MONDAY MEMORIAL TVXOHOF TRIBUTE - ROLLO LAWSON

From The New York Daily News:
Actor Nathaniel Taylor, best known as sharp-dressed, smooth-talking ladies man Rollo Lawson on “Sanford and Son,” is dead at 80.

He was the victim of a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles on Feb. 27, his son Kaedi Taylor told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Usually decked out in funky suits and colorful hats, Taylor portrayed the best friend and sidekick of Lamont Sanford, played by Demond Wilson. Often the object of disapproving dad Fred Sanford’s putdowns, Taylor’s Rollo took the snipes in stride while affectionately addressing Redd Foxx’s character as “Pops.”

“It was a time and an era — just to be on TV as a black man,” said Taylor. “It was an honor for people to remember him.”

From the ‘Sanford And Son’ wiki:
Rollo Lawson is the best friend of Lamont Sanford and Fred's nemesis on ‘Sanford and Son’. Nathaniel Taylor, who first appeared as Rollo in the ‘Sanford and Son’ episode “Have Gun, Will Sell” (Season 2, Episode #7) reprised the role of Rollo on its spinoff series ‘Sanford’ in the pilot episode Season 1, Episode 1.

Fred, who dislikes Rollo, will often make disrespectful remarks towards him, usually stating that he thinks Rollo is a criminal, as Rollo had spent time in jail before his present job as a gas station service attendant. Rollo appears in the show every so often to come pick up Lamont so they can go out and chase women. Also, they sometimes go to pornographic films or what Rollo calls "skin flicks." His mother, Rita, is also friends with Lamont's Aunt Esther.

ROLLO LAWSON'S TALLY
'Sanford And Son'
32 episodes
'Sanford'
14 episodes
'Grady'
1 episode

O’Bservation: I’ve seen Rollo’s last name also listed as Larson in two different sources.

It is a slight resume, but it does fulfill the requirements for membership in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame. 

I’m sorry I didn’t induct Rollo into the TVXOHOF during February, Black History Month.  Not that he would probably have seen it, but it would have been nice to do the tribute while he was still alive.

So now we have two members of ‘Sanford And Son’ in the Hall for 2019, Bubba Bexley being the other one.  They join Grady Wilson who was inducted eleven years ago.

Oddly, I have yet to induct Fred G. Sanford into the Hall but that’s because until today, I had no idea he appeared in an episode of ‘Grady’.  That will be rectified next February.  However, Lamont will be shut out from membership because he only has the original series to his credit.

The last two pictures included here are of Nathaniel Taylor as himself, but they could also be the way that Rollo looked in his senior years.

BCnU!