Editing Demond Wilson

{{Short description|American actor and author (born 1946)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Demond Wilson
| image              = Demond Wilson Sanford and Son 1972 (cropped).JPG
| image_size         = 230
| caption            = Wilson as Lamont Sanford in 1972
| birth_name         = Grady Demond Wilson
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1946|10|13}}
| birth_place        = [[Valdosta, Georgia]], U.S.<ref name=people>{{cite magazine|last=Moses|first=Gavin|title=Sanford's Son, Demond Wilson, Leaves His Demons Behind to Become a Full-Time Evangelist|date=15 April 1985|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|url=https://people.com/archive/sanfords-son-demond-wilson-leaves-his-demons-behind-to-become-a-full-time-evangelist-vol-23-no-15/|access-date=28 May 2015}}</ref>
| other_names        = 
| occupation         = Actor, author
| years_active       = 1968–present
| spouse             = {{marriage|Cicely Johnston|May 3, 1974}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ident.familysearch.org/cis-web/oauth2/v3/authorization?client_secret=djs5YnQQ89OLsn9VdgOVukw6X0Yr5N92PCj9PnIaEQI4xRZjpQHfLi%2Bk%2FB%2F0rCToopheryARfO16vNceqTsp8gtBgS0KBZpLZVTtMc5%2BMbqzJlp3dgV6EWryJc%2B%2B7J%2FI0OQGixorplpeawelvCSWwIiNa%2FCqAoZjFhdk8ulco1%2B6yPyMEfQGykIleaqfTBhHpG8gFgUQlnwhZeIpQqNfQIZshwOV218PDtQCA2QCck6y6%2Bciuju5dlfvBDhyVMbKG%2FNcDsL7aajqNK5qSA8ihUex8p%2BV%2FlhNyu4A4UFE6D%2FzQjwb7I7tnfg0KQeSFkXXjEaEBnf4JTG5uKG7UzXhJQ%3D%3D&icid=hr-signin&response_type=code&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Fauth%2Ffamilysearch%2Fcallback&state=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Fsearch%2Fcollection%2Fresults%3Fcount%3D20%26query%3D%2Bgivenname%3Agrady~%2B%2Bsurname%3Awilson~%2B%2Bmarriage_year%3A1974-1974~%2B%2Bgender%3AM%26collection_id%3D1949339&client_id=3Z3L-Z4GK-J7ZS-YT3Z-Q4KY-YN66-ZX5K-176R|title=FamilySearch: Sign In|website=Ident.familysearch.org|access-date=October 26, 2021}}</ref>
| children           = 6
{{Infobox military person
| embed      = yes
| allegiance    = United States
| branch        = [[United States Army]]
| serviceyears  = 1966-1968
| rank          = 
| commands      =
| unit          = [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]]
| battles       = {{Tree list}}
*[[Vietnam War]]
{{Tree list/end}}
| awards        = [[Purple Heart]]
}}
}}

'''Grady Demond Wilson'''<ref>{{cite news|last=Todd|first=Dana|title=Demond Wilson gives up Hollywood for preaching|date=20 April 1985|newspaper=[[Star-News]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19850420&id=bEhOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ohMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6946,5761407&hl=en|access-date=8 June 2015}}</ref> (born October 13, 1946) is an American actor and author. He played [[Sanford and Son#Lamont Sanford|Lamont Sanford]], the son of [[Fred G. Sanford|Fred Sanford]] (played by [[Redd Foxx]]) on the [[NBC]] sitcom ''[[Sanford and Son]]'' (1972–1977). He also portrayed Oscar Madison on ''[[The New Odd Couple]]'' (1982–1983)<ref name=plpt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o9wzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6773%2C4412617 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' |title=Actor's stage now a pulpit |date=October 18, 1986 |page=13C}}</ref> and appeared in the film ''[[Me and the Kid]]'' (1993).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.triviatribute.com/demondwilson.html |title=Demond Wilson |website=Triviatribute.com |access-date=October 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.celebritynooz.com/watn/demond_wilson.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080817055336/http://www.celebritynooz.com/watn/demond_wilson.html|url-status=dead|title=Demond Wilson bio at Celebrity Nooz.com|archive-date=August 17, 2008|access-date=October 26, 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Wilson was born in [[Valdosta, Georgia]], in 1946, and grew up in [[New York City]], where he studied tap dance and ballet.<ref name=people/> He made his Broadway debut at age four and danced at Harlem's [[Apollo Theater]] at age 12.<ref name=people/> Wilson was raised as a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and served as an [[Altar server|altar boy]]. Although his grandmother, Ada Mitchell, was [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]], Wilson briefly discerned the [[Priesthood in the Catholic Church|Catholic priesthood]].<ref name=people/> At age 13, Wilson's [[Appendix (anatomy)|appendix]] ruptured, almost killing him, but he vowed to serve God as an adult in some ministerial capacity.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Wilson served in the [[United States Army]] from 1966 to 1968 and was in the [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]] in [[Vietnam]], where he was wounded.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Robinson |first=Louie |title=Sanford and Son: Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson wake up TV's jaded audience |journal=Ebony |date=July 1972 |pages=52–58|volume=XXVII|number=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M9oDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA4}}</ref> Upon returning home  in the late 1960s, Wilson was featured in several Broadway and [[off-Broadway]] stage productions before moving to Hollywood, where he performed guest roles on several television series such as ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' and ''[[All in the Family]]'' and acted in films such as ''[[The Organization (film)|The Organization]]'' (1971) and ''[[Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (film)|Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues]]'' (1972).

===''Sanford and Son'' (1972–1977) and other acting projects===
Later in 1971, after appearing as a robber on ''[[All in the Family]]'' with [[Cleavon Little]], Wilson won the role of Lamont Sanford in the NBC sitcom ''Sanford and Son''. [[Johnny Brown (actor)|Johnny Brown]] was considered for that role, but because of his commitment to ''[[Laugh-In]]'', Wilson got the role instead. 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. Foxx returned the following year, and the pair worked together until 1977 when the show was cancelled. In 1980–1981, Foxx attempted to revive the show with the short-lived sitcom ''[[Sanford (TV series)|Sanford]]'', but Wilson refused to reprise his role for the new series.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

When asked in 2014 if he kept in touch with anybody from ''Sanford & Son'', especially Foxx (who died on October 11, 1991), he responded:
:No. I saw Redd Foxx once before he died, circa 1983, and I never saw him again. At the time I was playing tennis at the Malibu Racquet Club and I was approached by some producers about doing a Redd Foxx 50th Anniversary Special. I hadn't spoken to him since 1977, and I called the club where (Redd) was playing. And we met at Redd's office, but he was less than affable. I told those guys it was a bad idea. I never had a cross word with him. People say I'm protective of Redd Foxx in my book (''Second Banana'', Wilson's memoir of the Sanford years). I had no animosity toward Foxx (for quitting the show in 1977) because I had a million dollar contract at CBS to do ''[[Baby, I'm Back|Baby... I'm Back!]]''. My hurt was that he didn't come to me about throwing the towel in - I found out in the hallway at NBC from a newscaster. I forgave him and I loved Redd, but I never forgot that. The love was there. You can watch any episode and see that.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beachcomberdestin.com/destin/article-966-qa-with-demond-wilson.html|title=Q&A With Demond Wilson|publisher=BeachcomberDestin.com|date=January 15, 2014| access-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref>

Wilson also appeared in the films ''[[Full Moon High]]'' (1981), ''[[Me and the Kid]]'' (1993), and ''Hammerlock'' (2000).{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

===''Baby... I'm Back!'' (1978), and ''The New Odd Couple'' (1982&ndash;1983)===
Wilson later starred as Raymond Ellis in the short-lived CBS comedy series ''[[Baby... I'm Back!]]'' and as [[Oscar Madison]], opposite actor [[Ron Glass]] (who co-starred as [[The Odd Couple (play)|Felix Ungar]]) in the ABC sitcom ''[[The New Odd Couple]]'',<ref name=plpt/> a revamped black version of the [[The Odd Couple (1970 TV series)|1970–75 series ''The Odd Couple'']] on the same network which starred [[Jack Klugman]] and [[Tony Randall]], which was in turn based on the [[The Odd Couple (play)|1965 play]].

==Author==
Wilson has written several Christian books concerning the [[New Age Movement]] and the hidden dangers he believes it holds for society. ''New Age Millennium'' was released by CAP Publishing & Literary Co. LLC on December 1, 1998. Wilson, who has also authored children's books, called the book an "exposé" of certain New Age "symbols and slogans".

