Sanford and Son, a Norman Lear production, was an American take-off of the British show, Steptoe and Son. Airing from 1972 to 1977, it centered on junk dealer Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), a cantankerous bigot, and his son Lamont (Demond Wilson). A running gag in the series would see Fred in times of distress, looking up as if to heaven with his hand across his chest, faking a heart attack and saying, "This is the BIg One, Elizabeth! I'm coming to join ya honey!"
Sanford and Son has been called the precursor to many African American sitcoms, such as The Cosby Show. Sanford and Son was groundbreaking. Reviewer Gene Siskel said "What All in the Family did for the Caucasian race in our nation with television, Sanford and Son did for African Americans. It is one of the two most not and significant African American sitcoms since the invention of television."