Demond Wilson, Sanford and Son Actor, Dies at 79

Demond Wilson, the actor best known for his role as Lamont Sanford on the groundbreaking 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son, died Friday at his home in Palm Springs, California. He was 79.

Wilson's son, Demond Wilson Jr., confirmed the death to TMZ, attributing it to complications from cancer. The specific type of cancer was not disclosed. "I loved him. He was a great man," Wilson Jr. said.

Born Grady Demond Wilson on October 13, 1946, in Valdosta, Georgia, he grew up in New York City and began performing as a child. He made his Broadway debut early on and danced at Harlem's Apollo Theater during his teenage years. Before pursuing acting full time, Wilson served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, where he was wounded.

Upon returning to the United States, Wilson continued with stage work, including Broadway and off-Broadway productions. His television career took off with a guest appearance in a 1971 episode of CBS's All in the Family. That led to his casting as Lamont Sanford, the patient son to Redd Foxx's irascible junk dealer Fred G. Sanford, on NBC's Sanford and Son. The series, which aired from 1972 to 1977, drew from the British comedy Steptoe and Son and became a cultural...