Lynn Hamilton (actress)

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For other people with the same name, see Lynn Hamilton (disambiguation).
Lynn Hamilton
Lynn Hamilton.jpg
Hamilton attending The Waltons 40th Anniversary celebration, 2012.
Born (1930-04-25) April 25, 1930 (age 91)
Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1952–2010
Known forDonna Harris – Sanford and Son
Spouse(s)
Frank S. Jenkins
​
​
(m. 1964; died 2014)​
Children1

Lynn Hamilton (born April 25, 1930) is an American former actress whose acting debut came in 1959 in John Cassavetes' Shadows, She is best known for her recurring role as Donna Harris; Fred's girlfriend and later fiancée on the sitcom Sanford and Son (1972 - 1977).

Early years[]

Hamilton was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, to Nancy[1] and Louis Hamilton and moved to Chicago Heights, Illinois, when she was twelve years old.[2] She attended Bloom High School.[1][3] She studied acting at Goodman Theatre.[4]

Career[]

Hamilton began her career in community theatre in Chicago and debuted on Broadway in Only in America in 1959.[5] She appeared in three other Broadway plays, many Off-Broadway plays and spent three years with the New York Shakespeare Festival.[4]

From 1972 to 1977, Hamilton starred as Fred Sanford's girlfriend and later fiancée Donna Harris on the television sitcom Sanford and Son. Donna was a nurse and sometimes took care of Fred. When the show returned in 1980 under a reworked title Sanford (TV series), Hamilton was not asked to return and her character was written out of the series.[6][7] There are many internet claims that she was the younger sister of actress LaWanda Page, who portrayed Esther Anderson on Sanford and Son, confirmed only via LaWanda Page's obituary in the Los Angeles Times. However, they are neither related nor sisters, though they became good friends.[8] In addition to Hamilton's role on Sanford and Son, she also had a recurring role as Verdie Grant Foster on The Waltons,[6] and made numerous appearances in television sitcoms, soap operas and miniseries such as Good Times, 227, Dangerous Women, Generations, Port Charles, The Golden Girls, Gunsmoke (guest starring as ”Mother Tabitha” in the 1969 episode “The Sisters” (S15E14), and Roots: The Next Generations. Hamilton also appeared in the show Barnaby Jones, playing a character named Laura Padget, in episode titled "Sunday:Doomsday" on February 4, 1973. Hamilton also had a recurring role as Judge Fulton on The Practice.

Personal life[]

Hamilton was married to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins for 49 years, from November 1964 until his death in August 2014.[3][9] LaWanda Page, who costarred with Hamilton on Sanford and Son had a younger sister coincidentally also named "Lynn Hamilton". This caused a rumor that the two actresses were sisters. Series lead Demond Wilson confirmed the rumor to be false in 2016.[10]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
1958 Shadows Girl at Party
1971 Brother John Sarah
1971 The Seven Minutes Avis
1972 Buck and the Preacher Sarah
1972 Lady Sings the Blues Aunt Ida
1972-1977 Sanford and Son Donna Harris (Main Role)
1974 Hangup Mrs. Ramsey
1976 Leadbelly Sally Ledbetter
1984 The Jesse Owens Story Mamma Solomon TV movie
1985-1990 227 (TV Series) Emma Johnson (recurring roll)
1986 Legal Eagles Doreen
1993 The Vanishing Miss Carmichael
2003 Beah: A Black Woman Speaks Dr. Oberholser

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Je". Johnson Publishing Company. 4 November 1976. Retrieved 11 December 2021 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Boguszeeski, Deborah (1 March 1987). "Veteran actress Hamilton returns to share excitement of live theater". Harvey Star. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b Company, Johnson Publishing (1976). Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. p. 63. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Struggle pays off: Role in "Sanford and Son" big break for actress who's worked long, hard". Avalanche Journal. Newspaper Enterprise Association. 8 October 1972. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  5. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (1959). Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. p. 64. Retrieved 11 November 2017. lynn hamilton actress.
  6. ^ a b Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2009). The A to Z of African-American Television. Scarecrow Press. p. 181. ISBN 9780810863484. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Lynn Hamilton plays women of every age". Kenosha News. 19 January 1974. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  8. ^ [1][dead link]
  9. ^ "Frank S. Jenkins's Obituary on Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Demond Wilson of 'Sanford and Son' calls America 'a corporation,' not a country". The Washington Times. Retrieved 11 December 2021.

External links[]

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