*Veteran actor Hal Williams, whose warmth, wit, and effortless comedic timing made him a familiar face on some of television’s most beloved sitcoms, has died. Williams, best known for playing Officer “Smitty” Smith on “Sanford and Son” and Lester Jenkins on “227,” died Wednesday morning at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, according to his representative. He was 91.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Williams became one of Hollywood’s most dependable character actors, earning memorable roles across comedy and drama while helping shape some of television’s most influential Black sitcoms.
A Scene-Stealer on ‘Sanford and Son’
For many fans, Williams will always be remembered as Officer “Smitty” Smith, one half of the unforgettable police duo alongside Howard Platt’s Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins on NBC’s “Sanford and Son.”
Whenever the officers appeared, viewers knew comedy was about to follow. Hoppy typically delivered stiff, official police explanations while Smitty translated everything into plain English for Fred Sanford, played by Redd Foxx, and Lamont Sanford, portrayed by Demond Wilson.
Williams later revealed the routine wasn’t originally scripted.
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“We did it one time in rehearsal and the producers thought it was funny,” he once told WKYC. “We did it in the first or second episode and it clicked.”
He recalled that producers occasionally sent the actors away during rehearsals to develop new material for the characters, a creative process that helped make Smitty and Hoppy recurring fan favorites. Williams later reprised the role when Foxx returned for NBC’s “Sanford” in 1980.
A Career Built on Memorable Characters
Although “Sanford and Son” remains his signature role, Williams built an impressive résumé that stretched across nearly every era of modern television.
He starred as Sgt. Ted Ross throughout the television adaptation of “Private Benjamin,” appeared on ABC’s “On the Rocks,” and played Rudy Bryan on “The Sinbad Show.”
From 1985 to 1990, Williams portrayed Lester Jenkins on “227,” joining a celebrated cast that included Marla Gibbs, Jackée Harry, Regina King, Helen Martin and Paul Winfield. The sitcom became one of television’s defining portrayals of Black middle-class life during the 1980s.
His guest appearances included “Good Times,” “Gunsmoke,” “The Waltons,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Hill Street Blues,” “Night Court,” “L.A. Law,” “Moesha,” “Parks and Recreation” and many other popular series.
Williams remained active well into his later years, most recently appearing in two episodes of the rebooted “Matlock” starring Kathy Bates as Autry, a local resident whose testimony affected the firm’s legal cases.
Beyond Television
Williams also enjoyed a successful film career, appearing opposite George C. Scott in “Hardcore,” Clint Eastwood in “The Rookie,” James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams and Courtney B. Vance in “Percy & Thunder,” Bernie Mac, Ashton Kutcher and Zoe Saldaña in “Guess Who,” and portraying Denzel Washington’s father in “Flight.”
Away from acting, Williams dedicated himself to mentoring others. He served for years on the board of the Los Angeles Actors’ Theatre, founded by Ralph Waite, and established the Mark K.A. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation after the death of his son, Mark, to help students of color pursuing degrees in television and communications.
A Lasting Legacy
While Williams appeared in dozens of television shows and films, it was his ability to bring authenticity, humor and humanity to every performance that made him unforgettable.
Whether sharing scenes with Redd Foxx, Marla Gibbs or Kathy Bates, Williams quietly built one of television’s most enduring careers, earning the admiration of colleagues and generations of viewers alike.
He is survived by two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His son Mark preceded him in death.
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