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Demond Wilson, Lamont on ‘Sanford and Son,’ Dies at 79

Tributes highlight his Sanford and Son breakthrough alongside a later vocation in ministry.

Overview

  • He died on Jan. 30 at his home in California’s Coachella Valley, with his son and publicist confirming cancer-related complications.
  • The specific cancer type has not been disclosed, and the Los Angeles Times reported he died in his sleep.
  • Wilson rose to fame as Lamont Sanford on NBC’s Sanford and Son (1972–1977) after early stage work and guest TV roles.
  • A Vietnam veteran wounded in action, he became an ordained minister in the 1980s and founded Restoration House to support former inmates.
  • He is survived by his wife, Cicely Johnston, and six children; his final screen credit was the 2023 drama Eleanor’s Bench.