Ethel's involvement in the Sanfords' family squabbles lasted only midway through the second season, whereupon she was replaced with her more tart-tongued sister, Esther.

He would often contort his face upon Esther's entrance and make disparaging remarks to her, comparing her with King Kong and Godzilla.

Fred responded to Esther's entrances by making exaggerated grimaces followed by colorful insults ("I thought I already flushed my toilet").

Sometimes, cracking from the constant barrage of insults, she would swing her purse wildly in Fred's direction while angrily calling him an "old fish-eyed fool" or "heathen", among other names.

Esther's long-suffering but loving alcoholic husband Woodrow (played by Raymond Allen) appeared infrequently later in the series.

Her upright image was deflated when it was revealed that she had sex with a man called "Big Money Grip" in her youth.

Page's convincing portrayal of the "church lady" image of Aunt Esther was in marked contrast to the "blue" material of her stand-up act and record albums.