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Isabel Sanford

Actress

"People on the street have asked me, 'how in the world could you stand that George Jefferson?'  I said, 'well, if you were getting the money that I'm getting, you'd stand him too!"

About This Interview

In her two-and-a-half hour Archive interview, Isabel Sanford (1917-2004) discusses her early years growing up and her entrance into live theatre. She speaks about her move to Los Angeles and her subsequent roles on stage, as well as her first television appearances. She speaks in detail about being cast for a one-time part on All in the Family, which led to her casting as Bunker neighbor, "Louise Jefferson." Sanford discusses her role in the spinoff, The Jeffersons and her later work appearing in guest roles on situation comedies and commercials. Brad LeMack conducted the interview in Los Angeles, CA on April 3, 2002.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • Professions

Shows

  • All in the Family
  • All in the Family: "Sammy's Visit"
  • Jeffersons, The
  • Parkers, The

Professions

  • Performers
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  • Highlights
  • Interview
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres

Highlights

  • Isabel Sanford on being called in to play "Louise Jefferson" on <i>All in the Family</i> by director John Rich, after having auditioned previously for Norman LearIsabel Sanford on being called in to play "Louise Jefferson" on All in the Family by director John Rich, after having auditioned previously for Norman Lear
    Clip begins at: 25:30, Duration: 01m 52s
  • Isabel Sanford on resisting the spin-off <i>The Jeffersons</i> (from <i>All in the Family</i>)Isabel Sanford on resisting the spin-off The Jeffersons (from All in the Family)
    Clip begins at: 00:41
  • Isabel Sanford on the relationship between her "Louise" and Sherman Hemsley's "George" on <i>The Jeffersons</i>Isabel Sanford on the relationship between her "Louise" and Sherman Hemsley's "George" on The Jeffersons
    Clip begins at: 14:01, Duration: 01m 23s
  • Isabel Sanford on <i>The Jeffersons</i>' cancelation (without a proper finale episode)Isabel Sanford on The Jeffersons' cancelation (without a proper finale episode)
    Clip begins at: 10:18, Duration: 01m 06s
  • Isabel Sanford on the popularity of <i>The Jeffersons</i>Isabel Sanford on the popularity of The Jeffersons
    Clip begins at: 18:42, Duration: 01m 11s

Interview

  • Part 1
  • Full Chapter One
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 2
  • Full Chapter Two
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 3
  • Full Chapter Three
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 4
  • Full Chapter Four
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 5
  • Full Chapter Five
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 6
  • Full Chapter Six
    Clip begins at: 0:0

