Hal Williams, the character actor best known for playing Lester Jenkins on the NBC sitcom “227” and Officer “Smitty” Smith on “Sanford and Son,” died on July 15, 2026, of natural causes at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91.
His manager, Zna Portlock Houston, confirmed the death, noting that Williams had faced some recent health issues. Days before his death, Williams gave an interview reflecting on the legacy of “Sanford and Son.”
Remembered as a “Stand-Up Guy”
His “227” co-star Jackeé 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.
Lenny Kravitz and Questlove were among others who paid tribute.
Williams’ signature role for a new generation arrived in 1985, when he was cast as Lester Jenkins on “227.” The comedy, adapted by Christine Houston from her play and produced by Embassy Television, was set in a Washington, D.C., apartment building and ran for five seasons through 1990.
From the Beat to the Barracks
The turning point in Williams’ career came in 1972, when he was cast as Officer “Smitty” Smith on “Sanford and Son,” the 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.
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. His work extended well beyond sitcoms. He showed dramatic range in a recurring role on CBS’s “The Waltons,” appearing from 1973 to 1980 as Harley Foster, an escaped convict unjustly imprisoned for a self-defense killing who later earned a presidential pardon from Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1980, Williams landed one of his most enduring big-screen roles as Drill Sergeant L.C. “Ted” Ross, Goldie Hawn’s tough but sympathetic instructor in “Private Benjamin,” the box office hit directed by Howard Zieff. He reprised the character in the television series that followed.
A Long Road to His Big Break
Born Halroy Candis Williams on Dec. 14, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, Williams did not set out to become an entertainer. 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 nights at the post office at Los Angeles International Airport and returned to youth corrections with the California Youth Authority. He kept the overnight shift for years after his career took off, saying he felt secure enough to give it up only once his children had left for school.
Over his career, Williams amassed an extensive list of television credits, including “Harry O,” “Good Times,” “Roots: The Next Generation,” “Hill Street Blues,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Night Court,” “L.A. Law,” “Suddenly Susan,” “Parks and Recreation,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “Mr. Mayor.” His film work included “Private Benjamin,” “Hardcore,” “The Rookie” and “Guess Who.”
Williams also 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.