Raymond Gilmore Allen  (March 5, 1929 – August 10, 2020) was an American television actor. He was best known for his appearances on television during the 1970s. He had recurring roles as Ned the  Wino  on  Good Times , as  Aunt Esther 's husband, Woodrow "Woody" Anderson on the  NBC  sitcom series  Sanford and Son , and as  mechanic  Merle the Earl on  Starsky and Hutch . He reprised his role as Uncle Woody Anderson in the  Sanford and Son   spin-off ,  The Sanford Arms . Allen also made guest appearances on  The Jeffersons ,  What's Happening!! ,  The Love Boat  and the film  Wattstax