Lamont Sanford

Living... in a house with his father in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. It is located in the middle of their junkyard and filled with miscellaneous knick-knacks and mementos amidst the refuse.

Profession... junk and antiques dealer alongside his father, Fred. Lamont regularly tries to make his way up in the world and get a better or more serious job, but he is usually either convinced or thwarted by Fred, who wants Lamont to stay and eventually take over the family business. Or "the empire," as Fred calls it.

Interests... money. The Sanfords have never had much money, and Lamont would like to change that – certainly for Lamont. Alas, it never quite seems to work out. 

Relationship Status... single, usually. He does try to date women every now and then but is typically faced with some sort of difficulty. Generally he is either foiled by his own mistakes, or sabotaged by his father so he will be forced to spend more time with Fred at home.

Challenge... dealing with his father. It’s not easy for an adult man to both live and work with his dad. When the dad is a cantankerous trash-talker like Fred, it’s even tougher. If Fred isn’t calling Lamont a “big dummy,” he’s faking a heart attack to get Lamont to do what he wants. Lamont sometimes loses patience with his dad, and understandably so, but he always sticks around to help the man who raised him alone after Lamont’s mother died when he was young. Which is good news for Fred, who would likely be in trouble if left entirely to his own devices.

Personality... level-headed and caring. Lamont is the voice of reason in the Sanford household. He isn't one to let his pride get in the way, willing to ask for help when necessary, for example trying to convince Fred that it's O.K. to get support from the government: "Pop, that's what the welfare thing was set up for: for people in financial trouble. What do you think we pay taxes for? We'd just be taking advantage of something that was set up for people like us." Fred and Lamont may bicker, but Fred knows deep down that he’s lucky to have his son around.