target_type: 'mix' He is an actor, known for Sanford and Son (1972), Mission: Impossible (1966) and Eleanor's Bench. As his acting career was blossoming, Uncle Sam Southern upbringing lives with his wife of 36 years, Cicely. My youngest daughters about to receive her masters [degree] she just got her first Mercedes. . Though Lamont . . I was never part of Hollywood. and becomes a homeless drunk. I have to say after speaking with him I gained Wilson left Sanford and Son to portray Raymond Ellis in BabyIm Back! He was right. Thats over. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. everybody was your brother. Between appearances on Broadway and growing up in I never confronted him or broached the subject of why. My shows are shown in 40 countries, my books are selling around the world and Ive done several movies and I get residuals. episode of All In The Family. His . Chiefly Sanford & Sonthat is a part of Pop Culture.. Demond Wilson (left) (as Lamont Sanford) with Redd Foxx (bottom right) (as Fred Sanford) in 1972. and showcasing his medals. UCW Radio Show. Says Wilson of the project: "I play a broken down old drunk whose wife and daughter are killed and he's given up on life. Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by NIKE SQ 460, Aug 5, 2010. He would also dance at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem at the age of twelve. role that would forever change his life. The actress maintained her character in the show's spinoffs too. Sanford And Son logo on the side. [4] He appeared in the film Me and the Kid (1993).[5][6]. In addition, Wilson returned to his theater roots and, in 2011, went on tour with actress Nina Nicole to put on a production of The Measure of a Man, a faith-based production set in Georgia. Tweets by @louisvelazquez In Palm Desert, the Southern Californian with a Wilson was raised Catholic, but he would rekindle his relationship with God in 1982 when nearing rock bottom. Ray Ellis returns to his wife after seven . Demond is most likely known for his role as LamontSanford on the legendary television show Sanford and Son, which was a very important show to me growing up, for so many different reasons. 13, 1946. Demond Wilson was born in Valdosta, Ga., on Oct. During an interview with The Washington Times in 2016, Wilson opened up about his and Foxx's real-life relationship and admitted that it was similar to their onscreen relationship: "The same relationship you saw in those 120-some episodes was the relationship I had with Redd." Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford on "Sanford and Son." | Photo: Getty Images This show taught me so much about race, relationships, and really just comedy in general. Perhaps a few like this; "Do you still work for your father's junk shop? Similarly, Wilson shared that he knew enough about his character, Lamont, to call on him for a scene, but he felt he had not realized the character's full potential. Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. - Apr 15, 1985 . Published: May. Fantastic sit-com and in 2020 still enjoying the bantering between a Helen MARTIN and Demond WILSON. 3 talking about this. Check out Demond's company, The Perfect Performance! "Demond Wilson is one of the classiest Demond Wilson is most known for playing the son, Lamont Sanford, in the TV series "Sanford and Son" during the 70s. Through his career and after his time on the beloved TV show, Wilson took it upon himself to debunk false information and rumors about his costars. (Not for me to act in). Calling it quits.. I never did. Demond is perhaps best recognized for his role as Lamont Sanford opposite Redd Foxx, who played junkman Fred G. Sanford on the NBC-TV sitcom Sanford and Son. relocated to New York, where the future TV star began acting on-stage at the age He was an altar boy and used to spend summer with his Pentecostal grandmother in Georgia. Follow us onTwitter. Actor: Sanford and Son. Hes also led a prison ministry. When NBC failed to provide the raise, Wilson left as well, taking a role in a CBS sitcom called Baby, Im Back! He became obsessed with the Bible and spirituality. unforgettable opening, complete with a catchy Quincy Jones theme song, features He says that I remember years ago, someone asked Larry King who the worst interview he ever had was withLarry said Demond Wilson, that whenever Larry would ask a question, Demond would give one-word answersLarry also told about the actor that played "Maude's" husband, can't recall the name, but he was drunk, and removed all of his clothes during an interview with King. Read it now. