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

Hal Williams, the veteran television actor best remembered for playing Officer “Smitty” Smith on “Sanford and Son” and family patriarch Lester Jenkins on “227,” has died at 91.

Mr. Williams died of natural causes Wednesday morning at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, his manager, Zna Portlock Houston, told TMZ. He had experienced some recent health issues after returning from a trip to Ohio, where he had reunited with former castmate Howard Platt for a celebration of “Sanford and Son,” according to TMZ.

Born Halroy Candis Williams on Dec. 14, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, the actor worked as a juvenile corrections officer before turning to acting in his 30s, according to Forbes. He decided on a career change in 1968 after his marriage ended, telling colleagues at the time, “I sat down after getting divorced and said, ’What do I really want to try to do.’”

Mr. Williams landed his breakout role in 1972, playing Officer Smith opposite Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson on “Sanford and Son.” His character, nicknamed Smitty, formed a comedic duo with Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins, played by Howard Platt, with Hoppy delivering stiff police jargon and Smitty translating it into plain language for laughs, Deadline reported. Mr. Williams appeared in 20 episodes of the NBC sitcom.

In 1985, he was cast as Lester Jenkins on “227,” the NBC sitcom starring Marla Gibbs as his wife, Mary, and a young Regina King as their daughter, Brenda. The show, set in a Washington apartment building, ran for five seasons and 116 episodes, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Mr. Williams also had a recurring role on “The Waltons” as Harley Foster and appeared in the film “Private Benjamin” opposite Goldie Hawn before reprising a version of the role on the CBS sitcom it inspired. His other television credits include “The Sinbad Show,” “Moesha,” “Parks and Recreation” and “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” while his film work included “Hardcore,” “The Rookie,” “Guess Who” and a voice role as the father of Denzel Washington’s character in “Flight,” according to Forbes. He was most recently seen in the CBS legal drama “Matlock,” appearing in two episodes in 2024 and 2025.

Decades ago, Mr. Williams established the Mark K.A. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation, which provides funding for students of color pursuing college degrees in television or communications. The foundation is named for his son Mark, who died at 20 during a camping trip, according to a report citing Deadline.

Mr. Williams is survived by two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.