Theodore Wilson

Theodore Rosevelt "Teddy" Wilson (December 10, 1943 – July 21, 1991) was an American stage, film and television actor. Wilson is best known for his recurring role as Earl the Postman on the ABC sitcom That's My Mama, and as Sweet Daddy Williams on the CBS sitcom Good Times.

Career

Born in New York City, Wilson studied music at Florida A&M University before switching to drama. Upon returning to New York, he joined the Negro Ensemble Company and later worked with the Arena Stage Repertory. He made his acting debut in the blaxploitation film, Cotton Comes to Harlem, in 1970. The following year, Wilson moved to Los Angeles. He made his television debut in a two-episode role as "Rev. Hawthorne Dooley" on the drama series The Waltons. In 1973, Wilson was cast the supporting role of "High Strung" on the CBS sitcom Roll Out. The series was canceled after 13 weeks.^[2] The following year, Wilson was cast Earl Chambers, a postman on the ABC sitcom That's My Mama. That series was also short lived and canceled after just one season.

In September 1976, Wilson signed with Tandem Productions, the production company owned by Bud Yorkin and Norman Lear who produced some of the most popular sitcoms of the 1970s. Wilson would go on to guest star in several Yorkin/Lear-produced series including All in the Family, Sanford and Son, What's Happening!!, The Jeffersons, and 13 Queens Boulevard.^[2] In 1976, Wilson was cast as "Sweet Daddy Williams", a street hustler on the CBS sitcom Good Times. Wilson would appear as "Sweet Daddy" throughout the series' five-year run. In August 1977, it was announced that Wilson would star in a spin-off of the hit sitcom Sanford and Son called Sanford Arms. The series was intended to be a continuation of the highly popular Sanford and Son, which ended in March 1977 when both the series' stars, Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson left the series. Wilson starred as "Phil Wheeler", an Army veteran and widower who has purchased the Sanford Arms, a room house, from his old Army buddy Fred G. Sanford.^[3] Upon its premiere in September 1977, Sanford Arms was critically panned and drew low ratings. It was canceled after four episodes.

After the series was canceled, Wilson made various guest appearances in episodes of The White Shadow (he also wrote a 1980 episode), Enos, Gimme a Break!, The Golden Girls and What's Happening Now. In 1986, he had a recurring role on another short-lived series, The Redd Foxx Show. Wilson continued to work throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s appearing in Alien Nation, Dallas, Family Matters, Tales from the Crypt, Gabriel's Fire, Mama's Family and Quantum Leap. He was also featured in films The Hunter (1980), Blake Edwards' A Fine Mess and That's Life! (both 1986). Wilson made his last onscreen appearance in Blood in Blood Out, a 1993 crime drama released after his death.^[4] Theodore "Teddy" Wilson graduated from Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he was drum major for the "Marching 100"-Dillard High's band Prior to his attending Florida A & M University. I knew him personally at Dillard High School.

Personal life

In 1980, Wilson married actress Joan Pringle. The couple had two children and remained married until Wilson's death in 1991.^[5]

Death

On July 21, 1991, Wilson died of a stroke at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, at the age of 47.^{[1][4][5][6][7]}

Selected filmography

References

External links

• Theodore Wilson at the Internet Movie Database
• Theodore Wilson at Find a Grave