Shows

  • All in the Family
    • Isabel Sanford on being called in to play "Louise Jefferson" on All in the Family by director John Rich, after having auditioned previously for Norman Lear
      Clip begins at: 25:30, Duration: 01m 52s
    • Isabel Sanford on talking with director John Rich regarding her portrayal of "Louise Jefferson" (initially on All in the Family)
      Clip begins at: 27:38, Duration: 00m 52s
    • Isabel Sanford on resisting the spin-off The Jeffersons (from All in the Family)
      Clip begins at: 00:41
    • Isabel Sanford on how Carroll O'Connor's temporary walkout in the mid-70s (he refused to cross a picket line) gave her more work, since the shows needed to be padded with the rest of the ensemble
      Clip begins at: 04:28, Duration: 00m 53s
    • Isabel Sanford on her (negative) first impressions of co-star Sherman Hemsley
      Clip begins at: 08:05, Duration: 02m 20s
    • Isabel Sanford on the sad parting scene between her character Louise Jefferson and Jean Stapleton's Edith Bunker on All in the Family
      Clip begins at: 15:28, Duration: 00m 55s
    • Isabel Sanford on Sammy Davis Jr.'s appearances on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 03:35, Duration: 01m 31s
  • All in the Family: "Sammy's Visit"
    • Isabel Sanford on Sammy Davis Jr.'s appearance on All in the Family (and her exit line) and The Jeffersons (asking him to sing "Candy Man")
      Clip begins at: 03:35, Duration: 01m 31s
  • Jeffersons, The
    • Isabel Sanford on being called in to play "Louise Jefferson" on All in the Family by director John Rich, after having auditioned previously for Norman Lear
      Clip begins at: 25:30, Duration: 01m 52s
    • Isabel Sanford on talking with director John Rich regarding her portrayal of "Louise Jefferson" (initially on All in the Family)
      Clip begins at: 27:38, Duration: 00m 52s
    • Isabel Sanford on resisting the spin-off The Jeffersons (from All in the Family)
      Clip begins at: 00:41, Duration: 01m 44s
    • Isabel Sanford on her (negative) first impressions of co-star Sherman Hemsley
      Clip begins at: 08:05, Duration: 02m 20s
    • Isabel Sanford on her attempts to make her character, "Louise Jefferson" less "pure as the driven snow"
      Clip begins at: 12:11, Duration: 02m 59s
    • Isabel Sanford on her anxiety to carry a show, as a lead in The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 17:45, Duration: 00m 48s
    • Isabel Sanford on the popularity of The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 18:42, Duration: 01m 11s
    • Isabel Sanford on how producer Don Nicholl's superstition about the color green allowed her to keep an expensive evening dress made for her on The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 20:40, Duration: 00m 30s
    • Isabel Sanford on The Jeffersons' producers Michael Ross and Bernard West
      Clip begins at: 22:14, Duration: 00m 57s
    • Isabel Sanford on her Jeffersons' co-stars Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker
      Clip begins at: 23:38, Duration: 00m 34s
    • Isabel Sanford on Zara Cully, who played her mother-in-law ("Mother Jefferson") on The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 26:24, Duration: 01m 06s
    • Isabel Sanford on Sammy Davis Jr.'s appearances on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 03:35, Duration: 01m 31s
    • Isabel Sanford on fans' confusion that she sang the theme song of The Jeffersons (it was Ja'net DuBois)
      Clip begins at: 09:09, Duration: 00m 22s
    • Isabel Sanford on The Jeffersons theme song being played once when she was at the circus, and meeting the performers backstage
      Clip begins at: 07:00, Duration: 02m 09s
    • Isabel Sanford on The Jeffersons' cancelation (without a proper finale episode)
      Clip begins at: 10:18, Duration: 01m 06s
    • Isabel Sanford on how her "Louise" translated when dubbed in Italian overseas
      Clip begins at: 10:18, Duration: 01m 06s
    • Isabel Sanford on the relationship between her "Louise" and Sherman Hemsley's "George" on The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 14:01, Duration: 01m 23s
    • Isabel Sanford on the Old Navy & Dennys commercials she did with Jeffersons ' co-star Sherman Hemsley, many years after the show ended
      Clip begins at: 16:30, Duration: 01m 32s
    • Isabel Sanford on how fans frequently tell her they grew up watching The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 06:05, Duration: 01m 17s
  • Parkers, The
    • Isabel Sanford on her guest appearance on The Parkers
      Clip begins at: 20:39, Duration: 00m 58s

People

  • Franklin Cover
    • Isabel Sanford on her Jeffersons' co-stars Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker
      Clip begins at: 23:38, Duration: 00m 34s
  • Zara Cully
    • Isabel Sanford on Zara Cully, who played her mother-in-law ("Mother Jefferson") on The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 26:24, Duration: 01m 06s
  • Sammy Davis, Jr.
    • Isabel Sanford on Sammy Davis Jr.'s appearances on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 03:35, Duration: 01m 31s
  • Roxie Roker
    • Isabel Sanford on her Jeffersons' co-stars Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker
      Clip begins at: 23:38, Duration: 00m 34s
  • Michael Ross
    • Isabel Sanford on The Jeffersons' producers Michael Ross and Bernard West
      Clip begins at: 22:14, Duration: 00m 57s
  • Bernard West
    • Isabel Sanford on The Jeffersons' producers Michael Ross and Bernard West
      Clip begins at: 22:14, Duration: 00m 57s

Topics

    • Isabel Sanford on talking with director John Rich regarding her portrayal of "Louise Jefferson" (initially on All in the Family)
      Clip begins at: 27:38, Duration: 00m 52s
    • Isabel Sanford on the relationship between her "Louise" and Sherman Hemsley's "George" on The Jeffersons
      Clip begins at: 14:01, Duration: 01m 23s

