Demond Wilson, Beloved ‘Sanford And Son’ Actor, Dies At 79

[ad_1] by Mary Spiller January 31, 2026

The veteran tv and movie actor handed away at his Palm Springs residence following cancer-related problems, based on his household.

Demond Wilson, the actor well known for his function as Lamont Sanford on the groundbreaking NBC sitcom “Sanford and Son,” has died, based on TMZ. He was 79.

Wilson handed away the morning of Jan 30 at his residence in Palm Springs, California, based on his son, Demond Wilson Jr., who confirmed the dying to TMZ. The actor died from problems associated to most cancers, although the precise sort was not disclosed.

“I liked him. He was an amazing man,” his son mentioned.

Born Grady Demond Wilson, the actor rose to nationwide prominence within the Seventies because the levelheaded and long-suffering son of Fred Sanford, portrayed by comic Redd Foxx. “Sanford and Son” aired from 1972 to 1977 and have become one of the influential sitcoms of its period, serving to redefine how Black households and relationships had been depicted on American tv.

Following the present’s success, Wilson continued working steadily in tv. He starred as Raymond Ellis on the NBC sitcom “Child… I’m Again!,” which aired for one season, and later took on a number one function in ABC’s “The New Odd Couple” in 1982, one other short-lived collection that nonetheless showcased his vary as a comedic actor.

Wilson additionally appeared in movie, together with the 1993 comedy “Me and the Child,” marking one in all his most notable big-screen roles. Although his performing profession slowed in later years, he returned to the display for his remaining efficiency within the 2023 drama “Eleanor’s Bench,” closing a profession that spanned greater than 5 a long time.

Past particular person performances, Wilson usually mirrored on the cultural significance of Sanford and Son and the legacy he shared with Foxx. In his 2009 autobiography, he emphasised the present’s historic function in tv historical past.

“Redd and I had been making historical past again in these days,” Wilson wrote, as reported by The Solar. “We had been the primary Blacks to be on tv in that capability and we opened the door for all these different exhibits that got here after us.”

That partnership helped pave the best way for future generations of Black-led sitcoms, reshaping community tv within the course of.

After stepping away from performing for practically 20 years, Wilson centered on writing, ministry, and private pursuits earlier than making his temporary return to movie late in life. His work stays a cornerstone of American tv historical past, remembered each for its humor and its cultural affect.