Lynn Hamilton, the actress known for her roles in “Sanford and Son” and “The Waltons,” died on Thursday at the age of 95. She passed away from natural causes at her home in Chicago. Hamilton was born on April 25, 1930, in Yazoo City, Mississippi.
She moved to Chicago Heights when she was 11 and later studied acting at Goodman Theater. In 1956, she relocated to New York, where she made her Broadway debut in the play “Only in America” and her film debut in the 1959 drama “Shadows.”
Hamilton first appeared on “Sanford and Son” in the seventh episode as a landlady. This led to a recurring role as Donna Harris, Fred Sanford’s girlfriend and later fiancée.
She recalled in an interview, “I, among, I don’t know, 100 other actresses in Hollywood auditioned. We had a screen test.
Hamilton’s distinguished career remembered
He [Redd Foxx] was impressed with my experience. He always said, ‘You’re so dignified and I need somebody dignified opposite me.'”
Hamilton starred on “Sanford and Son” from 1972 to 1977. She made her first appearance as Verdie on “The Waltons” in 1973, a role that lasted until 1981.
Her other television credits included “The Golden Girls,” “Dangerous Women,” “Generations,” “NYPD Blue,” “Port Charles,” “The Practice,” “Moesha,” and “Judging Amy.”
Her film credits included “Leadbelly” (1976), “The Jesse Owens Story” (1984), “Legal Eagles” (1986), “The Vanishing” (1993), and “Beah: A Black Woman Speaks” (2003). Hamilton’s final acting gig was in one episode of “Cold Case” in 2009. Hamilton was married to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins from 1964 until his death in 2014.
The couple collaborated on various theater productions, including the play “Nobody: The Bert Williams Story.”
Hamilton is survived by her grandchildren and loved ones who were by her side when she passed away. Her former manager and publicist, Rev. Calvin Carson, stated, “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.”
