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Demond Wilson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wilson in 1982 | |
| Born | Grady Demond Wilson October 13, 1946 Valdosta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | January 30, 2026 (aged 79) Palm Springs, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1968–2023 |
| Spouse | Cicely Johnston (m. 1974) |
| Children | 6 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1966–1968 |
| Unit | 4th Infantry Division |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Purple Heart |
| Website | www |
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Grady Demond Wilson[1] (October 13, 1946 – January 30, 2026) was an American actor and author, widely known for his role as Lamont, the titular son in the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son (1972–1977). He later portrayed Oscar Madison on The New Odd Couple (1982–1983)[2] and appeared in the film Me and the Kid (1993).[3][4]
Early life and career
Wilson was born in Valdosta, Georgia, on October 13, 1946,[5] and grew up in New York City, where he studied tap dance and ballet.[5] He made his Broadway debut at age four and danced at Harlem's Apollo Theater at age 12.[5] Wilson was raised as a Catholic and served as an altar boy. He would spend summers with his grandmother Ada Mitchell, who was Pentecostal. Wilson briefly considered becoming a Catholic priest.[5] When Wilson was about 12 years old, his appendix ruptured, almost killing him, but he vowed to serve God as an adult in some ministerial capacity.[6]
He served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968 and was in the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam, where he was wounded.[7] Upon returning home in the late 1960s, Wilson was featured in several Broadway and off-Broadway stage productions before moving to Hollywood, where he performed guest roles on several television series such as Mission: Impossible and All in the Family and acted in films such as The Organization (1971) and Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972).
Sanford and Son (1972–1977) and other acting projects
Later in 1971, after appearing as a robber on All in the Family with Cleavon Little, Wilson won the role of Lamont Sanford in the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son. Johnny Brown was considered for that role, but because of his commitment to Laugh-In, Wilson got the role instead. Wilson played Lamont through the run of the series, and became the star when Redd Foxx walked off the show in 1974 over a salary dispute with the producers and his character was written out for the rest of the season. Foxx returned the following year, and the pair worked together until 1977 when the show was cancelled. In 1980–1981, Foxx attempted to revive the show with the short-lived sitcom Sanford, but Wilson refused to reprise his role for the new series.[citation needed]
When asked in 2014 if he kept in touch with anybody from Sanford & Son, especially Foxx (who died on October 11, 1991), he responded:
Wilson also appeared in the films Full Moon High (1981), Me and the Kid (1993), and Hammerlock (2000).[citation needed]
Baby... I'm Back! (1978), and The New Odd Couple (1982–1983)
Wilson later starred as Raymond Ellis in the short-lived CBS comedy series Baby... I'm Back! and as Oscar Madison, opposite actor Ron Glass (who co-starred as Felix Ungar) in the ABC sitcom The New Odd Couple,[2] a revamped black version of the 1970–75 series The Odd Couple on the same network which starred Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, which was in turn based on the 1965 Neil Simon play.
Key witness in Cotton Club case
In 1990, Wilson, whose manager was theatrical producer Roy Radin, had served as a key witness in the Los Angeles Superior Court trial of the four people accused of murdering Radin in connection with a dispute involving the film The Cotton Club (1984). Wilson stated that Radin, fearing an attempt on his life with an upcoming meeting, had asked Wilson to follow the limousine he was to enter the evening of May 13, 1983.[9]
Author
Wilson wrote several Christian books concerning the New Age Movement and the hidden dangers he believed it holds for society. New Age Millennium was released by CAP Publishing & Literary Co. LLC on December 1, 1998. Wilson, who also authored children's books, called the book an "exposé" of certain New Age "symbols and slogans".[citation needed]
His memoir Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memoirs of the Sanford & Son Years was released on August 31, 2009. Wilson said, "It's just a documented truth, behind the scenes factual account of what happened during those years. Redd (Foxx) and I were making history back in those days. 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."[10][11]
Later appearances and projects
Wilson made numerous guest appearances on the Praise the Lord program aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and was a good friend of Clifton Davis. He also appeared as a guest star on the UPN sitcom Girlfriends, playing Lynn's biological father.[citation needed]
In the summer of 2011, Wilson started appearing with actress Nina Nicole in a touring production of the play The Measure of a Man by playwright Matt Hardwick. The play is described as "a faith-based production" and is set in a small town in south Georgia.[12]
