Sian Barbara Allen, Former Actress and Star of 'The Waltons', Dies at 78
Sian Barbara Allen, the beloved star of The Waltons, has died. She was 78.
The actress died of Alzheimer's in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Monday, March 31, an online obituary announced.
'She lived her final year of life in North Carolina, surrounded by all of her favorite things, new friends, and more time with [her daughter] Emily than she'd had in 35 years,' the obituary stated.
Allen is survived by her daughter Emily Fonseca, two sisters, Hannah Davie and Meg Pokrass, nephew, Miles Bond, ex-husband, Peter Gelblum and grandson, Arlo Fonseca, who, per the obituary, "made her laugh more than anyone could dream."
Allen's sister Pokrass confirmed the news on Facebook, writing, 'My wonderful sister, actress Sian Barbara Allen died peacefully today after a long illness … This loss is too hard.'
Allen starred in several 1970s and 1980s TV shows, including The Waltons, The Incredible Hulk, Hawaii Five-0, Columbo, The Rockford Files and Gunsmoke. She also appeared in films such as Billy Two Hats (1974), Love American Style, Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973) and The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976).
Allen was born in Reading, Penn., and attended the Pasadena Playhouse on a scholarship after graduating high school. She went on to star in several theater productions including Our Town in 1976, playing one her favorite roles, Emily Webb — and later naming her daughter after the character.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The late star earned her first Golden Globe nomination for her role in the 1972 film You'll Like My Mother and became the first woman to pen a script for the TV series Baretta in 1978. She withdrew from acting and public life to focus on politics in 1990, according to the obituary.
'Along with then-husband, Peter, and daughter, Emily, they volunteered for Jackie Goldberg's 1993 city council campaign in Los Angeles. Sian was a staunch supporter of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers and never crossed a picket line in her entire life,' the obituary further noted.
Allen's daughter asked that her mother be honored with donations to the AuthoraCare collective hospice of Burlington or a local organization combating oppression.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'The Waltons' Actress Dies at Her Chicago Home
'The Waltons' Actress Dies at Her Chicago Home originally appeared on Parade. A well-known TV actress has died at her Chicago home at the age of 95. Lynn Hamilton, who had recurring roles on The Waltons and Sanford & Son, died Thursday, June 19, at the age of 95, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Hamilton played Redd Foxx's character's girlfriend Donna Harris on Sanford & Son, and the neighbor Ms. Verdie Grant Foster on The Waltons. Additionally, she starred as matriarch Vivian Potter on the NBC soap opera Generations alongside Kelly Rutherford, Joan Pringle, Jonelle Allen and the late Kristoff St. John. Hamilton also starred on the short-lived primetime drama Dangerous Women alongside Katherine Justice and Casper Van Dien. In later years, Hamilton had recurring roles on 227, Sunset Beach and The Practice. She also appeared on such shows as Cold Case, Judging Amy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, NYPD Blue, Murphy Brown and The Golden Girls. In a 2009 interview, Hamilton said that the team behind Sanford & Son was "so impressed" with her day-player role as a landlord that they wrote the part of Foxx's girlfriend just for her. "A month or two later, they decided to give Fred Sanford a girlfriend,' said Hamilton, adding, "[They] needed somebody dignified opposite him; he was aware of his earthliness, shall we say." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hamilton was born April 25, 1930, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, but her family moved to Chicago when she was 4. She moved to New York in 1956 and appeared on Broadway in Only in America, The Cool World, Face of a Hero and Tambourines to Glory. She joined the Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1966. Hamilton is preceded in death by her husband, Frank Jenkins, who was a poet and playwright. They married in 1964 and were together until his death in 2014. 'The Waltons' Actress Dies at Her Chicago Home first appeared on Parade on Jun 21, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Actress Lynn Hamilton, Redd Foxx's girlfriend on Sanford and Son, has passed away
Editor's note: This story is available as a result of a partnership between WFTV and The Hollywood Reporter. Lynn Hamilton, the accomplished actress known for her roles on 'Sanford and Son' and 'The Waltons,' has passed away at 95. Rev. Calvin Carson, Hamilton's former manager and publicist, confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter. Hamilton passed away of natural causes on Thursday at her Chicago home. Hamilton was best known for portraying Donna Harris, the girlfriend of Redd Foxx's character on the popular sitcom 'Sanford and Son.' She also gained recognition for her role as Miss Verdie on 'The Waltons,' showcasing her versatility as an actress. Hamilton also made a name for herself with her roles on 'Sanford and Son' and 'The Waltons,' and she played Vivian Potter on the NBC daytime drama 'Generations' from 1989 to 1991. The show faced tough competition from CBS's 'The Young and the Restless,' which dominated the ratings during its run. Her debut on 'Sanford and Son' came in February 1972, where she initially played a landlady in the show's seventh episode. Her performance impressed the producers, casting her as Donna Harris, a registered nurse and the dignified counterpart to Foxx's character. Lynn Hamilton's contributions to television left a lasting impact. Her roles continue to be celebrated by fans and peers alike. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ashley Tisdale Explains Why Sharpay Evans Wasn't the ‘Popular Girl' in 'High School Musical' (Exclusive)
Ashley Tisdale, 39, told PEOPLE that she doesn't think her High School Musical character Sharpay Evans was the 'popular girl' The actress said that playing Sharpay as though she thought she was popular is what helped make the character 'so funny' 'What's so funny is that she's not the popular girl. She's the drama queen,' she explained of SharpayAshley Tisdale is spilling the tea on what she thinks made her High School Musical character so iconic. Tisdale, 39, who played musical theater queen bee Sharpay Evans in the hit Disney franchise, recently caught up with PEOPLE and she exclusively shared what she thought was 'so funny' about the role. 'When I played the character of Sharpay — I think it was probably what made her so funny — was that I truly thought [Sharpay] was the popular girl in school. I thought Sharpay was popular, and I played it like she was popular,' Tisdale recalls. 'And [director] Kenny Ortega enhanced that. He really made me feel like I was popular. But what's so funny is that she's not the popular girl. She's the drama queen. And my husband's like, 'That's what's so funny about how you played it. You really thought you were popular,' ' she continues. The actress also shared how it feels 'so cool' to see the character find new life on social media and in meme culture. 'Sharpay is — I swear she's mother to everybody — because it's like she just keeps coming back on these memes and people keep talking and doing the songs,' she says. 'And I'm just like, I mean, out of everyone in High School Musical, my character is the most iconic. It's so cool.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Tisdale — who also voices Candace Flynn in the hit animated series Phineas and Ferb — went on to say how lucky she feels to have been a part of multiple franchises that have reached cult status. 'I mean, it's so cool … It's really awesome to be a part of these projects that have really been so prevalent in pop culture and to play these characters," she adds. "It's just, you're like, 'Dang, man.' I can't believe out of everything that I auditioned for [...] I got this animation [series] that has lasted this long. Or I was always trying to get a Disney movie, and never got the movie. And then, I got High School Musical. " 'Out of all the ones, I get that. This is pretty awesome,' she says. High School Musical became one of the most successful Disney Channel Original movies of all time. It generated two popular sequel films, the third of which was released in theaters in 2008 and earned more than $250 million worldwide at the box office, per Variety. High School Musical 3: Senior Year marked the biggest opening weekend for a musical film up until that point (though it was eventually eclipsed by Les Misérables in 2012). Read the original article on People
