Sanford Arms
| Sanford Arms | |
|---|---|
|
Title from Episode Intro | |
| Starring |
Theodore Wilson LaWanda Page Don Bexley Whitman Mayo Raymond Allen |
| Opening theme | Henry Mancini |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 (4 Unaired) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Bernie Orenstein Saul Turteltaub Bud Yorkin |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Tandem Productions |
| Distributor |
PITS Films (1978–1982) Embassy Telecommunications (1982–1986) Embassy Communications (1986–1988) Columbia Pictures Television (1988–1996) Columbia TriStar Television (1996–2002) Sony Pictures Television (2002–present) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | NBC |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original run | September 16, 1977 – October 14, 1977 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Sanford and Son |
| Followed by | Sanford |
Sanford Arms is an American sitcom that aired from September to October 1977 on NBC. The series is a continuation of the sitcom Sanford and Son.
After six seasons, Redd Foxx left Sanford and Son to star in a variety show for ABC. The producers planned to continue the series with Demond Wilson as Lamont, but Wilson left the project in a dispute over his expected salary as the star of the series. The producers decided to continue the project with a new character. Norman Lear stepped down from his position as executive producer but stayed on as a consultant.
Premise
The new lead character was Phil Wheeler (Theodore Wilson), a widower and old Army buddy of Fred Sanford's. It was explained that Fred and Lamont had moved to Arizona and they sold their property to Phil. Phil now lived in the Sanfords' old house with his two teenage children, Angie and Nat. The primary setting of the series, however, was the rooming house next door which Fred named "The Sanford Arms". Fred and Lamont bought the house in the penultimate season of the original series. The new series focused on Phil's attempts to turn the rooming house into a successful hotel.
Most of the recurring characters from the original series also starred in this series. Grady (Whitman Mayo) was now married to his girlfriend Dolly (who appeared in an episode of the original series). Bubba (Don Bexley) now worked at the Sanford Arms as a bellboy and a maintenance man. Aunt Esther (LaWanda Page) was left in charge helping Phil and collecting the mortgage payments. Rounding out the cast of characters was Phil's girlfriend, Jeannie.
The attempt to continue a popular series without its two main stars turned out to be a failure. The ratings were dismal and the show was cancelled after four episodes. When Redd Foxx returned to television as Fred Sanford in the 1980–1981 spinoff Sanford, the events of Sanford Arms were completely ignored.
Episodes
| Series # | Season # | Title | Notes | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Bye, Fred, Hi, Phil | Fred and Lamont are gone, and Phil Wheeler takes control of "The Sanford Arms" hotel. Grady and his new wife Dolly (from Sanford and Son, "Grady and His Lady") check in to spend their honeymoon at the Sanford Arms, while Phil and Bubba try to find a way to come up with the rent money for the month. Note When Grady and Dolly check in, it is explained that Fred and Lamont moved to Arizona due to Fred's health. | September 16, 1977 |
| 2 | 2 | The Grandparents | Nathaniel's grandparents come for a visit. As usual, they pester Phil to allow Nat to come and live with them in their upscale home in San Diego, reasoning that Watts is no place to raise a 12-year-old boy. Nat decides to go and live with his grandparents—but only to prove to them they are too old to handle a child of his age, | September 23, 1977 |
| 3 | 3 | Phil's Assertion School | Phil's plan to teach people to be more assertive backfires when a student decides to sue him. The matter is worked out when Phil, with the help of one of his daughter's friends, gets the student to realize he can be assertive. | September 30, 1977 |
| 4 | 4 | Phil's Past | To Esther's dismay, Phil tries to obtain a liquor license for The Sanford Arms. His attempts are halted when a past incident stands in his way. | October 14, 1977 |
| 5 | 5 | The TV Show | No synopsis available. | Unaired |
| 6 | 6 | Young Love | No synopsis available. | Unaired |
| 7 | 7 | The Wedding Reception | No synopsis available. | Unaired |
| 8 | 8 | The Ernie Williams Memorial Golf Course | No synopsis available. | Unaired |
Syndication
Sanford Arms was not included in the syndication package with Sanford and Son. Eight episodes had been produced, but the final four episodes did not air before the series' abrupt cancellation. In 1991, BET aired reruns of the series.
See also
References
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earl (2003). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
- Margulies, Lee (October 5, 1977). "NBC Gives the Ax to Sanford Arms". Los Angeles Times. p. H14. Retrieved February 27, 2010.