‘Sanford and Son’ star Grady Demond Wilson dies at 79 in California

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA: Demond Wilson, the actor who became a familiar face to millions of television viewers in the 1970s, has died. He was 79.

Wilson passed away Friday morning, January 30, at his home in Palm Springs, California after complications related to cancer, his son Demond Wilson Jr. confirmed to TMZ. The specific type of cancer was not disclosed.

“I loved him. He was a great man,” Wilson Jr told TMZ.

A career defined by television stardom

Born Grady Demond Wilson, the actor found lasting fame as Lamont Sanford on NBC’s hit sitcom 'Sanford and Son', where he starred opposite Redd Foxx from 1972 to 1977.

His portrayal of the level-headed son to Foxx’s irascible Fred Sanford helped anchor the show during its most successful years.

After 'Sanford and Son' ended, Wilson continued working steadily in television.

He went on to star as Raymond Ellis in the short-lived CBS sitcom 'Baby… I’m Back!' and later took on a lead role in 'The New Odd Couple', which aired for one season in the early 1980s.

Wilson also appeared in film, including the 1993 movie 'Me and the Kid'. After stepping away from acting for nearly two decades, he returned briefly to the screen in 2023 with a role in the drama 'Eleanor’s Bench', according to IMDb.

Wilson's career spanned several eras of television, leaving behind a body of work closely tied to one of sitcom history’s most enduring shows.

A life of challenges and transformation

Grady Demond Wilson was born on October 13, 1946, in Valdosta, Georgia. Raised in Harlem, he appeared on Broadway at age 4 alongside William Marshall and Ossie Davis in a revival of 'The Green Pastures' and danced at the Apollo Theater by age 12.

He studied acting at the American Community Theater and Hunter College before being drafted into the US Army.

Serving with the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam, he was wounded in combat. After completing his 13-month tour in 1968, he returned to the stage, appearing in several off-Broadway productions.

In the 1980s, Wilson overcame an admitted c*****e addiction, sold his Beverly Hills home and was ordained as an interdenominational minister.

“I love preaching the gospel more than anything I’ve ever done,” he had said back then. 

“I’m happier now. Even when you have everything like clothes, jewelry, a nice house- it doesn’t bring joy. I was like Jonah, running from the Lord,” he added.