Lynn Hamilton (born April 25, 1930) is an American former actress.
Making her acting debut in 1959 with a role in John Cassavetes'
Shadows, Hamilton is best known for her recurring role as Donna
Harris; Fred's girlfriend and later fiancée on the sitcom Sanford and
Son which originally aired from 1972 until 1977.Hamilton was born in
Yazoo City, Mississippi to a mother named Nancy and a father named
Louis Hamilton and later moved to Chicago Heights, Illinois when she
was twelve years old. She attended Bloom High School. She studied
acting at Goodman Theatre. She began her career in community theatre
in Chicago before making her debut on Broadway in the play Only in
America in 1959. She appeared in three other Broadway plays, many
Off-Broadway plays and spent three years with the New York Shakespeare
Festival.From 1972 to 1977, Hamilton starred as Fred Sanford's
girlfriend and later fiancée Donna Harris on the television sitcom
Sanford and Son. Donna was a nurse and sometimes took care of Fred.
There are many internet claims that she was the younger sister of
actress LaWanda Page, who portrayed Esther Anderson on Sanford and
Son, confirmed only via LaWanda Page's obituary in the Los Angeles
Times. However, they are neither related nor sisters, though they
became good friends. In addition to Hamilton's role on Sanford and
Son, she also had a recurring role as "Verdie" on The Waltons, and
made numerous appearances in television sitcoms, soap operas and
miniseries such as Good Times, 227, Dangerous Women, Generations, Port
Charles, The Golden Girls, Gunsmoke, and Roots: The Next Generations.
Hamilton also appeared in the show Barnaby Jones, playing a character
named Laura Padget, in episode titled "Sunday:Doomsday" on February 4,
1973. Hamilton also had a recurring role as Judge Fulton on The
Practice.Hamilton was married to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins for
49 years, from November 1964 until his death in August 2014. LaWanda
Page, who costarred with Hamilton on Sanford and Son had a younger
sister coincidentally also named "Lynn Hamilton". This caused a rumor
that the two actresses were sisters. Series lead Demond Wilson
confirmed the rumor to be false in 2016.
Making her acting debut in 1959 with a role in John Cassavetes'
Shadows, Hamilton is best known for her recurring role as Donna
Harris; Fred's girlfriend and later fiancée on the sitcom Sanford and
Son which originally aired from 1972 until 1977.Hamilton was born in
Yazoo City, Mississippi to a mother named Nancy and a father named
Louis Hamilton and later moved to Chicago Heights, Illinois when she
was twelve years old. She attended Bloom High School. She studied
acting at Goodman Theatre. She began her career in community theatre
in Chicago before making her debut on Broadway in the play Only in
America in 1959. She appeared in three other Broadway plays, many
Off-Broadway plays and spent three years with the New York Shakespeare
Festival.From 1972 to 1977, Hamilton starred as Fred Sanford's
girlfriend and later fiancée Donna Harris on the television sitcom
Sanford and Son. Donna was a nurse and sometimes took care of Fred.
There are many internet claims that she was the younger sister of
actress LaWanda Page, who portrayed Esther Anderson on Sanford and
Son, confirmed only via LaWanda Page's obituary in the Los Angeles
Times. However, they are neither related nor sisters, though they
became good friends. In addition to Hamilton's role on Sanford and
Son, she also had a recurring role as "Verdie" on The Waltons, and
made numerous appearances in television sitcoms, soap operas and
miniseries such as Good Times, 227, Dangerous Women, Generations, Port
Charles, The Golden Girls, Gunsmoke, and Roots: The Next Generations.
Hamilton also appeared in the show Barnaby Jones, playing a character
named Laura Padget, in episode titled "Sunday:Doomsday" on February 4,
1973. Hamilton also had a recurring role as Judge Fulton on The
Practice.Hamilton was married to poet and playwright Frank Jenkins for
49 years, from November 1964 until his death in August 2014. LaWanda
Page, who costarred with Hamilton on Sanford and Son had a younger
sister coincidentally also named "Lynn Hamilton". This caused a rumor
that the two actresses were sisters. Series lead Demond Wilson
confirmed the rumor to be false in 2016.
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