Lynn Hamilton

A native of Mississippi, Lynn Hamilton is a character actress who has appeared in more than 60 film and television productions. Hamilton got her start in show business with a bit part in the lauded 1959 John Cassavetes film, "Shadows," but didn't become a regular screen presence until a decade later, when she made guest appearances on TV programs such as "Mannix," "Gunsmoke," and "The Bill Cosby Show." In '72, Hamilton was featured as a recurring character on the popular sitcom "Sanford and Son," and, the following year, she signed on for a semi-regular role on the family drama "The Waltons." Hamilton played both parts for years, and she also appeared in "Roots: The Next Generations" during '79. Hamilton remained active during subsequent decades, continuing to turn up in one-off TV spots ("The Golden Girls," "NYPD Blue") and taking more substantial roles on the sitcom "227" and, later, the legal drama "The Practice," continuing to act well into her 70s.