempt at a spin-off; during the 1975-1976 season, Whitman Mayo also starred in the spin-off Grady.

Redd Foxx even attempted to revive the show in 1980-1981 with the short-lived Sanford, but Demond Wilson refused to return to his role as Lamont Sanford in the new series. None of the Sanford and Son spin-offs were ever able to recreate the magic or the high ratings of the original series.

The Show That Killed The Brady Bunch

Sanford and Son didn’t just achieve high ratings in a Friday night time slot—it also went down in history as the “show that killed The Brady Bunch.” Sanford and Son peaked at #2 in the Nielson ratings during the 1972-1973 season and the 1974-1975 season. It was second only to another Norman Lear show, All in the Family.

On its fifth season in the same Friday night time slot, the popular sitcom The Brady Bunch went off the air in 1974, since many viewers were tuning into Sanford and Son instead. Both shows have achieved great syndication success and continue to air on TV.