June 22, 2025 — Alzenia Lynn Hamilton, the Emmy-nominated actress celebrated for her warm presence in Sanford and Son and The Waltons, passed away peacefully at her Chicago home on June 19, 2025. She was 95.
Born April 25, 1930, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, to parents Nancy and Louis Hamilton, she moved to Chicago Heights, Illinois, at age 12. Her artistic journey began at Bloom High School and flourished through training at Goodman Theatre.
A Versatile Career Rooted in Theatre
Hamilton debuted on Broadway in Only in America (1959), later starring in three other Broadway productions and Off-Broadway plays. She honed her craft over three years with the New York Shakespeare Festival before transitioning to television.
Iconic TV Roles
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Donna Harris: Fred Sanford’s endearing nurse-turned-fiancée in Sanford and Son (1972–1977). Despite fan devotion, her character was written out when the show rebooted as Sanford (1980).
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Verdie Grant Foster: The Waltons’ compassionate neighbor in The Waltons (1973–1981), appearing in over 20 episodes.
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Cousin Georgia Anderson: A standout role in Roots: The Next Generations (1979).
Guest Appearances & Range
Hamilton graced countless series, including:
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Sitcoms: Good Times, *227*, The Golden Girls
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Soaps: Generations, Port Charles
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Drama: Gunsmoke (as “Mother Tabitha,” 1969), Mannix (S3E13), Barnaby Jones (“Sunday: Doomsday,” 1973), and The Practice (recurring role as Judge Fulton).
Dispelling a Persistent Rumor
Though often mistaken as sisters with Sanford and Son co-star LaWanda Page (Esther Anderson), Hamilton clarified they were close friends—not relatives. Page’s own sister coincidentally shared the name “Lynn,” fueling confusion. Series star Demond Wilson confirmed this in 2016.
Personal Life & Legacy
Hamilton married poet-playwright Frank Jenkins in November 1964. Their 49-year union ended with his passing in August 2014. She is remembered for her grace on-screen and enduring friendships off-screen.
Her final years were spent in Chicago, concluding a six-decade career that brought warmth to American living rooms. No cause of death was specified beyond natural causes.
“Hamilton’s Donna and Verdie weren’t just characters—they felt like family. Her authenticity made her a quiet giant of 70s television.” — Television Historian, The Hollywood Reporter.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Shadows | Girl at Party | |
| 1960 | The New Girl | Miss Thompson (Secretary) | Short film |
| 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 | Recurring role |
| 1973–1981 | The Waltons | Verdie Foster | Recurring role |
| 1974 | Hangup | Mrs. Ramsey | |
| 1976 | Leadbelly | Sally Ledbetter | |
| 1984 | The Jesse Owens Story | Mamma Solomon | TV movie |
| 1986–1989 | 227 | Emma Johnson | Recurring role |
| 1986 | Legal Eagles | Doreen | |
| 1991–1992 | Dangerous Women | Cissie Johnson | Main role |
| 1989–1991 | Generations | Vivian Potter | Main role |
| 1993 | The Vanishing | Miss Carmichael | |
| 1997–2002 | The Practice | Judge P. Fulton | Recurring role |
| 1998 | Moesha | Ruth Mitchell | 1 episode |
| 2003 | Beah: A Black Woman Speaks | Dr. Oberholser |
External links
- Lynn Hamilton at IMDb
- Lynn Hamilton at the TCM Movie Database
- 1930 births
- 2025 deaths
- 20th-century African-American actresses
- 21st-century African-American actresses
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from Mississippi
- American film actresses
- American soap opera actresses
- American stage actresses
- American television actresses
- Bloom High School alumni
- People from Yazoo City, Mississippi
References:
- ^ Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Je”. Johnson Publishing Company. 4 November 1976. Retrieved 11 December 2021 – via Google Books.
- ^ Boguszeeski, Deborah (1 March 1987). “Veteran actress Hamilton returns to share excitement of live theater”. Harvey Star. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1976. p. 63. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: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.
- ^ Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1959. p. 64. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
lynn hamilton actress.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Blanchet, Brenton (June 21, 2025). “Lynn Hamilton, Sanford and Son and The Waltons Actress, Dies at 95: ‘Her Legacy Will Continue to Inspire and Uplift'”. People. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2009). The A to Z of African-American Television. Scarecrow Press. p. 181. ISBN 9780810863484. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ “Lynn Hamilton plays women of every age”. Kenosha News. January 19, 1974. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ “LaWanda Page, 81; Actress Played Aunt Esther in ‘Sanford and Son’ – latimes”. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (June 21, 2025). “‘The Waltons’ Actress Dies at Her Chicago Home”. Parade Magazine. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ “Frank S. Jenkins’s Obituary on Los Angeles Times”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ “Demond Wilson of ‘Sanford and Son’ calls America ‘a corporation,’ not a country”. The Washington Times. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ Barnes, Mike. “Lynn Hamilton, Actress on ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘The Waltons,’ Dies at 95”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
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