Lynn Hamilton 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.
Biography
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 playOnly 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 . Hamilton also appeared in the showBarnaby 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.
Personal life
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.
