‘Sanford and Son’ Actress Marlene Clark, Dead at 85: ‘An Extraordinary Woman’

Marlene Clark, who also starred in the movies “Slaughter,” “Ganja & Hess,” and “Switchblade Sisters,” passed away on May 18 at her Los Angeles home.

Marlene Clark passed away. She was well remembered for her work on Sanford and Son and Ganja & Hess. She was 85 years old.

The actress passed away on May 18 at her home in Los Angeles, her friend Tamara Lynch said.

According to Lynch, the late actress was “an extraordinary woman,” if you had met her, you would have known that her one quality was grit. She had a very petite build and was extremely skinny. She was so exotic that she almost resembled a Black Polynesian. Then she developed this resonant, deep voice. Her voice had such a commanding quality when she talked.

Lynch added that Clark carried on with her work ethic up to her passing.

“She was tenacious in her love of art, film, and expression,” she said. “Marlene would have attended the audition until she passed away. She would have taken any action. She belonged to the staunchly traditional Hollywood crowd, including actors and performers. You are the one who does the work. You arrive. You practice your lines before returning the following day after going home.”

Clark “walked into the room,” she continued, “and she just raised the bar.”

Lynch acknowledges that even though her friend might not have been well-known to some people, her influence on the entertainment business is still felt.

She said, “She’s one of those people who gets lost in the seams. She was a part of the group that broke down these doors, and her actions had no precedent. The world was blind. Therefore, she is starting everything she does. She is therefore fostering this movement by appearing in these movies alongside these Black filmmakers, actresses, and authors.”

On Sanford and Son, Clark played Janet Lawson, Lamont’s (Demond Wilson) love interest, in one of his most enduring appearances. On Twitter, Wilson paid tribute to the deceased celebrity, writing, “RIP beautiful actress Marlene Clark. It was a delight to work with you.”

With a small role in the romantic comedy For Love of Ivy, which starred Sidney Poitier and Beau Bridges, Clark made her film debut before her role on Sanford and Son. She was cast in the Robert Downey Sr.-produced film Putney Swope as well.

Later, Clark starred in the horror movie Ganja & Hess alongside Duane Jones. She described her experience working on the movie in an interview with Temple of Schlock in 2011.

“Her personality is complex on so many levels. She described playing Ganga as ‘such a collection of contradictions.’ “Having that role was a lot of fun to play. And working with Duane was a pleasure.”

The New York native also appeared in films including Slaughter, Switchblade Sisters, Night of the Cobra Woman, The Beast Must Die, Enter the Dragon, Black Mamba, and The Baron.

Clark returned to the small screen for roles on Head of the Class, Flamingo Road, Highway to Heaven, and Barnaby Jones.