Wilson began work in 2010 to produce and act in a melodramatic family film based on the play Faith Ties. Wilson said of the project: "I play a broken down old drunk whose wife and daughter are killed and he's given up on life. The protagonist is a pastor who is in the middle while he watches the lives of people crumbling around him."[13]
Personal life and death
Wilson married model Cicely Johnston[5] on May 3, 1974. They had six children.[14] In 1984 he was ordained as a minister in the Church of God in Christ and was an active Christian evangelist for much of his adult life.[15]
Wilson died of complications from cancer at his home in Palm Springs, California, on January 30, 2026, at the age of 79.[16][6][17] His son Christopher confirmed to the New York Times that Wilson had been suffering from prostate cancer.[6][17]
Filmography
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2026) |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Cotton Comes to Harlem | Rally Attendant | Uncredited |
| 1971 | The Organization | Charlie Blossom | |
| 1972 | Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues | Rupert | |
| 1981 | Full Moon High | Cabbie-Busdriver | |
| 1993 | Me and the Kid | Agent Schamper | |
| 2000 | Hammerlock | Morgan Rivers |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | All in the Family | Horace | Episode: "Edith Writes a Song" |
| 1971 | Mission: Impossible | Simmons | Episode: "Underwater" |
| 1972–1977 | Sanford and Son | Lamont Sanford | Main role (135 episodes) |
| 1978 | Baby... I'm Back! | Raymond Ellis | Main role (13 episodes) |
| 1979 | The Love Boat | Bart | Episode: "Letter to Babycakes" |
| 1981 | The Love Boat | Jesse (Isaac's Uncle) | Episode: "Black Sheep" |
| 1981 | Today's FBI | Leon | Episode: "Terror" |
| 1982–1983 | The New Odd Couple | Oscar Madison | Main role (18 episodes) |
| 1992 | The Phil Donahue Show | Himself | Episode: Famous Past Celebrities |
| 2004–2005 | Girlfriends | Kenneth Miles | Recurring role (4 episodes) |
References
- Todd, Dana (April 20, 1985). "Demond Wilson gives up Hollywood for preaching". Star-News. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
- "Actor's stage now a pulpit". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Los Angeles Times. October 18, 1986. p. 13C. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- "Demond Wilson". Triviatribute.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- "Demond Wilson bio at Celebrity Nooz.com". Archived from the original on August 17, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- Moses, Gavin (April 15, 1985). "Sanford's Son, Demond Wilson, Leaves His Demons Behind to Become a Full-Time Evangelist". People. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
- Gates, Anita (January 31, 2026). "Demond Wilson, Long-Suffering Son on 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- Robinson, Louie (July 1972). "Sanford and Son: Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson wake up TV's jaded audience". Ebony. XXVII (9): 52–58.
- "Q&A With Demond Wilson". BeachcomberDestin.com. January 15, 2014. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- "Demond Wilson Testifies in 'Cotton Club' Trial". Los Angeles Times. November 8, 1990. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
- "Demond Wilson / Second Banana: Bittersweet Memories of Sanford & Son Years official website". Archived from the original on April 25, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
- "Demond Wilson interview at Celebrity Cafe". Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- The Measure of a Man Stage Play official website Archived October 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved November 28, 2011.
- "Faith Ties". Christian Film Database. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
- Miller, Brittany. "Sanford and Son star Grady Demond Wilson dies aged 79". Independent. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- Brown, Doug (October 13, 1986). "'Sanford and Son' to Evangelist: Ex-TV Star Demond Wilson Turns to Religious Calling". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 10, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- Barnes, Mike (January 31, 2026). "Demond Wilson, Lamont on 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 79". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 31, 2026. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- Sedovic, Dorothy (January 31, 2026). "'Sanford and Son' star Demond Wilson dies at 79, reports say". Fox 8 New Orleans. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
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Demond Wilson, Long-Suffering Son on ‘Sanford and Son,’ Dies at 79
As Lamont, he was a young man in constant battle with his father and business partner, played by Redd Foxx, on the popular 1970s series.
Demond Wilson, the actor who starred as Lamont, a young man in constant comic battle with his junk-dealer father on “Sanford and Son,” the popular 1970s comedy series, died on Friday at his home in the Coachella Valley area of California. He was 79.
The death was confirmed by his son Christopher Wilson, who said his father had contracted prostate cancer.
“Sanford and Son,” when it had its premiere on NBC in January 1972, was a star vehicle for Redd Foxx, the king of bawdy comedy record albums, making his debut as a network television lead in prime time. But the show had two lead roles: the cantankerous California junk dealer (Mr. Foxx) and his long-suffering, hotheaded 30-ish son, Lamont, the older man’s business partner, who was sick and tired of being repeatedly dismissed as “you big dummy.”
