Lynn Hamilton, Actress on ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘The Waltons,’ Dies at 95

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Actress Lynn Hamilton, known for her roles as the girlfriend of Redd Foxx’s character on Sanford and Son and neighborly Miss Verdie on The Waltons, has passed away at the age of 95.

On Thursday, Hamilton passed away at her residence in Chicago due to natural reasons, as confirmed by her ex-manager and spokesperson, Reverend Calvin Carson, to The Hollywood Reporter.

Hamilton played the role of Vivian Potter, the matriarch, in the NBC daytime drama ‘Generations’ that aired from 1989 to 1991. Unfortunately for the show, it went head-to-head against the ratings powerhouse, ‘The Young and the Restless’, on CBS. Additionally, Hamilton portrayed Cissie Johnson, one of the former convicts, in the syndicated nighttime soap opera ‘Dangerous Women’ from 1991 to 1992.

Apart from that, she appeared in the 1979 miniseries titled “Roots: The Next Generations” portraying Cousin Georgia Anderson. Additionally, she made regular appearances on NBC’s sitcom “227”, playing Emma Johnson, a character known for her sharp tongue. On ABC’s “The Practice”, she took on the role of a judge.

The actress, hailing from Chicago, first graced the silver screen in John Cassavetes’ film “Shadows” (1959), followed by appearances in various other movies such as “Brother John” (1971) and “Buck and the Preacher” (1972), both featuring Sidney Poitier, “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972), “Leadbelly” (1976), and “Legal Eagles” (1986).

Hamilton made her debut on the seventh episode of NBC’s “Sanford and Son” in February 1972. She portrayed a landlady who gave Lamont Sanford, played by Demond Wilson, a tough time after he moved into his own bachelor pad following an argument with his father, Fred (Foxx).

The producers were extremely impressed with one particular scene and about a month or two later, they chose to introduce Fred Sanford with a girlfriend, as mentioned by Hamilton in a 2009 interview. When she was hired to portray registered nurse Donna Harris, Foxx, known for his bawdy humor, informed her that the show required someone dignified to contrast him, as he was conscious of his earthly qualities.

From 1977, she dedicated herself to the sitcom. During this time, Donna and Fred became engaged, but they didn’t end up getting married. This arrangement suited Lamont just fine, as he would mock her by referring to her as “The Shark.

During her stint on “Sanford and Son”, Hamilton first appeared on “The Waltons” in February 1973, specifically in the 21st episode of the CBS drama titled “The Scholar”. In this episode, John-Boy (played by Richard Thomas) provided reading and writing lessons to Hamilton’s character, with her daughter being close to graduating from college. Notably, this episode earned a screenwriting Emmy for John McGreevey.

Verdie made an appearance in 16 more episodes of the series before 1981, eventually marrying Harley Foster, a character portrayed by Hal Williams, who was also known for his roles in ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘227’. Additionally, she starred in ‘Waltons’ holiday specials in 1993 and 1997.

Born on the 25th of April, 1930, in the small town of Yazoo City, Mississippi, I was Alzenia Lynn Hamilton – a gamer yet to embrace the digital age. When I was just four, my parents, Nancy and Louis, whisked our family away to bustling Chicago. There, I walked the halls of Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, laying the foundation for a life that would be filled with countless adventures, both real and imagined.

Hamilton went through some acting training at the Goodman School of Drama and earned her degree, yet she found herself as the sole African-American actor within her class, leading to a lack of roles available for her, as she expressed.

Yet, she accumulated acting skills with a theater group based on the South Side, and following her relocation to New York in 1956, she featured in “Shadows” and four plays on Broadway that didn’t last long: “Only in America” (1959), “The Cool World” and “Face of a Hero” (both in 1960), and “Tambourines to Glory” (1963).

In the late 50s and early 60s, Hamilton performed Shakespeare’s works for producer Joseph Papp on a global tour with plays like “The Miracle Worker” and “The Skin of Our Teeth”. This was part of President Kennedy’s cultural exchange program. Later in 1966, he became a member of the Seattle Repertory Theatre.

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Hamilton took on Shakespeare roles for producer Joseph Papp, touring worldwide with productions such as “The Miracle Worker” and “The Skin of Our Teeth”, under President Kennedy’s cultural exchange program in the 50s and 60s. In 1966, he joined forces with the Seattle Repertory Theatre.

After failing to secure a role in the 1968 production of “Funny Girl”, she chose to stay in Los Angeles. This decision led her to secure roles on various television shows such as “Room 222”, “Mannix”, “Gunsmoke”, “The Rockford Files”, “Quincy M.E.”, “The Golden Girls”, “NYPD Blue”, “Judging Amy” and “Cold Case”.

Hamilton was wedded to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins (from the book “Driving While Black in Beverly Hills”) from 1964 until his passing at the age of 89 in 2014, after which she returned to Chicago; together, they worked on numerous stage productions.

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2025-06-21 22:25