Demond Wilson, who discovered fame within the Nineteen Seventies taking part in Lamont on “Sanford and Son” and went on to develop into a minister, has died. He was 79.
Mark Goldman, a publicist for Wilson, confirmed to The Associated (*79*) that he died following issues from most cancers on Friday.
“A devoted father, actor, author, and minister, Demond lived a life rooted in faith, service, and compassion. Through his work on screen, his writing, and his ministry, he sought to uplift others and leave a meaningful impact on the communities he served,” Goldman stated in an emailed assertion.
Wilson was finest often known as the son of Redd Foxx’s comically cantankerous Fred Sanford character in a sitcom that was among the many first to characteristic a largely Black forged when it started airing in 1972.
The considerate Lamont needed to put up together with his junkyard proprietor father’s schemes, bigotry and insults — most famously, and repeatedly, “You big dummy!”
The present was a success for its six seasons on NBC however ended when ABC provided Foxx a spread present.
Wilson was born in Valdosta, Georgia, and grew up within the Harlem part of Manhattan, in accordance with the biography on his web site.
He served within the U.S. Army in Vietnam and was wounded there, and he returned to New York and acted on stage earlier than heading to Hollywood.
A visitor look on “All in the Family” in 1971 led to his best-known position. Norman Lear produced each reveals.
Wilson informed AP in 2022 that he received the position over comic Richard Pryor.
“I said, ‘C’mon, you can’t put a comedian with a comedian. You’ve got to have a straight man,’” he stated he informed the producers.
After “Sanford and Son” ended, Wilson starred within the shorter-lived comedies “Baby I’m Back” and “The New Odd Couple.” He later appeared in 4 episodes of the present “Girlfriends” within the 2000s, together with a handful of film roles.
Though he returned to the display at occasions, he informed the Los Angeles Times in 1986 that the appearing life was not for him: “It wasn’t challenging. And it was emotionally exhausting because I had to make it appear that I was excited about what I was doing.”
Wilson grew to become a minister within the Nineteen Eighties.
He is survived by his spouse, Cicely Wilson, and their six youngsters.