He was amazing in Sanford & Son. But he was also in the 4th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. He was injured and received a Purple Heart.

Now Demond Wilson, the stage actor turned TV star best known for playing Lamont Sanford, has died.

Broadway debut when he was just 4

He was responsible for countless family laughs in a show that broke boundaries and gave us permission to laugh at ourselves — and at each other. Now all we have are the memories of one of the actors who helped make Sanford & Son the legendary show we still love today.

Demond Wilson, the actor forever remembered as Lamont Sanford on the classic sitcom Sanford and Son, has died. He was 79.

Wilson’s son, Demond Wilson Jr., confirmed the news to TMZ, saying his father passed away Friday morning at his home in Palm Springs, California, after suffering complications from cancer. The specific type of cancer was not disclosed.

“I loved him. He was a great man,” Wilson Jr. told TMZ.

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, in 1946, Wilson was raised in New York City and showed a passion for performing at an early age. According to the National R&B Music Society Inc., he made his Broadway debut when he was just 4 years old and later danced at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater at age 12.

Then, suddenly, the rising star of stage and television disappeared from the spotlight.

“I wanted to live a normal life,” he recalled.

But apparently, three years of a “normal” life was enough.

Starring with Redd Foxx

At 15, he began studying acting. He then rose to fame in 1972 when Sanford and Son premiered on NBC.

The sitcom starred comedian Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford, a gruff junk dealer living in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, and Wilson as his patient, often put-upon son Lamont. The show ran for five seasons, ending in 1977, and quickly became a ratings juggernaut.

The series was groundbreaking, helping pave the way for more Black family-centered sitcoms at a time when television was still overwhelmingly white. One of the show’s most enduring catchphrases — Fred Sanford’s insult-laced “You big dummy!” — became a staple of pop culture.

Before landing the role, Wilson had already built a career on stage and screen and had served as a Vietnam veteran. From 1966 to 1968, he served as a sergeant with the 4th Infantry Division. During combat at Pleiku, he was wounded and honored with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his bravery.

He was approached about Sanford and Son following a guest appearance on All in the Family. When he first heard that Foxx was attached to the project, Wilson admitted he thought it sounded unlikely.

“It would be like bringing a dog to a cat party,” he joked in a 2022 interview with The Associated Press, noting how edgy Foxx’s stand-up comedy was compared to television standards at the time.

Wilson also recalled learning that producers had briefly considered Richard Pryor for the role of Lamont.

“‘We were considering Richard Pryor,’” Wilson remembered being told.

“I said, ‘C’mon, you can’t put a comedian with a comedian. You’ve got to have a straight man.’” He compared the dynamic to Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, saying, “Dick Martin was the nut, Dan Rowan was the straight guy.”

After Sanford and Son ended, Wilson continued acting, including a later role on UPN’s Girlfriends. In 2009, he reflected on his experiences in his memoir, Second Banana: The Bitter Sweet Memories of the Sanford & Son Years.

Wilson is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, former model Cicely Johnston, and their six children.

Demond Wilson leaves behind a truly remarkable legacy — one of groundbreaking performances, dedication to his craft, and a life that inspired many.

His contributions to television and the arts will not be forgotten, and his memory deserves to be celebrated.