|
Post by nedandres on Mar 2, 2019 11:35:30 GMT -5
I read something last night that shocked me. Did all of you know that Lynn Hamilton (Verdie) and LaWanda Page (Aunt Esther on "Sanford and Son") were sisters? I almost fell out of bed. I had no idea. I guess because the characters they played were so different. Even the character Lynn played on "Sanford," Donna, was so sweet. In addition to her TV roles, Page was known for her raunchy nightclub act. She and Redd Foxx were friends in real life, and he suggested her for Aunt Esther. When the producers hesitated, Foxx threatened to walk, and the producers relented. Page certainly pulled her own on that show and played the role in two spin-offs. I suppose it is a tribute to Lynn´s and LaWanda´s wonderful acting that they could play such different characters.
|
|
|
Post by JeriJet on Mar 2, 2019 12:04:20 GMT -5
Great info -- thanks. Ned !
|
|
|
Post by patriciaanne on Mar 2, 2019 16:16:31 GMT -5
Never knew that! Thanks, Ned.
|
|
|
Post by ForeverWaltons on Mar 3, 2019 10:01:40 GMT -5
I read something last night that shocked me. Did all of you know that Lynn Hamilton (Verdie) and LaWanda Page (Aunt Esther on "Sanford and Son") were sisters? I almost fell out of bed. I had no idea. I guess because the characters they played were so different. Even the character Lynn played on "Sanford," Donna, was so sweet. In addition to her TV roles, Page was known for her raunchy nightclub act. She and Redd Foxx were friends in real life, and he suggested her for Aunt Esther. When the producers hesitated, Foxx threatened to walk, and the producers relented. Page certainly pulled her own on that show and played the role in two spin-offs. I suppose it is a tribute to Lynn´s and LaWanda´s wonderful acting that they could play such different characters.
Ned - Lynn Hamilton and LaWanda Page are not sisters. On www.imdb.com it is noted on both their pages that they are sisters. I noticed that Lynn was born on 4/25/1930 in Yazoo City, Mississippi. LaWanda Page was born 10/19/1920 in Cleveland, Ohio. LaWanda was 9 and a half years older than Lynn. Of course, it's not unheard of for siblings to be born years apart or in different cities or states.
Here's why I know it's not true:
A few years ago I wanted to know if this was true about them being sisters, so I called Carolyn Grinnell. Carolyn called Lynn and asked her. Lynn said they were not biological sisters (if I remember correctly Lynn told Carolyn that she just had two brothers). Lynn told Carolyn that why people probably thought they were sisters was because on the set of Sanford and Son, they would call each other sister.
|
|
|
Post by nedandres on Mar 3, 2019 15:08:48 GMT -5
I think both Graves and Arness have passed away.
Thanks for the clarification, ForeverWaltons. Lynn would be the person to know. It is odd to me that "The LA Times" would have listed them as sisters in their obituary when LaWanda Page died. Certainly they would have the ability to verify that information before printing it! Oh well!
|
|
|
Post by JeriJet on Mar 3, 2019 15:59:35 GMT -5
I think both Graves and Arness have passed away. Thanks for the clarification, ForeverWaltons. Lynn would be the person to know. It is odd to me that "The LA Times" would have listed them as sisters in their obituary when LaWanda Page died. Certainly they would have the ability to verify that information before printing it! Oh well! And, newspapers wonder why "print" is going out of fashion !! .... I, for one, would stick with them if they'd get their act back together !! ... I feel like there were fewer errors in "print" before the internet came along -- wonder if that has changed in their greater rush to print in order to compete....
|
|
|
Post by Marilyn on Mar 4, 2019 14:08:08 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by JeriJet on Mar 4, 2019 14:24:11 GMT -5
Wikipedia has a pretty bad reputation as far as authenticity goes.... re Verdie and Esther, they say, "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." Hardly definitive !!
|
|
|
Post by ForeverWaltons on Mar 4, 2019 14:55:28 GMT -5
Carolyn personally called Lynn Hamilton to ask if she and LaWanda Page were sisters. Lynn said they were not. www.imdb.com, Wikipedia & the L.A. Times had it wrong. Someone probably wrote that on www.imdb.com and Wikipedia thinking they were since they called each other sister. I suspect the L.A. Times read it on www.imdb.com or Wikipedia when LaWanda Page died and just took it as fact. LaWanda and Lynn called each other sister all the time on the set of Sanford & Son. Lynn suspected that was why 'someone' wrote they were sisters.
|
|
|
Post by carol on Mar 4, 2019 14:55:30 GMT -5
Born James and Peter Aurness in Minneapolis, the Gunsmoke star-to-be later modified the spelling of his last name to Arness and Peter chose to use their mother's maiden name of Graves. Although they were both very active in movies and television at the same time, they never acted together. But Graves did direct a 1955 episode of Gunsmoke, the long-running TV series that starred his big brother in the role of Marshal Matt Dillon.
|
|
|
Post by Marilyn on Mar 4, 2019 15:39:10 GMT -5
Born James and Peter Aurness in Minneapolis, the Gunsmoke star-to-be later modified the spelling of his last name to Arness and Peter chose to use their mother's maiden name of Graves. Although they were both very active in movies and television at the same time, they never acted together. But Graves did direct a 1955 episode of Gunsmoke, the long-running TV series that starred his big brother in the role of Marshal Matt Dillon. LOVE both of these guys and had no clue they were brothers! Looking at them side by side, you can see the resemblance!
|
|
|
Post by JeriJet on Mar 4, 2019 18:33:20 GMT -5
I think both Graves and Arness have passed away. Thanks for the clarification, ForeverWaltons. Lynn would be the person to know. It is odd to me that "The LA Times" would have listed them as sisters in their obituary when LaWanda Page died. Certainly they would have the ability to verify that information before printing it! Oh well! I did say, I was equally shocked when I found out James Arness (Gunsmoke) and Peter Graves (Mission Impossible) are or were brothers.
I first knew that they were brothers fairly early on -- when Graves was on kids' show "Fury" ... Saturday morning !! Must have learned that in "TV Guide" -- years and years before there was an internet !!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2019 15:06:24 GMT -5
I did say, I was equally shocked when I found out James Arness (Gunsmoke) and Peter Graves (Mission Impossible) are or were brothers.
I first knew that they were brothers fairly early on -- when Graves was on kids' show "Fury" ... Saturday morning !! Must have learned that in "TV Guide" -- years and years before there was an internet !! I often think about Fury, which one was the best out of the three, Fury - Champion the Wonder Horse - My Friend Flicker. I've told you about my mom and the concert party she was a member of in another post. She idolized Frankie Laine who sang the theme song to CTWH, you should have heard her sing that song at full belt.
|
|
|
Post by nedandres on Mar 5, 2019 23:38:19 GMT -5
Both Graves and Arness seemed like class acts.
|
|
|
Post by nedandres on Mar 5, 2019 23:39:30 GMT -5
Wikipedia is iffy because anyone with an account can enter and edit entries!
|
|