Hal Williams

Hal Williams (born December 14, 1938) is an American actor renowned for his extensive career in television and film, spanning over five decades, with iconic recurring roles such as Police Officer Smith ("Smitty") on the sitcom Sanford and Son (1972–1977) and Lester Jenkins on the sitcom 227 (1985–1990).^[1] Born Halroy Candis Williams in Columbus, Ohio, he grew up in various neighborhoods, including areas near Fort Hayes and Stelzer and Morse roads, where his parents worked at Curtiss-Wright Aviation; he lived with his great-grandmother during part of his childhood and attended Franklin Junior High School and East High School, graduating in 1953.^[2] From an early age, Williams developed a passion for acting through school musicals, track activities, and frequent visits to local theaters like the Empress Theater on the East Side.^[2] Prior to his entertainment career, Williams worked in community theater while employed with the Ohio Youth Commission, including roles at Franklin Village in Grove City and in the juvenile detention system; he was also a divorced father of three children before relocating to Los Angeles in 1968 to pursue acting professionally.^[2]^[3] Upon arriving in California, he supported himself with a night job at a Los Angeles post office while auditioning, guided by actress Maidie Ruth Norman to use trade publications like the Hollywood Reporter and Variety; his professional debut came in the 1969 short film Worthy to Stand, followed by national TV commercials and stage work.^[2]^[4] Williams achieved his breakthrough in 1972 with the recurring role of Officer Smitty on Sanford and Son, after which he quit the post office upon being recognized on television; he rebounded with guest spots on series like The Waltons (as Harley Foster), Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, and The Dukes of Hazzard.^[2]^[3] Over his career, he amassed more than 100 credits, showcasing versatility in comedy and drama through roles in miniseries like Roots: The Next Generations (1979), sitcoms including Private Benjamin (1980, as Sgt. L.C. Ross) and The Sinbad Show (1993–1994), and films such as The Rookie (1990), Flight (2012), and Guess Who (2005, as Howard Jones).^[2]^[5]^[4] Remaining active into his late 80s, Williams appeared as Autry Tucker in the 2024 reboot of Matlock, has developed scripts like Residential Center and plans a memoir and cookbook honoring his great-grandmother; he has also hosted an annual Louisiana-based telethon for the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation and attended culinary school in the 1980s, often hosting elaborate dinner parties.^[2]^[3]

Early life

Upbringing in Ohio

Halroy Candis Williams was born on December 14, 1938, in Columbus, Ohio.^[6] Williams grew up in several neighborhoods across Columbus, spending much of his early years in his great-grandmother's house near Fort Hayes, a diverse area he later described as a "melting pot of cultures and races."^[2] His parents both worked at Curtiss-Wright Aviation, contributing to the family's stability during his formative period.^[2] As a child, Williams engaged in imaginative play, such as pretending to be Tonto from Western films while playing with his dog Sandy, and he regularly attended Saturday matinees at East Side theaters including the Cameo, Lincoln, Empress, and Pythian, where he watched double features and serials that ignited his fascination with storytelling and performance.^[2] These experiences, combined with the vibrant community environment, shaped his early worldview and creative inclinations. Williams attended Franklin Junior High School and East High School, graduating from the latter in 1953; during this time, he delivered newspapers for The Columbus Dispatch, ran track, and sang in school musicals, providing his first structured exposure to the performing arts.^[2] He did not pursue formal higher education, relying instead on these local influences and self-driven interests to nurture his emerging passion for acting.^[2]