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, The mix-up was probably caused by the fact that Page does have a sister named Lynn Hamilton. A great actor by profession Demond Wilson and a celebrity wags Cicely Johnston were tied their knots on 3rd May 1974. read for anyone that truly wants to know how he and Redd Foxx paved the way for TELEVISION ACADEMY and ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES are registered trademarks of ATAS. Talk show host Larry King told People magazine his toughest interviews were Demond Wilson, who starred in the TV series "Sanford and Son," and actor Robert Mitchum. He was twenty-five years old at the time. Jackson, S.C., Ft. Lee, Va., and Ft. Gordon, Ga. Vietnam was his ultimate My parents recognized I was talented as a toddler and placed me in the Hoskins School of Culture which specialized in dance/elocution which led to radio spots at the age of 8 and later a Broadway show. Wilson briefly took the lead, along with Whitman Mayos Grady, when Foxx left Sanford and Sons over a salary dispute in 1974, but the dispute was settled and Foxx returned shortly thereafter. Demond revealed in an interview with TheSevenSunny that he is also the grandfather of three grandchildren. Redd Foxx and . You can see the warmth in our later shows.. Foxx would attempt to bring Sanford and Son back in 1981, but Wilson declined to reprise his role and so it aired for two short seasons and was titled just Sanford. Wilson has said, "It's just a documented truth, behind the scenes factual account of what happened during those years. Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. A couple months later I got a call fromBud Yorkin(Norman Lears partner) who said, I got a show I want you to do. (LogOut/ I told Redd, and I told the producers, I will do the show as long as Redd wants to. Winifred Hervey on working with the stars of, Norman Lear on how he got NBC to buy the show, Bernie Orenstein on the dynamic between Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson as "Fred Sanford" and "Lamont Sanford" on, Saul Turteltaub on working with Demond Wilson on, Saul Turteltaub on Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson's chemistry on, Editorial Calendar and Production Schedule, The Power of TV: Representing Climate Change On Screen, Join us for the 2023 Media Educators Conference, Under the Cover with Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, Picture Editors Peer Group Appreciation Mixer, Art Directors/Set Decorators Peer Group Appreciation Mixer, Academy Releases Annual Transparency Report on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Recipients of 16th Television Academy Honors Announced, Celebrity Presenters for 42nd College Television Awards Announced, The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, Student Work Shines at the 42nd College Television Awards. falsehoods about Wilson, rumors that he addresses in the new book. It turns out Wilson was following in the footsteps of his onscreen father, as Foxx had done the same thing the previous year and won a salary increase. Wilson was born in Valdosta, Georgia, in 1946, and grew up in New York City, where he studied tap dance and ballet. After a tour of duty in Vietnam that he says "hardened" him, the decorated veteran returned home and resumed his performing career. Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memoirs of the Sanford & Son Years. 59:01. he went through as he and Redd Foxx laid the groundwork for other African All of which will be discussed in this wonderfully candid interview we have to share with you all today. Im Here are excerpts from that interview: I had had it after the third year of Sanford and Son. He portrayed Lamont Sanford, the son of Fred Sanford (played by Redd Foxx) in the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son (1972-77), and Oscar Madison in The New Odd Couple (1982-83). His parents were South Georgia natives. Wilson driving around in a beat-up 1951 Ford pickup truck, emblazoned with a Saul Turteltaub on Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson's chemistry on Sanford and Son and Foxx's skills as an actor. God spoke to my heart and said What will you do for me? and I said Lord, what would you have me do? I wanted the covenant, this contract and I signed it with my spirit and my heart. The 1978 CBS comedy focused on Wilsons character, a compulsive gambler, who has returned after abandoning his family and being declared legally dead in an attempt to win back his wife before she remarries to another man. Sanford And Sonis often called groundbreaking. Do you agree with that assessment? Its reported that Foxx died broke, but Wilson says that hes doing just fine. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He had a flourishing acting career in Hollywood until he abruptly shifted gears and was ordained as a preacher. | Photo: Getty Images. However, the Norman Lear-produced show did require some Wilson also learned that the producers had another possibility in mind to play Lamont. A native of Valdosta, Georgia who grew up in New York City, Wilson got his start at age six, dancing on stage and performing on radio. Foxx returned the following year, and the pair worked together until 1977 when the show was cancelled. She Played 'Millie' On Freaks and Geeks. Demond is most likely known for his role as Lamont Sanford on the legendary television show Sanford and Son, which was a very important show to me growing up, for so many different reasons. Sanford, alongside Missouri comedian Redd Foxx, who played the role of Fred G. I understand that you began performing at a very young age. The last thing that made me smile was the knowledge that the path my life has taken was indeed going in the right direction! Gathered From Coincidence, Surrounded By Brilliance, September 26, 2018 We were the first blacks to be on television in that capacity and we opened the door for all those other shows that came after us."[9][10]. See Angus T. Jones Now At 29. Hes traveled the world to He began in live theater, and was. He had not previously told Wilson of his decision. From the outside looking in though, it is hard not to notice the fact that had it not been for Sanford and Son, we wouldnt know Reverend Wilson today. How did you get along with the other cast members? Since Sanford and Son, Demond has gone on to do some amazing work not only in the world of film and television, but inphilanthropy as well. About rontrembathiiiwrite. If they did a live primetimeSanford And Sonepisode, would you be interested in a cameo? But it wasSanford And Son, based on the British sitcomSteptoe And Son,that broke even greater ground and was an immediate hit. Hamilton, the actress and not Page's sister, played Fred's girlfriend in the British TV show "Steptoe and Son." Demond Wilson was born in Valdosta, Georgia, and grew up in New York City. sitcom, which rose to No. Wilson appeared as a guest in several television series, including Mission: Impossible and All in the Family, and acted in the films The Organization and Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues. Wilsons small screen gigs took a back seat in Wilson was most known for his role as the titular son Lamont Sanford of Sanford and Son, one of the first sitcoms to feature a predominantly African American cast. Demond Wilson wastes no time in getting right to his accounts of happenings behind the scenes on Sanford and Son, as well as his own dealings with NBC producers, celebrities and . Demond Wilson, Lynn Hamilton and LaWanda Page as their characters on "Sandford and Sons," during the 70s. In a 2010 interview in conjunction with his book Second Banana, I asked Demond Wilson who, along with Redd Foxx, were the stars of of the number one rated sitcom on NBC in the 1970s about being a popular guest star on shows like Hollywood Squares and the Dean Martin Roasts. Actor Demond Wilson has done a lot of work on TV and in film but he's still best known for his role opposite Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford's long-suffering son, Lamont Sanford, in the 1970s' NBC sitcom Sanford and Son. A team of mostly Jewish writers penned the show, It outdrew the World Series., Notorious nightclub comicRedd Foxxstarred as junkman Fred G. Sanford, with Wilson as his more progressive son (and partner) Lamont. Were going to go with that. SoGood Times,The Jeffersons,Thats My Mama,Chico And The Manand all these other ethnic shows (got picked up). The play is described as "a faith-based production" and is set in a small town in south Georgia. The anchorman then explained: Dont you read the trades? I was down to asking him, `Well, do you think it's going to rain tomorrow?' Wilson is alive, and his age is 75 years as of 2021. I'm Back! If we had failed, there wouldnt have been any black shows for another decade. I am always curious as to what compelled you to begin working in the world of acting at such a young age? Thats when Redd and I really bonded, because word went back to him that Demond is standing strong, hes standing with you. Wilson apparently did not want to be there, and Mitchum gave one word answers, said King in a 1990 interview. The rising actor played the role of Lamont Unfortunately, the show ended after six years of filming, and it was a decision that took Wilson by surprise, as Foxx had expressed in a press conference that he planned to exit the show. Besides the NBC sitcom, Wilson has a few other acting credits, including the film "Me and The Kid" (1993) and the 80s TV show "The New Odd Couple," in which he played the character Oscar Madison. America. They are awarding me a special comedy TV award at the 2nd Annual LOL award ceremony. Rachael Leigh Cook Says It Was A Huge Mistake To Pass On This Superhero Movie, Leonardo DiCaprios Worst Movie Is So Terrible It Has a 0% Rotten Tomatoes Score, This Rock Icon Was On An Episode Of DS9 And Many Star Trek Fans Had No Idea, The True Story of Why James Cameron Tried To Disown His First Movie, 5 Highly Underrated Futurama Episodes That Many Fans Have Overlooked. performance on the Carroll OConnor comedy, and invited him to audition for a In 19801981, Foxx attempted to revive the show with the short-lived sitcom Sanford, but Wilson refused to reprise his role for the new series. Wilson has been married to the former model Cicely Johnston[1] since May 3, 1974. getTV is a trademark of CPT Holdings, Inc. 2023 CPE US Networks III Inc. All rights reserved. the fall of 1971, and debuted to impressive ratings on Jan. 14, 1972. 