Lamont’s basic role was to be a comic straight man to his father. Mr. Wilson breezed through scenes with lines like “You’ll have to excuse my father,” “Are you sure about that, Pop?” and “Hey, Pop! I’m home.” But plots often revolved around the son’s emotions, ambitions and actions. And in Season 4, when an injured tap-dancing houseguest needed a last-minute substitute, Lamont stepped in. He put on a tuxedo, took to a nightclub stage and showed off his impressive dancing talents.
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When Mr. Wilson landed the role of Lamont, he was only in his mid-20s, a theater veteran but a newcomer to the screen. The show was a hit, running for six seasons, with the television critic John J. O’Connor of The New York Times observing that “the father‐and‐son act makes for unusually enjoyable” comedy.
In July 1972, Ebony magazine published a glowing feature article, “Sanford and Son: Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson Wake Up TV’s Jaded Audience.” The article noted, “It did not take long into the first show to find out” how Mr. Wilson, the lesser known of the two stars, would do. “He is excellent.”
Having a hit series felt good, Mr. Wilson said at the time: “For me, it’s like graduating from school.” The show was in the Nielsen ratings’ 10 most popular shows for its first five seasons, and in the top five for three of those years.
The two men had visible on-camera chemistry, but their personal relationship suffered when Mr. Foxx temporarily left the show in 1974 in a contract dispute. “Sanford and Son” ended its run in the spring of 1977, with the father and son characters still going at each other tooth and nail.
Grady Demond Wilson was born on Oct. 13, 1946, in Valdosta, Ga., just north of the Florida state line, where his mother, Laura (Mitchell) Wilson, a school dietitian in New York, was staying with her parents. Demond grew up in Harlem, where his father, Grady Wilson, was a tailor.
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After Army service in the Vietnam War, for which he received the Bronze Star Medal, he made his screen debut in a memorable 1971 episode of Norman Lear’s hit situation comedy “All in the Family.” Mr. Wilson and Cleavon Little played burglars hiding out at the house of the main character, Archie Bunker, making pointed comments to the Bunkers on topics like poverty, father figures and police brutality. Mr. Wilson’s character mentions an acquaintance who “was running for a bus, and the cop fired a warning shot — in his head.”
In his first film, “The Organization” (1971), a crime drama starring Sidney Poitier, Mr. Wilson was part of a group of young urban revolutionaries trying to stop heroin traffickers. His second, “Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues” (1972), was a comic drama about a mishap in marijuana transport.
After “Sanford and Son,” Mr. Wilson starred in two more series. On “Baby … I’m Back!” (CBS, 1977-78), he was a husband who went on the run from loan sharks for seven years and was now home, trying to force a reconciliation with his wife and children. On “The New Odd Couple” (ABC, 1982-83), a reboot of the 1970s sitcom with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, based on Neil Simon’s play about two mismatched divorced roommates, Mr. Wilson was Oscar Madison, the decidedly more casual guy, opposite Ron Glass’s neatnik Felix Unger.
At age 12 or so, Mr. Wilson suffered a ruptured appendix and almost died. He made a secret promise at the time that he would eventually devote his life to God. Growing up Roman Catholic, he briefly considered the priesthood, but he was also influenced by the Pentecostal services he sometimes attended with his grandmother. In the 1980s, Mr. Wilson was ordained as a minister in the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal-Holiness denomination, and began devoting his time to evangelism.
He wrote “The New Age Millennium: An Exposé of Symbols, Slogans and Hidden Agendas” (1998). Later, he published an autobiography, “Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memoirs of the Sanford & Son Years” (2009), and several children’s books.
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He did not give up acting completely, however. He appeared in two comedy films, “Me and the Kid” (1993) and “Hammerlock” (2000), and for two seasons (2004-5) on UPN’s “Girlfriends,” he was Persia White’s long-lost birth father. Mr. Wilson’s last screen appearance was as a high-court judge’s ailing father in “Eleanor’s Bench” (2023).
He married Cicely Johnston, a model, in 1974. She survives him, as do their six children, Christopher, Nicole, Melissa, Sarah, Tabatha and Demond Jr.; and two grandchildren.
Mr. Wilson often talked about his disillusionment with show business. “We’ve left the rat race and false people behind,” he told The Los Angeles Times in 1986, being interviewed in and near a church where he was giving the sermon that night.
“It wasn’t challenging,” he said of the films and television series he did. “And it was emotionally exhausting because I had to make it appear that I was excited about what I was doing.”
Ultimately, he was dismissive of the decade or so he had devoted to acting. “Hollywood doesn’t mean anything to me,” he said in a 2023 podcast interview. “I went to a factory.”
“For me, that’s what it was — a business,” he said. “I didn’t belong there.”
