1970s television viewers can’t look back at the decade without thinking of Demond Wilson, best known for his role as Lamont Sanford on Sanford and Son.

Wilson played the son of Fred G. Sanford, portrayed by Redd Foxx, on NBC’s hit sitcom for six seasons. As Lamont, Wilson endured the schemes and insults of his junkyard-owning father. Most famously as the target of Fred Sanford’s repeated jab, "You big dummy!"

Offscreen, Wilson proved he was far more than the fictional character so often called a "big dummy."

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, Wilson grew up in Harlem. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, where he was wounded, then returned to New York and began acting on stage before heading to Hollywood.

A guest appearance on All in the Family in 1971 led to Wilson’s breakout role the following year on Sanford and Son, another Norman Lear production. The sitcom was among the first network shows to feature a mostly Black cast and quickly became a ratings success.

Reflecting on the show’s unlikely success, Wilson once told The Chicago Tribune, "Six years ago, if someone had an idea about a Black show with Redd Foxx (forget it) and Demond Wilson about junk dealers (are you kidding? — it’ll never work), he’d be promptly ushered out."

The series has since gone down in history as an influential and important piece of television history.

What really helped Sanford and Son stand out was the onscreen chemistry between Wilson and Redd Foxx. Together, they became one of the most memorable father-son duos of the decade.

In a 1975 interview with The Windsor Star, Wilson said, "I love Redd. We have an understanding. He never has to guess what I’m thinking ’cause I tell him about my feelings — positive or negative."

"I heard Redd say, ‘My son!’ and when I looked back, he was right behind me, laughing. From that moment on, we were friends," Wilson said.

After Sanford and Son, Demond Wilson took a very different path. In the 1980s, he became a minister and focused on his family. He is survived by his wife, Cicely Wilson, and their six children. Wilson was 79.