The Life and Times of Demond Wilson Quiz

Answer: Valdosta, Georgia

Demond Wilson was born on October 13, 1946, in Valdosta, Georgia. However, the names of his parents are not known. What is known is that when Demond was one month old his parents moved from Valdosta to Harlem, New York. According to Demond, Harlem was not the ghetto that it's known as now. To him, it was "an interesting place to live and learn, and where you didn't have to lock your doors when you went out." Demond's mother always wanted to be a dancer, and because she never fulfilled her dream, she decided she wanted Demond to be the best he could be. To this end, she began enrolling little Demond in culture schools before he even attended actual school.

Answer: Green Pastures

In 1950, when Demond was 4 years-old, he was already a seasoned actor, with many credits under is his belt. A talent scout from an agency in Harlem signed him to the Broadway revival of "Green Pastures." According to Demond, "I think the agent saw me as a frog at a school recital, and liked my stuff.

It was probably the outfit. If my mother were here, she'd drag it out right now and see if I could still get into it." Demond led a childhood of semi-regular appearances in off-Broadway shows, commercials, and childrens' television.

Answer: His appendix burst

When Demond was 12 years old, his appendix ruptured, which almost ended his life. From that moment on, Demond vowed he would one day become a priest or a minister of God. However, that would be years in the making. Meanwhile, Demond busied himself by attending the School of Performing Arts, although he would have rathered become basketball star instead of an actor, but basketball was out of the question because he was not tall enough. With his hopes dashed, Demond continued on the path that was chosen by his mother, who cheerfully prodded her son to continue with acting.

When he was 14 years-old, he played Touchtone in Shakespear's "As You Like It," and when he was 19 years-old, he was cast for 1965's major production of "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground."

Answer: The Army

In 1965, when Demond was 19 years-old, he was cast in a major production of "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground." However, before the show opened Demond was drafted by the Army. He was placed in the 4th Infantry Division and sent to Vietnam, where he fought for a little over a year.

He returned to New York, despondent about life and about his acting career. After a long talk with his mother, who encouraged her son to give acting another chance, Demond decided to go out on auditions. After months of dead-end auditions, Demond was cast in a road show production of "The Boys in the Band," which dealt with homosexuality.

He was with the road show for two years, when he decided to go back to New York. There, he auditioned for, and won, parts in several off-Broadway productions.

He performed in these off-broadway production until his big break in 1971.

Answer: The Organization

In 1971, Demond co-starred in "The Organization" with Sidney Poitier. Demond played the part of Charlie Blossom. The movie was about a group of young revolutionaries, who break into a company's corporate headquarters, and steal $5,000,000 worth of heroin to keep it off the street.

This movie led to several guest appearances on popular television series, such as "All in the Family" in the 1971 episode entitled "Edith Writes A Song", where he played Horace, who was a burglar intent on robbing the Bunker residence, and in "Mission: Impossible" in the 1971 episode entitled "Underwater", where he played Simmons, a villain. Demond also played a villain in the made-for-television movie "Mannix." However, it was during the taping of the "All in the Family" episode that Demond first met famed television producer, Norman Lear. One year later, Lear would request Demond to co-star in a television series he was putting together.

Answer: Lamont Grady Sanford

In 1972, Demond was asked by Norman Lear, who was impressed with him from the "All in the Family" episode, to co-star as Lamont Grady Sanford in the television series "Sanford and Son," which starred Redd Foxx and LaWanda Page. This spark to stardom earned him a part in the 1972 movie "Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues," as well as guest appearances on "Hollywood Squares" from 1972 to 1978, and "The Love Boat" in 1977.

He also made several guest appearances on "Sanford Arms," "Sanford," "Grady," and "The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour." When "Sanford and Son" ended its successful run from January 14, 1972 until September 2, 1977, Demond went on to star in the 1978 television series "Baby I'm Back," although this series was short lived, lasting only one season.

He also starred in the 1982 television series "The New Odd Couple" as Oscar Madison, but this was also a short lived series, lasting only about one season.

Answer: A minister

In 1974, Demond met and married the woman of his dreams, Cicely Loise Johnston, and together they have six children. In 1983, feeling burned out, he decided to become a minister, something he wanted to do since he was 12 years old.

Answer: Me and the Kid

In 1993, Demond was asked to co-star in the movie "Me and the Kid," which was very similiar to the movie "Home Alone." In 1999, when "E! True Hollywood Stories" aired a show about Redd Foxx, Demond was on hand to tell what he knew about the famous comedian.

Answer: Restoration House of America

In 1994, Demond founded a nonprofit organization called Restoration House of America, which is devoted to rehabilitating former prison inmates. The organization is located near Lynchburg, Virginia and resides on about 500 acres of land.

Answer: The Legend of Ned Turner

In 1999, Demond wrote a screenplay about the life and times of an ex-slave, entitled "The Legend of Ned Turner." But Demond will always be grateful and proud of "Sanford and Son," which was a groundbreaking television series for African Americans, but acting doesn't hold the same appeal it once did for the Georgia native, he is content with the life he has now.

All information can be found at:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Maze/3101/tvguideoct1974.html
http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/15/people.watn.wilson and http://www.imdb.com