Veteran character actor Hal Williams, remembered for his role as Lester Jenkins on the NBC sitcom “227” and as Officer Smitty on “Sanford and Son,” died on Wednesday, July 15, of natural causes at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91 (although sources disagree about his birth year).
Williams’ manager, Zna Portlock Houston, confirmed the death, noting that Williams had faced some recent health issues.
Remembered as a ‘Stand-Up Guy’
Williams’ co-star on “227,” Jackée Harry, paid homage to the actor and the fatherly image he brought to the screen, writing that he was “a stand-up guy who believed Black fathers on TV should be loving, present, and compassionate.” He helped show America what that looked like, she said.
Williams’ signature role for a new generation arrived in 1985, when he was cast as Lester Jenkins on “227.” The comedy, produced by Norman Lear’s Embassy Television, was set in a Washington, D.C., apartment building and ran for five seasons through 1990.
From Post Office Shifts to Prime Time
Born Halroy Candis Williams on December 14, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, Williams did not set out to become an entertainer. Before entering show business, he held positions working with youth in the corrections system and social services. In 1968, newly divorced, he took stock of what he wanted most and settled on acting. He drove to California in 48 hours to chase it.
Hollywood did not hand Williams instant success. To make ends meet, he worked the overnight shift at the post office at Los Angeles International Airport and took a job with the California Youth Authority. Even after his career took off, he kept the graveyard shift for years. He explained that he only felt secure enough to quit his regular job once his children had left for school.
The turning point came in 1972, when he was cast as Officer “Smitty” Smith on “Sanford and Son,” the wildly popular NBC sitcom starring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson as father-and-son junk dealers in the Watts section of Los Angeles.
On the show, Smitty first walked the beat with Officer “Swanny” Swanhauser, played by Noam Pitlik, for six episodes. He was then paired with the square, culturally clueless Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins, played by Howard Platt, for the remainder of his run.
Williams once recalled the show’s wordplay, explaining that the writers would send the actors off to invent mangled expressions. That’s where “hammer hocks” and “black-eyed rice” came from, twisting ham hocks and black-eyed peas into running gags.
Extending His Range Beyond Comedy
Williams exited “Sanford and Son” in 1975, the same year he took on the role of Lester DeMott in the ABC comedy “On the Rocks,” which ran only through 1976. But his range extended well beyond sitcoms. He turned in a memorable dramatic performance on CBS’s “The Waltons,” portraying Harley Foster, an escaped convict who had been unjustly imprisoned for a self-defense killing and later earned a presidential pardon from Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1980, Williams landed one of his most enduring big-screen roles as Goldie Hawn’s tough but sympathetic drill sergeant in “Private Benjamin,” the box office hit directed by Howard Zieff.
Over his career, Williams amassed an extensive list of television credits, including “Good Times,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Night Court,” “Moesha,” “The Sinbad Show,” “The Jeffersons,” “Parks and Recreation” and the recent “Matlock” reboot. His film work included “Private Benjamin,” “Hardcore,” “Guess Who” and “Flight.”
Beyond acting, Williams left a philanthropic legacy. He established the Mark K.A. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation, named for his late son, Mark, who died at age 20 during a camping trip. The foundation provides funding to students of color pursuing college degrees in television or communications.
Williams leaves behind two children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