27, No. EBONY is the flagship magazine of Johnson Publishing. Leave a comment. Life is not always sweet but its bitter also, Wilson says. So, during his time on the NBC hit Sanford and Son, Ted Bergman was occasionally corrected by star Redd Foxx and the mostly Black cast for asking them to do or say something that Black people probably wouldn't say or do. I got along with Bubba (Don Bexley), Rollo (Nathaniel Taylor)andWhitman Mayo,who played Grady. never addicted to cocaine, and he didnt become angry and chase Lear down the Wilson's primary source of income is his career as an actor, paster, and author. 'Snowfall' Withdrawal: See The Original Actors That John Singleton Casted, Prom Rundown: Erica Dixon And Tammy Riveras Daughters Nailed Their Prom Looks, The Fall Of Franklin: 'Snowfall' Finale Told Its Best Life Lesson With Lead Star's Demise, North Carolina Police Investigating Viral Fight Between Student and Substitute Teacher, Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who Weve Lost In 2023, Janet Jackson & Jermaine Dupri Get Touchy Backstage of ATL Concert [Video], Simone Biles Marries Houston Texans Jonathan Owens, Bitter Twitter Arrives With Hate, Protect Our Recipes: Black Twitter Forms Like Voltron To Keep Oxtail Out of Colonizers Freezers, https://blackamericaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/03/031115wilson.mp3. I dont do movies. He would also dance at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem at the age of twelve. Nothing was real. Sanford and Son premiered a year after Lear's All in the Family and overlapped in years with The Jeffersons. [emailprotected] or UCW Radio He explained he was frustrated by people online misquoting the show, and a rumor of Hamilton and Page being sisters was the newest and "most ridiculous thing ever. The talented cast of the popular show made an impact on viewer's . About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . ", Lynn Hamilton (sitting) and LaWanda Page (front right) as their characters on "Sanford and Son." In a 2002 JET article about Page's death, the outlet named a "Lynn Hamilton" as her sister. because you have to depend on each other to stay alive.. The staunchest redneck racist became your brother, Other characters on the show included Lynn Hamilton, who played Donna Harris, and LaWanda Page, who played Esther Anderson. At age 25, Wilson was already a veteran performer. Talking about tall dark and handsome. I was burnt out. Wilson returned to America after Vietnam and resumed the acting career he began as a child, featuring in a variety of Broadway and off-Broadway stage productions before moving to Hollywood to pursue television and film. I have three grandchildren and I live a very quiet, productive life. Wilson revealed that he found out about Foxx's exit when an anchorman from the studio asked him how he felt about the end of an era, and Wilson did not know what he was talking about. You walked away from performing career in 1984. We never had a beef until he walked away from the show, put it in the paper, and didnt say anything to me about it. He loved to go fishing for catfish in the local creek, and along with 207 Listens. I want you to star opposite Redd Foxx. I said, Is this a joke? That's sad. That's Demond Wilson, aka Lamont Sanford! The couple tied the knot in 1972. [5] [6] Early life and career Redd had a press conference, and hes calling it off. A native of Valdosta, Georgia who grew up in New York City, Wilson got his start at age six, dancing on stage and performing on radio. one of the stars of the hit TV sitcom of the 1970's, "Sanford & Son" on the 136 pages. Wilson would only appear in three more roles to date 1993s Me and the Kid, 2000s Hammerlock, and a TV series called Girlfriends which featured Wilson in four episodes between 2004 and 2005. The series followed the titular Sanford, an LA-based junk dealer, and his son Lamont, portrayed by Demond Wilson, as they hatched harebrained schemes to get rich quick. hibernation, where hes combined his love of the Lord with acting in the BabyIm Back! ", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDhGvK75Cik&feature=player_embedded#, Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. But, Wilson's real-life story is a little different who has faced a lot of major ups and downs from one time $40,000 weekly earning with a Rolls-Royce in the driveway to heavy cocaine addiction to an unusual move as . Wilson began acting after serving in the Army's 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968, when he was wounded and discharged as a decorated veteran. the 1971 Sidney Poitier film The Organization, which was filmed in San be listen to by many people wondering what is that disconnect in today's Whenever I see him its a lovefest. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; At the remarkably young age of four, Wilson made his Broadway debut. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. Onstage is Demond Wilson, Redd Foxx's foil on NBC's Sanford and Son (1972- 77) and now an evangelist. his cousins he sold boiled peanuts at the Valdosta train station. While Foxx was gone, the show filmed segments without him, and when Wilson was gone their filmed two segments without him. 00:22. And then, as quickly as his star had risen, he traded it in for a life in ministry. I've been a fan of Demond Wilson since his days with Sanford and Son and respect him as an actor, pastor and an author. ISSN 0012-9011. He is a great man who . Thats an unusual path for Hollywood! Beyond the world of performances, you are also an accomplished author, as well as a devoted minister. spread the Gospel. Fans loved her feisty character as Aunt Esther, the sister-in-law, and nemesis to Foxx's Fred. At the remarkably young age of four, Wilson made his Broadway debut. A role oppositeSidney Poitierin the action dramaThe Organization(1971) led to his TV debut on Mission: Impossible. What do you think the future holds forSanford And Son? Wilson served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968 and was in the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam, where he was wounded. In addition to these greater literary works, Wilson has penned a number of childrens books as well. At the height of his Hollywood career, Demond Wilson was earning $40,000 a week. Wilson played Lamont through the run of the series, and became the star when Redd Foxx walked off the show in 1974 over a salary dispute with the producers and his character was written out for the rest of the season. As an actor, Demond Wilson got his start in Broadway and appearing in shows such as Mission: Impossible and All in the Family. actors. The combo had chemistry both on and off the set, and its what kept the show fresh for six seasons and 135 total episodes, all of which featured Wilsons Lamont Sanford. The 1970s was the Golden Age of Sitcoms. He sold his rights and residuals in 76. straight man, Wilson points out. Grady Demond Wilson is an American actor, known for. I am very intrigued by your work in the world of philanthropy as well, especially your work with the Restoration House, which is a program to rehabilitate prisoners, and is extremely important and honorable. Some of his most loved and remembered roles are in the 1970s NBC sitcom Sanford and Son as Lamont Sanford and Oscar Madison in The New Odd Couple.His film appearance in Me and the Kid in 1993 is equally loved by the viewers. He was a white guy writing scripts for one of the most venerated Black sitcom stars in tv history. show. So Im cool.. scrollbar-base-color: black; Although three episodes of Season 4 were filmed before Foxxs return, NBC aired his return as the season premiere. show, but they quickly bonded and their relationship on and off-screen was As for how he got his now famous role on Sanford and Son, he says its because of an Emmy-nominated appearance on the hit 70s show All In The Familywith the late Cleavon Little. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. A solid 185 pounds, Wilson is nattily . this can result in this site earning a commission. Play Audio. Wilson also learned that the. "Mitchum "just gave me one-word answers," King said in People's Oct. 22 issue. You combined these two with your book you released 20 years ago entitled The New Age Millenium: An Expose of Symbols, Slogans and Hidden Agendas. However, like actual family members, Foxx could be impossible, annoying, and nasty. Demond Wilson was born in Valdosta, Ga., on Oct. 13, 1946. During the first season, Foxx admitted that although he knew a lot about Fred, he was still searching as eight weeks was a short time to develop a character. Sarah, her father's daughter, is following in his footsteps. His grandmother was Pentecostal, and Wilson briefly discerned the Catholic priesthood. Today we are so honored to feature some kind words from one of the most legendary figures we have had the pleasure of featuring here on Trainwreckd Society. He lived in a 27-room Bel-Air mansion and owned a Rolls Royce. Wilson was drafted into the Army, and was sent south to Ft. Of course, their working relationship only developed as the show progressed. I didnt watch it then, and I dont watch it now., What is important to Wilson today is of course, his ministry and his family- [his wife Cicely, and children, Nicole, Melissa, Christopher, and Demond Jr..], He said this about his home life:Its the country, the normal lifestyle for children. I wasnt shooting or anything, I was just snorting it.Demond explains how he transitioned from a drug