Isabel Sanford Movies

Larry Cohen, who directed a number of interesting and subversive exploitation films in the 1970s and 1980s, including Black Caesar and Hell Up in Harlem, reunited some of the biggest stars of the blaxploitation era for this tough-minded action opus. John Bookman (Fred Williamson) is a successful football coach who was born in Gary, Indiana but now lives in Los Angeles. When Bookman's father is shot, he returns home for the first time in years to discover that Gary has been all but taken over by a number of brutally violent youth gangs. Bookman learns that his father was shot in retaliation for going to the police after a young man was killed by gang bangers outside his grocery store; even worse, the kid who pulled the trigger was a member of the Rebels, the gang that he helped form as a teenager. Outraged, Bookman joins forces with the boy's parents, who also happen to be old friends: Jake Trevor (Jim Brown) and Laurie Thompson (Pam Grier). John, Laurie, and Jake organize the neighborhood against the gangs, with John's old gang brothers Bubba (Ron O'Neal) and Slick (Richard Roundtree) tagging along to show the young gangstas what the old school can do. If Williamson, Brown, Grier, O'Neal, and Roundtree all look a bit older than they did in their glory days, they all still boast charisma to spare, and anyone who liked their older films will have a good time with this one. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this hour-long episode of clips, a fortune teller (played by John Goodman) tells little Jackie and little Roseanne what their future holds. Meanwhile, an adult D.J. recalls his youth during a therapy session. The clips are introduced by the "Sitcom Moms Welcome Wagon," including famous sitcom moms Barbara Billingsley, June Lockhart, Isabel Sanford, Alley Mills, and Patricia Crowley. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

One of Fred Williamson's more unusual efforts as both actor and director, this one features the action star as a cigar-smoking detective named Mac Derringer. He is enlisted by his ex-wife (Vanity), a phone-sex operator, to catch the masked psychopath who murdered her co-worker. With the aid of partner Gary Busey and friend Peter Fonda, Derringer closes in on the maniac, but is soon framed for murder. Williamson has an interracial love scene, there's a stoolie who raps, and a subplot involves blackmail and pornography. The Jeffersons' Isabel Sanford appears as Derringer's mother, and the familiar genre cast features Stella Stevens, Robert Forster, and Henry Silva. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

The Jeffersonsmoved from its familiar Sunday-night time slot to a new Tuesday evening berth with this star-studded episode, which takes place in Atlantic City. Hoping to raise enough money to attend her godson's graduation, Florence (Marla Gibbs) heads straight to the gambling tables. Meanwhile, Florence's employer Louise (Isabel Sanford) scours the resort city in search of celebrities -- but when they begin to show up, she fails to recognize them (even Charo). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Left home alone while everyone else is busily occupied, Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) begins to question his own attractiveness and appeal. Those questions are "answered" when the sister of Mr. Bentley's latest girlfriend lavishes attention on the hapless Tom. This leads to a sexy dream sequence in which Tom is surrounded by a "harem" of genuine Playboy Playmates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this second episode of a two-part story, Lionel (Mike Evans) and Jenny (Berlinda Tolbert) shock their respective parents when they announce that they plan to divorce. This bombshell leads to a huge fight between the Jeffersons and the Willises, which does not abate even during family night at Jessica's school. Upset by all the dissension and bitterness, Jessica (Ebonie Smith) runs out of the school and into the mean streets of New York. This episode represented the final series appearances of Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

To raise money for the Disabled Youth Services, Louise (Isabel Sanford) and Helen (Roxie Roker) stage a talent show with the help of Tom (Franklin Cover), Florence (Marla Gibbs), and Bentley (Paul Benedict). The winner will receive free TV time to promote his or her favorite charitable cause. George (Sherman Hemsley) schemes to use this opportunity to drum up business for his dry-cleaning store. "Off-Off-Off-Off Broadway" was The Jeffersons' 253rd and final episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When the president of Pelham Publishing retires, Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) is anxious to be appointed in his place. At first, Tom despairs over the possibility that he won't be promoted. Once his dream is fulfilled, however, Tom is still worried: Will he be able to handle the pressures and responsibilities of the job? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The ongoing professional war between George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) and his dry-cleaning rival Cunningham results in another round of lavish promotions. This most recent battle proves so strenuous that Cunningham suddenly drops dead. George must now face the unbridled wrath of Cunningham's vindictive widow (played by future L.A. Law regular Susan Ruttan). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Left at home while the wives spend the weekend at a health spa, George (Sherman Hemsley) and Tom (Franklin Cover) seek out various methods of alleviating their boredom. Our heroes finally decide to set a world record by seeing how many times they can ride up and down an elevator. What starts out as a friendly competition snowballs into a bitter rivalry. An unbilled Edie McClurg is heard as the woman on TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Terrified that she will never get married, Florence (Marla Gibbs) places an ad in the personal column of a singles magazine. Imagine her delight when her ad is promptly answered. Now imagine her open-mouthed astonishment when the man answering the ad turns out to be the Jeffersons' eccentric neighbor Harry Bentley (Paul Benedict). Florence Gibbs' real-life sister Susie Garrett appears as Amanda. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A quilt can be more than a bed covering; it can hold a family's memories, as a child discovers when she helps her grandmother piece together a patchwork quilt. Children are shown in a class for quilt-making at the Boston Children's Museum in Reading Rainbow: Patchwork Quilt. The family theme is explored further as host LeVar Burton visits an Italian-American family that offers food made by hand in their store. The importance of families is also a dominant factor in the choice of books for review -- Being Adopted by Maxine B. Rosenberg, Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat, and The Two of Them by Aliki. ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide