All articles tagged with #hal williams
Regina King posted a heartfelt tribute to Hal Williams, her TV dad from 227, after his death at 91, praising the safety, gentleness and support he offered on and off set and cherishing the time they shared.
Marla Gibbs paid a heartfelt tribute on Instagram to her late 227 co-star Hal Williams, who died at 91. She recalled their long friendship—from their work together onstage to becoming a television family for five seasons on 227—praising his generosity and support for young artists. Gibbs noted that Williams remained a constant presence in her life, and said they last spoke just a few weeks ago with fond, laughter-filled memories.
Hal Williams, a veteran TV actor best known for portraying Officer Smitty Smith on Sanford and Son and Lester Jenkins on 227, has died at 91 in California. He began acting in his 30s after working as a postal worker and corrections officer, even continuing overnight shifts during Sanford and Son’s run. His career spanned film and TV, with roles in Hardcore, Herbie Rides Again, Private Benjamin (and its TV series), The Waltons, Matlock, and more, and he spoke about the rise of Black producers and creators in Hollywood. Regina King led tributes, praising him as a generous, principled presence on screen.
Hal Williams, the veteran TV actor known for his roles on Sanford and Son and the sitcom 227, has died at age 91. His long-running career also included parts in Private Benjamin and other TV projects, marking him as a memorable figure in classic American television.
Veteran actor Hal Williams, best known for playing Officer Smitty Smith on Sanford and Son, has died at 91 in Rancho Mirage. Williams appeared in 22 episodes of the classic series and later continued his six-decade career with roles on On the Rocks, the Private Benjamin TV adaptation, The Sinbad Show, and 227, along with film work in Hardcore, The Rookie, Guess Who and Flight. He was a longtime board member of the Los Angeles Actors’ Theatre and founded the Mark K.A. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation in honor of his late son. He is survived by two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Hal Williams, the veteran actor best known for playing Officer Smitty Smith on Sanford and Son and Lester Jenkins on 227, died at 91 in his Rancho Mirage home; TMZ cites natural causes and his rep did not immediately respond. Born in December 1934 in Columbus, Ohio, he built a six-decade career with roles on The Waltons, Roots: The Next Generation, Private Benjamin, and later credits on A Black Lady Sketch Show and Matlock. He is survived by two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; his eldest son Mark died at 20 in an Angeles National Forest camping accident. Williams moved to Los Angeles in 1968 after working as a postal worker, corrections officer and social worker to pursue acting.
Hal Williams, the TV veteran known for 227 and a regular on Sanford and Son, died at 91, according to his manager. He played Lester Jenkins on 227 (1985–1990) and appeared in 22 Sanford and Son episodes as Officer Smitty, part of the Smitty/Hoppy duo; his career also included roles on The Waltons, The Sinbad Show, Matlock and films such as Hardcore and The Rookie.