MovieChat Forums > Sanford and Son (1972) Discussion > Lamont In the Earlier & Later Seasons

Lamont In the Earlier & Later Seasons

posted 2 years ago by Jeepster (1026)
5 replies | jump to latest

Anyone here ever notice how different the character of Lamont was in the very beginning of the show? He was kinda rough, always sarcastic, always angry at Fred & most of the times disrespectful & bitter. In other words his character was always angry all the time.

In the later seasons he loosened up a bit, I wonder if that was because of a backlash as to his portrayal being a bit rough. Not that he was a thug or anything, but you can’t help but notice in the very start of the show he was very unhappy with his lot & at his father Fred. Later on his character turned into a “hapless poor soul that took it on the chin” more often than not instead of being pissed off all the time.

Demond Wilson’s portrayal of him basically made this show, I wonder if he was disappointed in how his character turned out later on as opposed to how he was at the start.

Just was curious if anyone here ever saw this too.

[–] BeaSouth (2781) 2 years ago

There’s a pretty good 1972 Ebony magazine interview of Demond Wilson and Redd Fox. The article talks a lot about the show and the history of the two main actors. It has some fantastic photos of them, both on and off set. In the article, Wilson admits some fans thought that in the early episodes, the Lamont character was too "harsh" to his father / the Fred Sanford character. As the series went on, Wilson “smoothed out [Lamont’s] rough edges” in later episodes. This sounds like the evolution you noticed watching the show. Anyway, you can read the article at:

https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=M9oDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52&dq=demond+wilson&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiLsd2ImcbzAhXQXCsKHX3iD1kQ6AF6BAgJEAI#v=onepage&q&f=false

[–] Jeepster (1026) 2 years ago

Thank you Bea! I’ll check out. All my best.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 2 years ago

Very interesting thoughts about Lamont. I just rewatched "Lamont Goes African" (for the 100th time) and perhaps some of what the lady from Nigeria told him had an effect on Lamont. She let him know that his behavior towards his father was inexcusable.

Olalya- In my country you would be beaten.

Fred- I wish I had you in Nigeria, I'd knock you out! (LOL)

Lamont's behavior was on the disrespectful side. At first I chalked it up to his being unhappy with HIMSELF and he took out his disappointments on his father. He wanted to get ahead in life but either didn't know how or felt stuck in his present circumstances. As time went on, he matured somewhat.

One thing that used to bug me was his attitude towards Donna, "the barracuda". She was a sweet lady and behaved very kindly towards Lamont. And considering Fred's financial status, she was hardly a gold digger. She probably had more money than Fred. She was a widow with a good job. Her husband may have left her some life insurance.

Lamont had no reason to show her such disrespect. His own mother had passed when he was a little child. So it was hardly as if his father was rushing into remarriage and forcing a new "mommy" on Lamont.

If I was Donna I would've told him to shove his attitude!

[–] Jeepster (1026) 2 years ago

You’re right PJ! Lamont was disrespectful to Donna which always surprised me about him.

With Fred always being a handful, you’d think Lamont would welcome anyone who would take him off his hands for awhile. Unless he was jealous of their relationship which despite all his complaints very well could’ve been.

But I’d say I believe he did warm up to her later on & treated her better. Let me know if you think I’m mistaken.

In the episode you mentioned, you’re 100% right, Lamont WAS unhappy with himself. Thing is I think the problem was self loathing.

Yes I remember that episode very well too & at the end of her reproach to Lamont the lady finished by saying that while he could dress in traditional African garb, speak the language, try to learn the ways of the culture, these things were useless as the heart had to change first & foremost. She knew what he was after with his sudden passionate “interest” in African culture.

So she saved him the best advice for last & told him the heart had to change to fully embrace everything he sought to change about himself. Lamont then realized it wasn’t & that it was a lie so he dropped it. Great episode & Great post!

[–] [email protected] (5497) 2 years ago

Yes, I think Lamont had some jealousy towards Donna. It was a strange situation. Lamont often spoke about wanting to leave and do something else with his life. He wanted to have a life apart from his Pop, but he didn't want Fred to have a life away from him.

In many ways, Lamont was very emotionally dependent on his father. I've seen it happen. Someone lives alone into adulthood with a widowed parent. The relationship becomes almost oddly like a "marriage". A character on Sanford even remarked upon it. Remember the early episode when Fred proposed to a younger woman named Judy not knowing that she was Lamont's old girlfriend?

All of Fred and Lamont's squabbling led Judy to depart and leave them a note that she couldn't marry either one of them because they "were already married".

And you'd think that Lamont would've welcomed his father's marriage to Donna. I just watched the episode where Lamont decides to take off and spend a year travelling around the world on a tramp steamer. He was worried about leaving Fred alone and put him in an old age home, definitely NOT a place that Fred was ready for!

I think you're right that he treated Donna better as the years went by. He matured and mellowed a little.