life to a life of Christianity. and as Oscar Madison, opposite actor Ron Glass (who co-starred as Felix Ungar) in the ABC sitcom The New Odd Couple,[4] a revamped black version of the original 197075 series on the same network which starred Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, which was in turn based on the 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. ", Inside '9-1-1: Lone Star's' Ronen Rubinstein Personal Life Including Coming Out & His Girlfriend, Chrissy Metz's Ex-husband Martyn Eaden Filed for Divorce in 2014 Her Love Life Flourished after They Split, Man Who Hasnt Seen His Old Dad for 17 Years Visits and Sees His House Ruined Story of the Day, Ron Howard Was Most Concerned about His Kids' Values Inside His Decision to Protect Them, Parents Notice Daughter Becoming Reclusive and Finds Out She Had Lost Her Memory Story of the Day, Mark Harmon & Pam Dawber Are Married for 35 Years Keeping Their Family Private Was 'Not Even a Choice', Tom Brady & Pregnant Bridget Moynahan Split - She Wed Husband at Secret Ceremony 9 Years Later, Jenifer Lewis Was Once Conned by an Ex-lover Who Is Now in Prison, John Amos 2nd Wife Always Had a Response to Strange Women Telling Her How Much They Loved Her Husband. Demond Wilson is a great actor and a matinee idol dream. She Played 'Lyndsey' on Two and a Half Men. Demond Wilson as Lamont Sanford and Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford on "Sanford and Son." He felt very alone at the time. People still yell Meathead at Rob Reiner, people still yell Yo Rocky at Sylvester Stallone, I really dont mind. Demond Wilson is a former actor who became the international star for his breakthrough role Lamont Sanford, the son of Fred Sanford in the cult-hit NBC sitcom Sanford and Son.. Redd said to me in 1976, and I quote, Youre going to be making money long after Im dead with this show. Lets look back at his career and see what hes up to today! Demond Wilson - Relationship status So, it wasnt really groundbreaking, it was moneymaking. Laugh In, Johnny Carson, but Redd and I went to the top and we were the #1 show for the better part of five years. It was foolishness. Grady Demond Wilson[3] (born October 13, 1946) is an American actor and author. That was his choice. And 48 years later,Sanford And Sonis still playing in something like 40 countries. Affiliate programs and And realizing not all incarcerated are arch criminals who once released have few alternatives. came calling. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Actor Demond Wilson testified Wednesday that slain movie producer Roy Radin feared ''there might be some trouble'' on the night he disappeared because of Radin's ties with the film ''The Cotton Club.'' On May 13, 1983, Radin assigned Wilson, former star of TV's ''Sanford and Son,'' to follow him with a gun as the producer headed for a business dinner at a swanky Beverly . hit the ratings jackpot. Wilson mostly left behind TV and film after 2005, but did appear in a program called Praise the Lord airing on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, an international Christian network. and the dialogue of each episode had to be re-written and ad-libbed by the black : Created by Lila Garrett, Mort Lachman. He wasn't very nice. The relationship that Redd and I had was no different than a marriage. I'm Back! Demond Wilson With Wife Cicely Johnston. He reasoned like marriage; if there was "no synergy" between the two protagonists, there was nothing to act or work with. And then I went to California and I did that film with Sidney Portier, The Organization, and I think I kicked it right after that. Sanford And Son was the first black TV show to container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Ironically, it was an All In The Family guest-starring role that introduced Wilson to sitcom viewers, in an unforgettable episode withCleavon Little. Noting that Sanford and Son is still shown in reruns in most parts of the country, Wilson revealed that he was never pleased with his work. After Sanford and Son, Wilson starred inBabyIm BackwithDenise Nicholas(a sweetie pie) and The New Odd Couple withRon Glass(who had also appeared on Sanford And Son). duty in 1966. I was a warrior. He realized his life was meaningless. Wilsons big break came in 1972 when he was awarded the part of Lamont Sanford, the Son to Redd Foxxs Sanford, in the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son. When the pilot aired, it got a 52 (ratings) share, which is unheard of. Foxx received an offer from ABC to host a variety show, The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour. (LogOut/ When he doesnt want to do it anymore, Im out. They were gonna replace Redd. The details about his current life are not known. The show was anchored by the incomparable Redd Foxx and then-rising-star Demond Wilson. It was about the love of a parent to a child which transcends time, race, and gender.