Lamont Sanford making an appearance on All in the Family!!! LOL

[TVFactFan]

It wasn't really a crossover but it was good to see one of the Sanford and Son characters in the same scene with Archie Bunker. Demond Wilson wouldn't become Lamont Sanford until the following TV season.

Wish they could have worked Redd Foxx in there somehow

[DJM77]

Demond said in his book that he wasn't impressed with All In The Family and that he only agreed to appear in the episode after he learned that his character was going to break into the Bunker house, rob them and then give Archie a dose of his own medicine.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by DJM77

Demond said in his book that he wasn't impressed with All In The Family and that he only agreed to appear in the episode after he learned that his character was going to break into the Bunker house, rob them and then give Archie a dose of his own medicine.

Name of the book

[dakert]

I just happened to watch this episode tonight. It was a favorite, funny and thoughtful.

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Name of the book

Second Banana

[treky]

yea, that IS a funny episode!

[lucyandethel]

Wilson said he didn't watch All in the Family, that he had only heard of it. He was reluctant to do it, but as an actor it was good to be on a show with national exposure. But he did not ever say he did it because he got to "rob them".

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by lucyandethel

Wilson said he didn't watch All in the Family, that he had only heard of it. He was reluctant to do it, but as an actor it was good to be on a show with national exposure. But he did not ever say he did it because he got to "rob them".

I went back and read that segment of the book again. It looks like I didn't remember it quite as well as I thought, but I was close anyway. Here are his exact words.

"My agent at the time a gentleman named David Graham, who later became a top motion picture casting agent. He rang my phone around 5:30 pm to ask if I'd ever watched the series "All in the Family." I replied no, and he encouraged me to watch it. One of the producers of the program liked my work in a recently released film and wanted me to appear on the show. David said "All in the Family" was the number-one-rated show in America, and concluded with "You could do a lot worse." I watched the program and was not impressed.

I called David around 10 pm that night, telling him I had absolutely no interest in doing television, especially that series. I felt like the success of the show was based on a large section of America getting off on Archie Bunker saying things they could no longer say because of the political climate of the day. For me, a black man, the show was void of humor. Where I'm from (old) loud-mouthed, semi-literate racists (like Archie Bunker) were not viewed as funny. His name would be placed at the top of endangered species list, the character Archie Bunker, not the actor, Carroll O'Connor.

David disagreed and told me I was entitled to my own opinion; he reminded me that "All in the Family" was viewed by the entire TV industry and millions nationwide. He felt my appearance on the number-one series in America would help my fledgling career. I had one week to decide if I was going to accept the offer; my answer that night was an emphatic NO! I asked David to call me when something more viable was offered. We ended our conversation on a friendly note. David never badgered or tried to convince me to do the show.

In spite of my disdain for the series, a nasty habit I acquired as a child (eating) forced me to recant. I felt like a total sellout until I read the script, my character, and his sidekick break into the Bunker house, rob them and give Archie a dose of his own medicine...where do I sign!"

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by lucyandethel

Wilson said he didn't watch All in the Family, that he had only heard of it. He was reluctant to do it, but as an actor it was good to be on a show with national exposure. But he did not ever say he did it because he got to "rob them".

Still posting false information huh? It's official, you are looney toons

[ILuvCarolBurnett]

If Demond Wilson had never heard of AITF at that time, he must have been living in a cave.

I don't remember where I read or heard it, but didn't Cleavon Little, the actor who was in that episode with Wilson, also audition for the role of Lamont Sanford?

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by ILuvCarolBurnett

I don't remember where I read or heard it, but didn't Cleavon Little, the actor who was in that episode with Wilson, also audition for the role of Lamont Sanford?

That's what I've always heard.

[king of comedy]

That I didn't know.

[Bronson]

That episode is on YouTube. I loved it it was very funny.

[treky]

yes it is

[Laftrak]

Originally Posted by DJM77

"I felt like the success of the show was based on a large section of America getting off on Archie Bunker saying things they could no longer say because of the political climate of the day. For me, a black man, the show was void of humor. Where I'm from (old) loud-mouthed, semi-literate racists (like Archie Bunker) were not viewed as funny. His name would be placed at the top of endangered species list, the character Archie Bunker"

That's really hypocritical of him considering Fred Sanford was basically a black Archie Bunker.