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Season summary[]

Sanford and Son episodes[]

Season Episodes Originally aired DVD release date
Season premiere Season finale
Season 1 14 January 14, 1972 April 14, 1972 August 6, 2002
Season 2 24 September 15, 1972 March 16, 1973 February 4, 2003
Season 3 24 September 14, 1973 March 29, 1974 October 7, 2003
Season 4 25 September 13, 1974 April 25, 1975 March 30, 2004
Season 5 24 September 12, 1975 March 19, 1976 September 14, 2004
    Season 6 24 September 24, 1976 March 25, 1977 June 7, 2005

Season 3: 1973–74 episode summary[]

Note: Twenty-five episodes were written for Season Three, but Episode 19 was never taped due to contract disputes with Redd Foxx and producers of the show. The negotiations led to Foxx being absent from the last six episodes, but he returned to the series at the beginning of Season Four.

Season 3
No. in series Episode # Title Directed by Written by Original Airdate Prod. Code
39 1 "Lamont as Othello" Peter Baldwin Ilunga Adell September 14, 1973 302
Fred is uneasy with Lamont's rehearsing Othello with a white actress in their home, so Marilyn invites Fred and Lamont to come to her home in Beverly Hills.
40 2 "Libra Rising All Over Lamont" Jack Shea Ilunga Adell September 21, 1973 305
As an astrologer tells Lamont that as a Libra he must avoid strife and arguing, hypochondriac Fred is home suffering from gas after eating eight-day-old collard greens.
41 3 "Fred, the Reluctant Fingerman" Jack Shea Gene Farmer September 28, 1973 306
Fred, fearing retaliation after witnessing a robbery at Julio's, is unwilling to get involved by describing the burglars to the police.
42 4 "Presenting The Three Degrees" Peter Baldwin Ilunga Adell October 5, 1973 304
The Three Degrees, the Philadelphia-based singing trio, are the Sanfords' house-guests. The ladies perform "I Didn't Know" for Fred.
43 5 "This Little TV Went to Market" Peter Baldwin Gene Farmer October 12, 1973 303
Grady claims the television Fred got for a steal from Guy's Groovy Grabbag was indeed stolen--from him.
44 6 "Lamont, Is That You?" Peter Baldwin James R. Stein & Robert Illes October 19, 1973 301
Fred fears Lamont and Rollo are homosexuals after Bubba reports seeing them go into the Gay Blade Bar.
45 7 "Fuentes, Fuentes, Sanford & Chico" Jack Shea Gene Farmer October 26, 1973 307
Feeling betrayed when Lamont starts a sideline business with Julio, Fred moves out and into a downtown flophouse.
46 8 "Superflyer" Peter Baldwin Teleplay by

Charles T. Williams and Ilunga Adell Story by Charles T. Williams

November 2, 1973 310
Fred's Uncle Leotis dies and leaves him $1,500, but the catch to collecting it is Fred and Lamont must fly to St. Louis and oversee the funeral arrangements. But steady Freddy isn't sure he's ready to take his first flight in an airplane.
47 9 "The Members of the Wedding"

"The Engagement"

Jack Shea James R. Stein & Robert Illes November 9, 1973 311
Fred and Donna are to be married on Sunday, but Lamont plots to put them asunder before the Lord joins them together by inviting to the wedding his Aunt Esther and the rest of Fred's irascible in-laws.
48 10 "The Blind Mellow Jelly Collection"   Mark Warren Phil Mishkin November 16, 1973 309
Lamont becomes annoyed that Fred is constantly playing old blues records featuring a band named Blind Mellow Jelly. Then, he finds out the records are rare and could be worth several hundred dollars.
49 11 "A House is Not a Pool Room" Jack Shea Winston Moss November 23, 1973 308
Lamont suffers buyer's remorse after the pool table he gave Fred for his birthday brings the boys over for billiards every day while Fred's work and girlfriend Donna go neglected.
50 12 "Grady, The Star Boarder" Jack Shea Gene Farmer November 30, 1973 312
Fred seizes a financial opportunity when Grady gripes about his neighbors' fighting: invite Grady to come live in serenity for $60 a month with him and Lamont.
51 13 "Wine, Women & Aunt Esther"

"Leaving the Nest"

Peter Baldwin Teleplay by

Ilunga Adell Story by James R. Stein & Robert Illes

December 14, 1973 314
Depressed about death and growing old, Fred and his drinking buddies determine to think young and go for the gusto by throwing a wild party, inviting topless waitress Fast Fanny and four of her fast friends to spice it up.
52 14 "Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe" Jack Shea Ilunga Adell January 4, 1974 313
Fred's feathers get ruffled when an old friend from St. Louis comes to town claiming to be Lamont's actual father.
53 15 "Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle" Bob LaHendro Teleplay by

Gene Farmer Story by Paul Mooney and Gene Farmer

January 11, 1974 315
When Lamont gets a traffic ticket, Fred convinces him to fight it in court, where the poor man's Perry Mason steps up to defend his son against the system.
54 16 "This Land is Whose Land?" Peter Baldwin Ilunga Adell January 18, 1974 316
Fred, petty and prejudiced against his Puerto Rican neighbor, hires a surveyor to mark the legal property line to ensure Julio keeps his stuff off the Sanford side.
55 17 "Fred's Cheating Heart" Stan Lathan Ilunga Adell February 1, 1974 317
After learning about the dangers and high risk of heart disease, Lamont plots to get his heart attack-prone father to the hospital for a cardio check-up.
56 18 "The Party Crasher" Stan Lathan Gene Farmer February 8, 1974 318
Lamont and Rollo don't want to invite fuddy-duddy Fred to their party with a pair of live-wire women from Detroit.
57 19 "Lamont Goes Karate" Bud Yorkin Ilunga Adell February 15, 1974 320
Lamont learns karate to defend himself against bully Jo Jo Jackson.
58 20 "Will the Real Fred Sanford Please Do Something?" Stan Lathan Aaron Ruben February 22, 1974 321
A woman Fred wooed over one too many boilermakers comes looking to take him up on his marriage proposal. Betty is bent on getting satisfaction and skeptical of Grady's insisting he's not Fred.
59 21 "Tyranny, Thy Name Is Grady" Stan Lathan Gene Farmer March 1, 1974 322
With Fred away in St. Louis, Grady is put in charge of the house. He quickly makes his presence known by keeping Aunt Esther out and preventing Lamont from bringing girls home.
60 22 "Aunt Esther & Uncle Woodrow Pfft..." Bud Yorkin Ilunga Adell March 8, 1974 323
I'm not a cream puff! declares Uncle Woody after Grady gives him an empowering man-to-man talk and sends him home to reclaim his castle. But Aunt Esther doesn't appreciate Grady's making a man of her mouse and shows that hell hath no fury like the wife of a worm turned.
61 23 "The Way to Lamont's Heart" Hal Cooper Story by

Paul Wayne & George Burditt Teleplay by Paul Wayne & George Burditt and Aaron Ruben

March 15, 1974 324
Lamont's looking for a little lovin', but new girlfriend Judy is looking to settle down. When Lamont tells Judy he can't get married because his godfather Grady would disapprove, Judy sets to winning Grady's approval with a smile and a smoked pork butt, which sets Grady jumping to conclusions.
62 24 "Hello Cousin Emma, Goodbye Cousin Emma" Hal Cooper Bill Manhoff March 29, 1974 325
Grady's cousin Emma blows in from the Windy City and promises to make the living easy for the two men, but Lamont has his doubts, especially after being bumped from his bedroom and having to share a bed with Grady.
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