Wilson's memoir ''Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memoirs of the Sanford & Son Years'' was released on August 31, 2009. Wilson has said, "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."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.2ndbanana.net/ |title=Demond Wilson / Second Banana: Bittersweet Memories of Sanford & Son Years official website |access-date=November 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425085104/http://www.2ndbanana.net/ |archive-date=April 25, 2013 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/interviews/demond_wilson_2009.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090914013610/http://thecelebritycafe.com/interviews/demond_wilson_2009.html|url-status=dead|title=Demond Wilson interview at Celebrity Cafe|archive-date=September 14, 2009|access-date=October 26, 2021}}</ref>

==Later appearances and projects==
Wilson has also made numerous guest appearances on the ''[[Praise the Lord (TV program)|Praise the Lord]]'' program aired on the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]], and is a good friend of [[Clifton Davis]]. He&nbsp;also appeared as a guest star on the [[UPN]] sitcom ''[[Girlfriends (U.S. TV series)|Girlfriends]]'', playing Lynn's biological father.

In the summer of 2011, Wilson started appearing with actress Nina Nicole in a touring production of the play ''The Measure of a Man'' by playwright Matt Hardwick. The play is described as "a faith-based production" and is set in a small town in south Georgia.<ref>[http://www.themeasurestageplay.com/#! The Measure of a Man Stage Play official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022010719/http://www.themeasurestageplay.com/#! |date=October 22, 2011 }} Retrieved November 28, 2011.</ref>

Wilson began work in 2010 to produce and act in a melodramatic family film based on the play ''Faith Ties''. 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. The protagonist is a pastor who is in the middle while he watches the lives of people crumbling around him."<ref>{{cite web|title=Faith Ties|url=http://www.christianfilmdatabase.com/review/faith-ties/|work=Christian Film Database|access-date=November 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112101103/http://www.christianfilmdatabase.com/review/faith-ties/|archive-date=November 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Wilson married model Cicely Johnston<ref name=people/> on May 3, 1974. They have six children.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}} In 1984 he was ordained as a minister in the [[Church of God in Christ]] and has been an active Christian evangelist for much of his adult life.<ref name="LA Times">{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Doug |date=1986-10-13 |title=‘Sanford and Son’ to Evangelist : Ex-TV Star Demond Wilson Turns to Religious Calling |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-13-vw-2951-story.html |access-date=2024-11-19 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1970 || ''[[Cotton Comes to Harlem]]'' || Rally Attendant || Uncredited
|-
| 1971 || ''[[The Organization (film)|The Organization]]'' || Charlie Blossom ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (film)|Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues'']]'' || Rupert ||
|-
| 1981 || ''[[Full Moon High]]'' || Cabbie-Busdriver ||
|-
| 1993 || ''[[Me and the Kid]]'' || Agent Schamper ||
|-
| 2000 || ''Hammerlock'' || Morgan Rivers ||
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1971 || ''[[All in the Family]]'' || Horace || Episode: "Edith Writes a Song"
|-
| 1971 || ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' || Simmons || Episode: "Underwater"
|-
| 1972–1977 || ''[[Sanford and Son]]'' || [[Sanford and Son#Lamont Sanford|Lamont Sanford]] || Main role (135 episodes)
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Baby... I'm Back!]]'' || Raymond Ellis || Main role (13 episodes)
|-
| 1979 || ''[[The Love Boat]]'' || Bart || Episode: "Letter to Babycakes"
|-
| 1981 || ''[[The Love Boat]]'' || Jesse (Isaac's Uncle) || Episode: "Black Sheep"
|-
| 1981 || ''[[Today's FBI]]'' || Leon || Episode: "Terror"
|-
| 1982–1983 || ''[[The New Odd Couple]]'' || Oscar Madison || Main role (18 episodes)
|-
| 1992 || ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]'' || Himself || Episode: Famous Past Celebrities
|-
| 2004–2005 || ''[[Girlfriends (American TV series)|Girlfriends]]'' || Kenneth Miles || Recurring role (4 episodes)
|}

{{commons category|Demond Wilson}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0933284|name=Demond Wilson}}
*[http://www.demondwilson.org/ Official Website - Demond Wilson]
*[http://www.tv.com/demond-wilson/person/32188/summary.html TV.Com bio for Demond Wilson] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100623093231/http://www.tv.com/demond-wilson/person/32188/summary.html |date=June 23, 2010 }}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Demond}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African-American Catholics]]
[[Category:People from Valdosta, Georgia]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:Male actors from New York City]]
[[Category:Male actors from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:American male writers]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American people]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]