Our Greatest of all time black sitcom series continues as we celebrate the fifty third anniversary of Sanford and Son which debuted on January 14th 1972 on NBC.

Starring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson, competed with The Brady Bunch for audiences on Friday nights. By 1974, The Brady Bunch couldn’t compete anymore as the show got canceled after five seasons.

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At 9114 South Central Avenue in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) presided over his combination junkyard and home. The 65-year-old widowed junkman spent his days coordinating the clutter—or more often, lounging in his chair watching game shows, soap operas, and Godzilla movies—while his 30-year-old son Lamont (Demond Wilson) combed the streets of Los Angeles in their beat-up 1951 Ford pickup truck, scavenging for treasures.

By 1973, Sanford and Son was NBC’s highest-rated show, thanks to the comedic brilliance of producers Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, and their cantankerous star, Redd Foxx. But behind the scenes, Foxx was angling for a better contract, and Lear and Yorkin decided to hedge their bets. Enter Whitman Mayo, the actor who would become synonymous with the lovable, absent-minded Grady Wilson.

Grady Joins the Cast

Grady Wilson made his debut in the third season premiere, “Libra Rising All Over Lamont,” on September 21, 1973. Initially portrayed as a slightly combative widower who argued with Fred over a stolen TV (even throwing a few harmless punches), Grady quickly evolved into a charming sidekick. With his baggy blue blazer and signature catchphrase, “Good goobly goop,” Grady became a fan favorite almost instantly.

The Rise of Grady Wilson: How Whitman Mayo Became a Star on Sanford and Son

Unlike many of the supporting cast, who were longtime friends of Redd Foxx from their days on the African-American comedy circuit, Mayo was handpicked by Lear and Yorkin. A seasoned stage actor from New York, Mayo brought a different energy to the role, standing out among a cast that included LaWanda Page (Aunt Esther), Slappy White (Melvin), and others who had little prior on-camera experience.

A Star Steps Away

Midway through the third season, disaster struck. Redd Foxx walked off the show, citing “health issues,” though it was clear the dispute revolved around salary, profits, and ownership. Foxx felt he deserved a share of the show’s success, stating in a 1974 People interview, “I’m fighting now for a whole lot of Black people in show business who never had any doors opened for them.”

With six episodes left to film in the season, Lear and Yorkin’s “insurance policy” paid off. Whitman Mayo stepped into the spotlight, and Grady moved into the Sanford house while Fred was said to be attending a cousin’s funeral in St. Louis. Scripts were rewritten, one episode was scrapped entirely, and for eight episodes, Sanford and Son became an unofficial “Grady and Lamont.”

In a time of repressed standup, Foxx worked notoriously “blue.”  He agreed to clean up his act for television, but consistently fought to keep Sanford and Son authentically funny. Born John Elroy Sanford, raised on Chicago’s South Side, and relocated to Harlem, he was known for keeping it real. In The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965), Malcolm X called “’Chicago Red,’ the funniest dishwasher on this earth.” Foxx started out as a singer, and ate half a bar of soap to get out of the draft during World War II. He got heart palpitations during the physical. But not “the big one, Elizabeth,” it was only a warm-up to one of the show’s running gags, which Foxx stole from his own mother.

“I’m 65. People say I look 55. I feel 45. I’d settle for 35 and you make me feel 25.”

The Return of Fred Sanford

In June 1974, Foxx and the producers reached a deal. Foxx received a significant raise and 25% of the net profits. Mayo’s episodes were strategically split across the season, with five airing in February and March and the remaining three debuting after Foxx’s return.

Remarkably, the show didn’t miss a beat during Foxx’s absence. Ratings increased between seasons three and four, proving the strength of the ensemble cast.

A Character for the Ages

Whitman Mayo often joked about playing older characters despite being much younger. “When I was 19, I played 60,” he quipped in a 1988 interview. By the time he said goodbye to Grady in 1981, Mayo was just 50 years old, two decades younger than his on-screen persona.

Today, Grady remains one of the most memorable side characters in television history, a testament to Mayo’s charm and comedic timing. His role on Sanford and Son not only entertained millions but also showcased the depth and versatility of a talented actor who stepped into the spotlight when the show needed him most.