Grady Demond Wilson
‘Sanford and Son’ Actor Dead at 79
Published
January 31, 2026
4:58 AM PST
Grady Demond Wilson — best known for playing Lamont Sanford, the son of Fred Sanford on the NBC sitcom “Sanford and Son” — has died.
Wilson’s son, Demond Wilson Jr., tells TMZ … he was pronounced dead Friday morning at his home in Palm Springs, California. He passed away from complications related to cancer.
Demond didn’t reveal the type of cancer he had. He told us … “I loved him. He was a great man.”
Grady — who went by Demond Wilson professionally — starred on “Sanford and Son” between 1972 and 1977 and then went on to play Raymond Ellis on the one season of “Baby… I’m Back!” He landed a starring role in “The New Odd Couple” as well, which lasted for a season in the early ’80s.
Grady took his acting prowess to the big screen as well, notably starring in the film “Me and the Kid” in 1993.
He last appeared in the drama “Eleanor’s Bench” in 2023 after a nearly 20-year acting hiatus, according to his IMDb page.
Grady was 79.
RIP
