Demond Wilson is most known for playing the son, Lamont Sanford, in the TV series “Sanford and Son” during the 70s. He starred alongside Redd Foxx, who played Fred G. Sanford.
Besides the NBC sitcom, Wilson has a few other acting credits, including the film “Me and The Kid” (1993) and the 80s TV show “The New Odd Couple,” in which he played the character Oscar Madison.
FOXX AND WILSON’S RELATIONSHIP
Through his career and after his time on the beloved TV show, Wilson took it upon himself to debunk false information and rumors about his costars. He gave insight into his relationship with his costar.
During an interview with The Washington Times in 2016, Wilson opened up about his and Foxx’s real-life relationship and admitted that it was similar to their onscreen relationship:
“The same relationship you saw in those 120-some episodes was the relationship I had with Redd.”
Furthermore, Wilson explained being on the show was like being in a marriage. He reasoned like marriage; if there was “no synergy” between the two protagonists, there was nothing to act or work with.
Similar to Wilson’s onscreen relationship with Foxx, he loved Foxx and said that he found him sweet in real life. However, like actual family members, Foxx could be impossible, annoying, and nasty.
Unfortunately, the show ended after six years of filming, and it was a decision that took Wilson by surprise, as Foxx had expressed in a press conference that he planned to exit the show. He had not previously told Wilson of his decision.
Wilson revealed that he found out about Foxx’s exit when an anchorman from the studio asked him how he felt about the end of an era, and Wilson did not know what he was talking about. The anchorman then explained:
“Don’t you read the trades? Redd had a press conference, and he’s calling it off. Calling it quits.”
WILSON’S EXIT OFF SET
Although Foxx’s quit caused the show’s end, that is not to say that Wilson did not have his onset controversies. JET reported in 1975 that Wilson once missed two weeks of filming, and NBC did not know why he declined to appear on set.
The magazine could not confirm the reason. However, the outlet did speculate that his disappearance was an attempt to get a salary increase as he was not satisfied with his earnings and that the network would not make a spinoff series about him.
It turns out Wilson was following in the footsteps of his onscreen father, as Foxx had done the same thing the previous year and won a salary increase. But it seems Wilson was not as successful in his attempt.
Although it might be thought that the actors’ respective absenteeism would hinder filming efforts by the network, Cathy Banks, the then- NBC publicity director, stated the show went on without each of them during their disappearance from the set.
