what do you think would have happen if Redd Foxx Never Came Back after his dispute with the producer,Bud Yorkins And Norman Lear?
also would they have killed him off?
i ask because When Carroll O'Connor was feuding with the producers and Norman lear they wrote a script that would kill his character off but the problems between Carroll O'Connor and the producers were settled. but at that time A dispute heated up Between John Amos and the producer as well as Norman Lear and then the used the recycle scripts to kill off John Amos Character.
i don't think the show would have been the same Without Redd Foxx and Carroll O'Connor if he had left All In The Family.
Good Times Was Not The Same After The Firing of John Amos And after Esther Rolle Quit, It Ruined Good Times And The Rating Declined At The Start Of The Fourth Season and slipped even more in the last 2 season but aleast on Good Times Esther Rolle Return.
It Ashame that problems were not worked out With John Amos since they were worked out with Carroll Connor And Redd Foxx.

John Amos left GT to star in "Roots"....
The episodes without Fred got surprisingly high ratings. This may have been a factor for Redd Foxx to quit whining and come back to the show....
It would have been a real downer to hear Fred had died in St. Louis, and wouldn't be coming home to Watts. I think the producers realized that killing Fred meant killing the show....If you think about it...the only people that died on S&S were never seen, only talked about (Jr. Cooper, Uncle Lee Otis, ect.)

John Amos left GT to star in "Roots"....
The episodes without Fred got surprisingly high ratings. This may have been a factor for Redd Foxx to quit whining and come back to the show....
It would have been a real downer to hear Fred had died in St. Louis, and wouldn't be coming home to Watts. I think the producers realized that killing Fred meant killing the show....If you think about it...the only people that died on S&S were never seen, only talked about (Jr. Cooper, Uncle Lee Otis, ect.)
Really?
because lot of books and internet site says he was fired..

there was some good episodes when Grady was there and fred wasn't in the episode,but i don't think viewers would contiue to watch Grady forever and would stop watching the show.

yeah that would suck hearing grady all week he was ok but he cant carry a show without Fred sanford on there late Redd Foxx mean they have change title and everything to what grady and son

Really?
because lot of books and internet site says he was fired..
Amos was fired. He landed on Roots afterwards.

I think Norman Lear felt that James was expendable and that Jimmie Walker was the real star of Good Times. AITF and S&S would have ended pretty quickly if their stars were fired. All you have to do is look at how long Sanford Arms lasted after Redd Foxx quit S&S in 1977. It lasted 4 weeks.

it kinda strange how both Redd Foxx And Carroll O' Connor Walked Of The Sets in the Same Year.

Amos was fired. He landed on Roots afterwards.

I think Norman Lear felt that James was expendable and that Jimmie Walker was the real star of Good Times. AITF and S&S would have ended pretty quickly if their stars were fired. All you have to do is look at how long Sanford Arms lasted after Redd Foxx quit S&S in 1977. It lasted 4 weeks.
I never heard that Amos was fired, but never looked it up either....It worked out for him I guess, because from there he was cast to play Kunta Kente, the lead roll in "Roots"which was wildly popular in the mid 70s.

I never heard that Amos was fired, but never looked it up either....It worked out for him I guess, because from there he was cast to play Kunta Kente, the lead roll in "Roots"which was wildly popular in the mid 70s.
If you think about it of all the stars of Good Times John Amos had the most successful post Good Times Career. He's been on tv many times and on many shows since. Jimmie Walker on the other hand barely appeared at all. He was on a couple of flop sitcoms that quickly got canceled and that was about it.

I did not know ohn Amous was fired I throught John Amous quit

If you think about it of all the stars of Good Times John Amos had the most successful post Good Times Career. He's been on tv many times and on many shows since. Jimmie Walker on the other hand barely appeared at all. He was on a couple of flop sitcoms that quickly got canceled and that was about it.
"I think Fred DRANK some of Flip Wilson's oil!"

I did not know ohn Amous was fired I throught John Amous quit

I also heard that John Amos quit. Supposedly he and Esther Rolle didn't like the direction GT was going in as JJ was getting too idiotic with his signature 'Dynomite', etc.

If Redd Foxx never returned, I guess the show would have been renamed Son Of Sanford and probably lasted one more season at best. Anybody aside from some die-hard fans remember a show called The Sanford Arms??

As for John Amos leaving Good Times, the official story at the time of his departure (1976) was that he left the show, but it was revealed much later on that he was actually fired. His firing was due to the fact that he spoke out against the show in interviews, citing the JJ character as a bad role model and stereotype for blacks.

yeah with lamont aunt esther grady bubba rollo others i wouldnt see that last a day,hey can someone make fake fan made son of sanford intro likeon u tube that be pretty neat i always enjoyed those just a thought

what do you think would have happen if Redd Foxx Never Came Back after his dispute with the producer,Bud Yorkins And Norman Lear?
also would they have killed him off?
i ask because When Carroll O'Connor was feuding with the producers and Norman lear they wrote a script that would kill his character off but the problems between Carroll O'Connor and the producers were settled. but at that time A dispute heated up Between John Amos and the producer as well as Norman Lear and then the used the recycle scripts to kill off John Amos Character.
i don't think the show would have been the same Without Redd Foxx and Carroll O'Connor if he had left All In The Family.
Good Times Was Not The Same After The Firing of John Amos And after Esther Rolle Quit, It Ruined Good Times And The Rating Declined At The Start Of The Fourth Season and slipped even more in the last 2 season but aleast on Good Times Esther Rolle Return.
It Ashame that problems were not worked out With John Amos since they were worked out with Carroll Connor And Redd Foxx.

