Were LaWanda Page and Lynn Hamilton related? Connection explored as Sanford and Son actress passes away

Lynn Hamilton, who was once mistaken for LaWanda Page’s biological sister, passed away on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

Her former manager and publicist, Calvin Carson, announced the demise of the retired actress on Facebook and Instagram. He revealed that Hamilton was “surrounded by her grandchildren, loved ones and caregivers” at the time of her death. The official statement shared by Carson read,

“With profound gratitude and admiration, we celebrate the extraordinary life of iconic actress Alzenia ‘Lynn’ Hamilton-Jenkins, whose remarkable legacy continues to uplift and inspire. Her illustrious career, spanning over five decades, has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment, motivating audiences across the globe through her work as a model, stage, film, and television actress.”

As mentioned, there was an assumption among a section of the Sanford and Son fans that the co-stars, LaWanda Page and Lynn Hamilton, were sisters. However, during a 2016 interview with The Washington Times, Demond Wilson debunked the rumor while talking about his memoir, Second Banana: The Bitter Sweet Memoirs of the Sanford & Son Years. Wilson claimed,

“I got sick and tired of seeing people on the internet misquoting things. Now the newest thing is they’re [saying that] Lynn Hamilton, who played Donna, [is] Lawanda Page’s sister. That is the most ridiculous thing ever.”

Referring to such rumors, Demond Wilson added,

“I wrote the book to set the record straight. This is the definitive truth. I have fans that send me stupid emails from around the nation and across the sea. I got tired of answering stupid stuff.”

The mix-up was seemingly a result of LaWanda Page’s different obituaries, including one that was published in the Los Angeles Times. They mentioned the name of the actress' sister as Lynn Hamilton.

However, Lynn Hamilton was not biologically related to LaWanda Page. Both Sanford and Son castmates shared a close bond and seemingly remained good friends throughout their lives.

Lynn Hamilton once revealed that LaWanda Page "absolutely adored” her and addressed her as "sister"

The Sanford and Son co-stars were not siblings, in contrast to the famous misconception. LaWanda Page, born in 1920 in Cleveland, was the daughter of Willie Richmond and Estella Small. At the same time, Lynn Hamiton was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, in 1930 to Nancy and Louis Hamilton.

While they didn’t share a biological connection, LaWanda was pretty fond of Lynn, as the latter revealed in an interview with Demetris "Big Meach" Taylor. During their conversation, the host asked The Waltons actress about Page being her sister. The question amused Hamilton, and she broke into laughter.

Lynn started by talking about Redd Foxx and LaWanda Page knowing each other for years before Sanford and Son. She then spoke about her dynamic with her co-star,

“She [LaWanda] absolutely adored me and I she, I did. We were very, very close and she, at one point, we were talking and she said. ‘You know I just… I love you. So, yeah I think, you know, I feel like you're my sister.’ And from that point on she would introduce me as her sister.”

Lynn Hamilton mentioned reading LaWanda’s obituary that mentioned her name as the sister. The actress chuckled before adding,

“I had no idea that she had gone to that point, but she and I were close right to the end [...] That's how that came about. She just adopted me.”

Trending

LaWanda Page died in 2002 because of complications from diabetes, per the Associated Press. According to NYT, she was survived by her daughter, Clara Johnson. Four years after her mother’s death, Clara also passed away at 69.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback