Sanford and Son star Demond Wilson has died at age 79. The beloved actor died from complications of cancer at his home in Palm Springs, California, on Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Demond Wilson Jr. confirmed the news of his father’s death to TMZ.
What were Demond Wilson’s most notable roles?
Wilson is best known for his role as Lamont Sanford, the son of Fred Sanford, on the NBC comedy Sanford and Son. He starred on the show from 1972 to 1977, per The U.S. Sun. Wilson later played Raymond Ellis in another TV series, Baby… I’m Back! The show only ran from 1977 to 1978.
In the early 1980s, Wilson landed a role on ABC’s The New Odd Couple, another series which lasted only one year, per the Daily Star. Wilson made an appearance on the big screen in 1993 when he landed a role in Me and the Kid. After staying away from the public spotlight for the next 20 years, Wilson appeared in the 2023 Prime Video drama Eleanor’s Bench.
What kind of impact did Demond Wilson make as a Hollywood star?
Wilson is celebrated for breaking barriers as a beloved Black actor. He is most notably recognized for the impact he made on Sanford and Son alongside his co-star Redd Foxx.
“Redd and I were making history back in those days,” Wilson wrote in his 2009 autobiography, according to the Sun. “We were the first Blacks to be on television in that capacity and we opened the door for all those other shows that came after us.”
Wilson also served as a Vietnam vet with the U.S. Army and an ordained Christian minister. He focused on helping former inmates when he opened the Restoration House of America. As an author, Wilson wrote his memoir and various Christian books.
The legendary actor is survived by his wife, Cicely Johnston, who he married in 1974, and their six children.
“I loved him. He was a great man,” Wilson Jr. said about his father, per TMZ.