I don't think it would have worked as you have to have the SANFORD for the Sanford and Son. Redd Foxx was all about the money; hence skipping out on the seventh season of the show do that disasterous comedy hour for ABC that was cancelled after the initial 13 episodes (despite being a good timeslot).

I am sure Redd Foxx probably regretted what he did to his show after his money problems started. Sanford and Son easily could lasted until 1980

there was some good episodes when Grady was there and fred wasn't in the episode,but i don't think viewers would contiue to watch Grady forever and would stop watching the show.

LOL, look at how long the spinoff lasted.

If Redd Foxx never returned, I guess the show would have been renamed Son Of Sanford and probably lasted one more season at best. Anybody aside from some die-hard fans remember a show called The Sanford Arms??

As for John Amos leaving Good Times, the official story at the time of his departure (1976) was that he left the show, but it was revealed much later on that he was actually fired. His firing was due to the fact that he spoke out against the show in interviews, citing the JJ character as a bad role model and stereotype for blacks.

Thats what I heard and read also. I also remember reading that he wanted a chance to write for the show and they would never let him do it.

redd foxx write for sanford n son that would been cool they schould let him write a few shame it never happend did he write some of sanford

Thats what I heard and read also. I also remember reading that he wanted a chance to write for the show and they would never let him do it.

I never heard that, but who knows?? It seems that every actor wants to write or direct at some point.

Bop on over to the Good Times board - they discuss John Amos' departure in great details in some of the posts.

redd foxx write for sanford n son that would been cool they schould let him write a few shame it never happend did he write some of sanford

I am not sure of his involvement of Sanford behind the scenes. While I enjoyed the series, I think most were sick of the show and ready to move on.

It was my understanding that Redd Foxx's return afforded him more creative control and that is why the episodes began to get outlandish. Examples include Fred's Church, the junk sculpture, The Greatest Show In Watts, etc.

It's kind of hard to say because did viewers only tune into see Gardy because they knew Redd foxx was coming back? I'm thinking that it would have been a little different watching Grady take fred's place if it was confirmed that Redd Foxx was off the show for good. So maybe the show would have failed

It was my understanding that Redd Foxx's return afforded him more creative control and that is why the episodes began to get outlandish. Examples include Fred's Church, the junk sculpture, The Greatest Show In Watts, etc.
That's a good point. Look how weird and outlandish the plots became on Roseanne and The Drew Carey Show once the stars took creative control. :eek:

Fred probably would have been killed off.

That's a good point. Look how weird and outlandish the plots became on Roseanne and The Drew Carey Show once the stars took creative control. :eek:
drew carey show was ******** once he quit his job and became a scout leader

LOL, look at how long the spinoff lasted.

I think one reason the Grady spinoff did so poorly while the Grady eps on S&S were relatively popular is because of the of the cast on S&S. It also was an unlikely segue that Grady would have a daughter that was so well-to-do and successful, while on S&S Grady lived very modestly. He lived in rented rooms, and was so thrilled to receive two, then three social security checks. Wasn't a plausible scenario.

I think one reason the Grady spinoff did so poorly while the Grady eps on S&S were relatively popular is because of the of the cast on S&S. It also was an unlikely segue that Grady would have a daughter that was so well-to-do and successful, while on S&S Grady lived very modestly. He lived in rented rooms, and was so thrilled to receive two, then three social security checks. Wasn't a plausible scenario.

Plus it was never mentioned he had a daughter on Sanford and Son until they thought of a spinoff

Plus it was never mentioned he had a daughter on Sanford and Son until they thought of a spinoff


The cast of S&S just worked. There was a chemistry there that is seen in most successful shows. It is well-known that a lot of the cast were old cronies of Redd, so I think they genuinely liked and respected each other.

The cast of S&S just worked. There was a chemistry there that is seen in most successful shows. It is well-known that a lot of the cast were old cronies of Redd, so I think they genuinely liked and respected each other.


TV guide critic actually liked Grady better than Sanford and Son. I only seen 2 eps of Grady and can't make that determination off those episodes.

I never heard that Amos was fired, but never looked it up either....It worked out for him I guess, because from there he was cast to play Kunta Kente, the lead roll in "Roots"which was wildly popular in the mid 70s.

Widely popular? "Roots" was more than widely popular, it was the most watched TV movie series! It still is isn't it?

Demond Wilson stated in his book that he would've quit the show if Redd wouldn't have returned.