Lynn Hamilton (actress) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lynn Hamilton
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Hamilton at The Waltons 40th Anniversary party in 2012
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| Born |
Alzenia Lynn Hamilton
April 25, 1930 Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Died | June 19, 2025 (aged 95) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1958–2009 |
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Notable work
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Donna Harris – Sanford and Son Verdie Grant Foster – The Waltons |
| Spouse(s) |
Frank S. Jenkins
(m. 1964; died 2014) |
| Children | 1 |
Alzenia Lynn Hamilton (April 25, 1930 – June 19, 2025) was an American actress who appeared in many movies and television shows. She was most famous for two popular TV roles in the 1970s.
She played Donna Harris, the girlfriend of Fred Sanford on the comedy show Sanford and Son. She also played Verdie Grant Foster on the family drama The Waltons. A role that appears in many episodes of a show is called a "recurring role."
Contents
Early Life
Lynn Hamilton was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. When she was twelve, her family moved to Chicago Heights, Illinois. She went to Bloom High School. After high school, she decided to become an actress and studied acting at the famous Goodman Theatre in Chicago.
Acting Career
Hamilton started her acting career in local theaters in Chicago. In 1959, she got her first role on Broadway in New York City in a play called Only in America. She acted in several other Broadway and Off-Broadway plays. She also spent three years performing with the New York Shakespeare Festival.
Sanford and Son
Hamilton's most famous role was Donna Harris on the sitcom Sanford and Son from 1972 to 1977. A sitcom is a funny TV show, usually about a family or group of friends. In the show, Donna was a kind and patient nurse who was the girlfriend of the main character, Fred Sanford.
Many people believed that Hamilton was the real-life sister of actress LaWanda Page, who played the character Esther on the same show. This was a popular rumor, but it was not true. The two actresses were not related, but they became very good friends while working together.
The Waltons
Besides Sanford and Son, Hamilton had another important recurring role on the TV show The Waltons. She played Verdie Grant Foster, a friendly neighbor of the Walton family. She first appeared on the show in 1973 and continued to play Verdie in many episodes until 1981.
Other Roles
Hamilton was a very busy actress and appeared in many other well-known TV shows, movies, and miniseries. A miniseries is a story that is told over a few episodes.
She played Cousin Georgia Anderson in the important miniseries Roots: The Next Generations. She also had roles in comedies like Good Times, The Golden Girls, and 227. For many years, she played Judge Fulton on the courtroom drama show The Practice.
Personal Life
Hamilton was married to a poet named Frank Jenkins for 49 years, from 1964 until he passed away in 2014. They had one child together.
Hamilton died at her home in Chicago on June 19, 2025. She was 95 years old.
Notable Film and TV Roles
Here are some of Lynn Hamilton's most well-known roles:
- Shadows (1958) as Girl at Party
- Lady Sings the Blues (1972) as Aunt Ida
- Sanford and Son (1972–1977) as Donna Harris
- The Waltons (1973–1981) as Verdie Foster
- Leadbelly (1976) as Sally Ledbetter
- Roots: The Next Generations (1979) as Cousin Georgia Anderson
- 227 (1986–1989) as Emma Johnson
- Generations (1989–1991) as Vivian Porter
- The Practice (1997–2002) as Judge P. Fulton
See also
In Spanish: Lynn Hamilton para niños
