The Sanford Arms (TV series)

thumb|300px|link=The Sanford Arms was a spin-off of the popular NBC sitcom Sanford and Son which debuted in October 1975 on NBC-TV. It is based around the Sanford Arms boarding house, which Fred G. Sanford (Redd Foxx) bought in the fifth season of Sanford and Son. In The Sanford Arms, Fred's friend Phil Wheeler (Theodore Wilson) bought Fred's business and his boarding house, and attempted to turn the Sanford Arms into a hotel.

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 still in his role 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 Bexley (played by Don Bexley) now worked at the Sanford Arms as a bellman 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 Nielsen ratings were dismal and the show was cancelled after four episodes. When Redd Foxx returned to TV as Fred Sanford in the 1980-1981 spinoff series Sanford, the events of Sanford Arms were completely ignored.

Episode guide

 * List of Sanford Arms episodes