Lynn Hamilton, the actress known for her roles on the TV shows Sanford and Son and The Waltons, has passed away at the age of 95. According to her former manager and publicist, Rev. Calvin Carson, Hamilton died of natural causes on Thursday at her home in Chicago.
Lynn Hamilton was a talented American actress best known for her role as Donna Harris, Fred Sanford’s girlfriend, on the hit 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son. She also played Verdie Grant Foster, a schoolteacher, on the long-running family drama The Waltons. Born on April 25, 1929, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Hamilton moved to Chicago as a child. She attended high school there and later studied acting at Goodman Theatre. Her career began on stage before she transitioned to television and film.
Hamilton’s big break came in 1972 when she joined the cast of Sanford and Son. Her role as Donna Harris earned her widespread recognition and made her a familiar face to TV audiences. In the 1980s, she continued to impress viewers with her heartfelt performance on The Waltons, where she played one of the few Black characters on the show.
Over the years, she appeared in many other popular shows, including Roots: The Next Generations, Gunsmoke, The Golden Girls, and Touched by an Angel. She also acted in films like Buck and the Preacher and Lady Sings the Blues.
According to her IMDb, Hamilton’s final acting role was a guest appearance on an episode of Cold Case in 2009.
Hamilton was married to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins from 1964 until his passing in 2014. Together, they worked on several theater projects, including the play Nobody: The Bert Williams Story.
According to the New York Post, Hamilton’s publicist Carson said “Hamilton and Jenkins’ partnership is a shining example of creativity, love, and dedication.”
