‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘227’ actor Hal Williams dies at 91

Hal Williams, the veteran actor whose steady presence shaped some of the most recognizable Black characters on television across four decades, died July 15 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91. His death was attributed to natural causes.

Williams was best known for roles that became fixtures in American households. He played Officer Smith — “Smitty” — on Sanford and Son from 1972 to 1976, Harley Foster on The Waltons from 1973 to 1980, and Lester Jenkins, the working-class patriarch on NBC’s 227, which aired from 1985 to 1990. His film credits included Private Benjamin (1980), Guess Who (2005), and Flight (2012).

Born Halroy Candis Williams on December 14, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, he began acting in community theater in the early 1960s while working as a postal employee and corrections officer. In 1968, he moved to Hollywood to pursue acting full time, landing his first steady television work by 1970. He appeared twice on Kung Fu in the 1970s and soon became a familiar face in sitcoms and dramas. His portrayal of Drill Sergeant L.C. “Ted” Ross in Private Benjamin led to a role in the television adaptation, and his turn as Lester Jenkins on 227 cemented him as a trusted on-screen father figure.

Williams’ career extended well into the 1990s and 2000s. He co-starred with Sinbad in The Sinbad Show and The Cherokee Kid, appeared as a police detective in Clint Eastwood’s The Rookie, and played Howard Jones — father to Bernie Mac’s character — in Guess Who. In 2024, he appeared in the reboot of Matlock, reprising his role the following year.

His impact extended beyond his credits. “He was also a stand-up guy who believed Black fathers on TV should be loving, present, and compassionate,” his 227 co-star Jackée Harry wrote in an Instagram tribute. “He helped show America what that looked like.”

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