“I like to present Blacks in the proper light,” earnest words spoken by legendary actor and ordained minister, Demond Wilson. Widely known for his role as Lamont Sanford in the hit 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son, in which Demond co-starred alongside iconic comedian and actor Redd Foxx. The highly rated show was an historical hit in entertainment which starred an all black cast and lasted for six seasons, finishing in the Nielsen top ten for five times. Demond also portrayed Oscar Madison on The New Odd Couple (1982–83) and appeared such films as Cotton Comes To Harlem (1970), Full Moon High (1981) and Me and the Kid (1993). In 1984, he was ordained as a minister.
Born Grady Demond Wilson on October 13, 1946, in Valdosta, Georgia. Demond grew up in Harlem, New York, where he developed an early interest in acting and dancing. He also trained as a dancer, performing at Harlem’s Apollo Theater as a young child, and later took an interest in acting. His early life was marked by a dedication to the church, and at the age of 12, Demond briefly considered becoming a Catholic priest.
From 1966 to 1968, Demond served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, in the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam, where he was wounded. That experience profoundly affected him. Upon returning home as a decorated veteran from the war, he decided to pursue acting full-time. He appeared on various TV shows like Mission: Impossible (1966-1973) and All in the Family (1971-1979).
In 1972, Sanford and Son, aired and was a cultural touchstone for its comedic portrayal of the Black American working class. Demond’s character, Lamont, was the long-suffering son of the short-tempered junk dealer Fred Sanford (played by Redd Foxx). Their on-screen chemistry became a defining aspect of the show, with Demond providing the straight-man foil to Redd’s hilarious high jinks. The show earned Demond considerable recognition, making him a household name.
After Sanford and Son, Demond appeared in other television series and movies, including Baby…I’m Back! (1978) about a man who returned to his family after having deserted them, only to discover that his wife has remarried and “The New Odd Couple” (1982-1983), with Demond as the slovenly Oscar Madison.
In 1984, Demond became a Pentacostal minister, which was the focal point of his life for the next two decades. He shifted his attention away from Hollywood. In 1994, he established the Restoration House, a spiritual and vocational training facility for former inmates. Demond has written several Christian books concerning the New Age Movement and the hidden dangers he believes it holds for society. On December 1, 1998, New Age Millennium was released by CAP Publishing & Literary Co. Demond, who has also authored children’s books, called the book an “exposé” of certain New Age “symbols and slogans”.
Demond’s memoir Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memoirs of the Sanford & Son Years was released on August 31, 2009. Demond stated in the book, “It’s just a documented truth, behind the scenes factual account of what happened during those years. Redd (Foxx) and I were making history back in those days. 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.”
Demond has also made numerous guest appearances on the Praise the Lord program aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and is a good friend of Clifton Davis. He also appeared as a guest star on the UPN sitcom Girlfriends, playing Lynn’s biological father. In the summer of 2011, Demond started appearing with actress Nina Nicole in a touring production of the play The Measure of a Man. The play is described as “a faith-based production” and is set in a small town in south Georgia.
Quotes:
“If you’re a true artist you have to fulfill yourself.”
“I like to present Blacks in the proper light.”
“The joy of the Lord is my strength. I find peace in His love.”
“I went from the top of the world to ministering in prisons, and I’m happy.”
“I never left acting. Acting left me. My calling just became bigger than Hollywood.”
“Your character is not defined by your failures, but by your ability to rise from them.”
“People think success is about fame and money. But true success is finding your purpose.”
“God took me out of this world. He refined me and took my mind out of acting. I didn’t have the desire to be in it anymore.”
“I’m a Holy Ghost-filled, fire-baptizing man.”
“My heart was always good.”
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demond_Wilson
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933284/bio/
- Demond Wilson Interview, 2024
- https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/demond-wilson/bio/3030051457/
- https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/demond_wilson_1241567
- https://www.tvinsider.com/people/demond-wilson/#biography
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