Veteran television actress Lynn Hamilton, known for her memorable roles in The Waltons and Sanford & Son, has died at her Chicago home at the age of 95. She died of natural causes on June 19, her former manager and publicist, Rev. Calvin Carson, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Hamilton portrayed Donna Harris, the girlfriend of Redd Foxx’s Fred Sanford, in Sanford & Son, a role written specifically for her after an impressive day-player performance. She also played Verdie Grant Foster, the Waltons’ neighbour and close friend, in the long-running CBS family drama The Waltons.
Born on April 25, 1930, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Hamilton moved to Chicago with her family as a child. Her stage career began in New York, where she appeared on Broadway in productions including Only in America and Face of a Hero. She later joined the Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1966.
Hamilton also starred as Vivian Potter in NBC’s soap opera Generations and appeared in Dangerous Women alongside Katherine Justice and Casper Van Dien. Her extensive television career included recurring roles in 227, Sunset Beach, and The Practice, with additional appearances in shows such as Cold Case, NYPD Blue, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Golden Girls.
In a 2009 interview, she reflected on her casting in Sanford & Son, explaining that the showrunners needed someone “dignified” to balance Fred Sanford’s brash personality.
Hamilton is survived by a lasting legacy in American television. She was married to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins from 1964 until his passing in 2014.
