Entertainment
Lynn Hamilton, Sanford and Son and The Waltons Actress, Dies at 95: ‘Her Legacy Will Continue to Inspire and Uplift’
NEED TO KNOW
- Lynn Hamilton, best known for her role as Donna Harris on Sanford and Son, has died at age 95
- Hamilton died on June 19, according to her former publicist and manager, who acknowledged her “extraordinary life”
- “Her illustrious career, spanning over five decades, has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment,” Rev. Calvin Carson wrote in social media tribute to Hamilton
Lynn Hamilton, the actress who played Donna Harris on the beloved ’70s sitcom Sanford and Son, has died. She was 95.
Hamilton died on Thursday, June 19, of natural causes, her former manager and publicist, Rev. Calvin Carson announced on Instagram and Facebook. Hamilton added that she was “surrounded by her grandchildren, loved ones and caregivers.”
“With profound gratitude and admiration, we celebrate the extraordinary life of iconic actress Alzenia ‘Lynn’ Hamilton-Jenkins, whose remarkable legacy continues to uplift and inspire,” Carson wrote in his statement. “Her illustrious career, spanning over five decades, has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment, motivating audiences across the globe through her work as a model, stage, film and television actress.”
Some of Hamilton’s most notable works — aside from her recurring stint as Fred Sanford’s fiancée on Sanford and Son — included her appearances on The Waltons, Roots: The Next Generation, NBC’s Generations and nighttime soap opera Dangerous Women.
Hamilton — who was born in Yazoo City, Miss., and studied acting at Chicago’s Goodman School of Drama — made her film debut in John Cassavetes’ Shadows in 1959, per IMDB. Her other early film roles include 1971’s Brother John, 1972’s Buck and the Preacher and Lady Sings the Blues.
Her most popular role came as part Sanford and Son, for which she eventually played Donna following an initial seven-episode appearance as a landlady. She went on to appear in the series through 1977.
“They were so impressed with that one scene that, oh, a month or so later they decided to give Fred Sanford a girlfriend,” she said in a 2009 interview, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I among, I don’t know, 100 other actresses in Hollywood auditioned. We had a screen test … He was impressed with my experience. He always said, ‘You’re so dignified and I need somebody dignified opposite me.’ ”
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Around that time, she made her debut in The Waltons in 1973, before appearing in multiple additional episodes through 1981 as Verdie Foster.
Per Carson’s announcement, Hamilton also collaborated with her husband, playwright Frank Jenkins, on multiple productions including Nobody: The Bert Williams Story. The couple’s partnership “was a shining example of creativity, love, and dedication,” per Carson.
Hamilton’s career also included appearances in four Broadway plays in the late ’50s and early ’60s, as well as TV appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Gunsmoke, The Golden Girls, NYPD Blue and beyond.
“Her passing marks the end of an era, but her legacy will continue to inspire and uplift future generations,” Carson wrote on social media.
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