Genres

  • Commercials
    • Isabel Sanford on the Old Navy & Dennys commercials she did with Jeffersons ' co-star Sherman Hemsley, many years after the show ended
      Clip begins at: 16:30, Duration: 01m 32s
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Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2011-12-27 06:49.
ienjoyed watching Isabel sandford's interview because she will always be Louise jefferson for many beloved fans. I also enjoyed watching melissa gilbert's interview also. I hope the archive will be able to interview frank welker, peter cullen, casey kasem, fred dryer, dwight schultz, don johnson, gregory sierra, philip michael thomas, frank gifford, kathie lee gifford, hoda kotb, malcolm jamal warner, dirk benedict, heather locklear, stephanie powers, michael richards, michael lembeck, james darren. denise nicholas, michael constantine, chad everett, erik estrada, mr T. douglas barr, heather thomas, lee majors, missyand tracey gold, jonathan frakes, michael dorn, stephanie kramer, kevin sorbo, kathy garver, kim fields, ben murphy and roger davis

Submitted by MsWarrior02 on Wed, 2011-07-06 21:39.
To the folks who have the AUDACITY to complain about Ms. Sanford's "memory lapses," do you not realize that this interview was done only about a couple of years before her death and that this woman was in her EIGHTIES??? Can you not see how tired it makes her to go on for such a lengthy period of time? Yet she still does it, and given the heroine she is AND her age and state of health at the time, I say 1), show more respect, and 2), she's ENTITLED to a memory lapse or two!!!

Submitted by tbrew222 on Tue, 2011-06-14 04:45.
she reminds me of my granny...

Submitted by hidoll22 on Fri, 2011-04-22 17:11.
She was 21 tears older the Sherman Hemsley

Submitted by tubeeorrnottubee on Thu, 2011-04-14 21:03.
To me...a lot more believable as a couple, she and Sherman Hemsley, than the unrealistically successful lawyer-doctor couple, Claire and Cliff Huxtables. She made you know, in her character, and her manner, on The Jeffersons, and in life, she never forgot where she came from. She had poise, and grace, dignity, and gusto.. a rare combination we rarely see today. ~ ♥ you Isabel!

Submitted by MrPandemonius1 on Tue, 2011-03-08 04:49.
Poor dear looks just tired.

Submitted by DreamsCumTrue469 on Sat, 2011-03-05 11:03.
@gibby100 lol, dumb comment, unless you worked on the set and were closer to the action than Ms Sanford. True, an error is possible, but it is highly unlikely based on how confidently she describes the recollection. What is your fact basis that her recollection is a " memory laspe?" We have 100% certainty she speaks from being there. About you, we have 0% certainty you speak with any fact basis. Sorry, but 100% beats 0% everytime old chap.

Submitted by Cuchino51 on Thu, 2011-03-03 12:07.
She was right........what a disservice to The Jeffersons to NOT give them a "closing" show like the others.....I love Isabel Sanford!

Submitted by ZamfirChannel on Wed, 2010-12-15 01:42.
Funny that Isabel didn't want to mention her middle name (Gwendolyn) during Part 1.

Submitted by gibby100 on Mon, 2010-12-06 08:04.
pretty sure the bit about Carroll O'Connor joining the men on strike is a memory lapse. He was never absent from the show for weeks. He did stay out for a couple shows over his contract though. The episodes when Archie is missing at his convention.

Submitted by sanyo51 on Sat, 2010-12-04 09:58.
i miss her from jeffersons

Submitted by Koolazzmike on Sun, 2010-11-28 14:14.
Isabelle's memory must have not been what it use to, especially at the 22:40 when she asked what show was Esther Rolle on? I can't believe she forgot a show's name that was on at the same time as the Jeffersons and on the same network.

Submitted by deb1920 on Fri, 2010-11-05 01:18.
@Abbyviki Yeah. I watched a lot of the animator interviews and the woman interviewers were really bad. It's like the celebrities are talking to a customer service rep for a computer company. No personality at all. Just their script. It was so annoying I was thinking about writing a letter (or email). Lol.

Submitted by yesitisme1971 on Fri, 2010-09-24 13:09.
She was HILARIOUS!

Submitted by toeman2035 on Wed, 2010-09-15 03:13.
THanks for posting. Seeing Wheezie is always like seeing a family friend. CHarming lady. One of the best comedians on tv.

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