Pre-acting professions and relocation

In the 1960s, Hal Williams held several positions in Columbus, Ohio, primarily in social services and corrections. He worked as a juvenile correctional officer for the Ohio Youth Commission, where he was involved in the juvenile detention system, and also served in roles with Franklin County Children's Services in the Child Family Services department, as a probation officer, and briefly with the Federal Poverty Program.^[7]^[8] These jobs provided stability but eventually left him feeling unfulfilled in his professional life.^[2] While employed in these roles, Williams began exploring his interest in performance through amateur acting in the early 1960s. He participated in community theater productions in Ohio, marking his initial foray into acting as a hobby alongside his full-time work in corrections and social services.^[6]^[7] This involvement ignited a passion that contrasted with the routine of his day jobs, gradually shifting his aspirations toward a career in entertainment.^[3] By 1968, at the age of 29, Williams decided to relocate to Hollywood to pursue professional acting opportunities, driven by a sense of stagnation in his social work career, a failing marriage, and a deep-seated desire to chase his dreams before it was too late.^[2]^[8] He later reflected, "My career has come to a stop in social work. My marriage is failing. I’m extremely unhappy," and emphasized, "If I don’t do this now, I know I will never get the guts to do it."^[2] The decision shocked those around him, including his parents, whom he informed only after committing to the move.^[2] Williams drove from Columbus to California in his Pontiac Bonneville, carrying essentials like two pistols for protection and fried chicken for the journey, arriving as a divorced father of three whose children initially remained with family in Ohio.^[2]^[7] Settling in Los Angeles proved challenging; to support himself and his family, he took a night-shift job at a local post office near LAX and worked with the California Youth Authority, often juggling these with daytime auditions.^[5]^[2]^[7] These early struggles underscored the financial and emotional hurdles of transitioning from a stable life in Ohio to the uncertainties of Hollywood.^[8]

Professional career

Television roles

Hal Williams began his television career in the early 1970s, transitioning to full-time acting around 1970 after earlier pursuits in social work. His initial forays included guest appearances in series such as That Girl (1971, two episodes as Herbie Robinson) and The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971), which helped establish his presence in episodic television before leading to more prominent opportunities.^[5] Williams achieved his breakthrough with a recurring role as Officer "Smitty" Smith on the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son from 1972 to 1976, appearing in 20 episodes. In the role, Smitty served as a friendly, no-nonsense LAPD officer and confidant to the protagonist Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), often partnering with the more bumbling Officer Hoppy (Howard Platt) in storylines involving neighborhood antics and minor crimes. The character's affable demeanor and comic timing contributed to the show's enduring appeal as a pioneering Black-led sitcom, highlighting Williams' skill in blending humor with grounded supportiveness.^[9]^[5] From 1985 to 1990, Williams portrayed Lester Jenkins on the NBC sitcom 227, appearing in 116 episodes as a series regular. As the level-headed husband to Mary Jenkins (Marla Gibbs) and father to their daughter Brenda, Lester owned a construction company and provided comic relief through his patient navigation of his wife's schemes and the building's quirky residents. The role solidified Williams' status as a television mainstay, contributing to the series' success as a top-rated show that ran for five seasons and addressed everyday life in a Washington, D.C., apartment building with wit and warmth.^[10]^[11] Williams also had notable recurring appearances on other series, including as Harley Foster on The Waltons from 1973 to 1980, where he played a supportive community member in the rural Virginia setting across multiple episodes. In 1979, he guest-starred in the miniseries Roots: The Next Generations, portraying a character in the historical drama's continuation of the original saga. More recently, in 2024 and 2025, Williams reprised the role of Autry Tucker on Matlock, appearing in the second episode ("Rome, in a Day") as a helpful witness and returning in the tenth episode ("Crash Helmets On") amid a senior living facility investigation.^[5]^[12]^[13] Throughout his career, Williams has co-starred as a regular in nine prime-time hit series, spanning over 25 years in both dramas and comedies, with examples including a 2022 appearance as Walt on Mr. Mayor, where he delivered sharp dialogue as a former DA's office colleague. His roles evolved from early supporting guest spots to series regulars like Lester Jenkins, amassing credits in more than 100 television episodes overall.^[6]^[14]^[8]

Film roles

Williams appeared in Paul Schrader's Hardcore (1979), portraying the character Big Dick Blaque, a pimp involved in the seedy underworld of pornography, in a brief but memorable cameo that highlighted his ability to embody gritty, dramatic supporting roles. The film received generally positive critical reception, earning an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its intense exploration of moral decay and family crisis. In 1980, Williams appeared in a supporting role as Drill Sergeant L.C. Ross in Private Benjamin, a comedy directed by Howard Zieff, where he co-starred alongside Goldie Hawn as the titular character navigating army life after her husband's death.^[15] His portrayal of the tough yet humorous sergeant contributed to the film's comedic tone, and Private Benjamin became a major box office success, grossing $69.8 million domestically against a $9.5 million budget.^[16] Williams continued to build his film career with roles in later projects, including Guess Who (2005), a romantic comedy remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, where he played Howard Jones, the wise and supportive father-in-law to Bernie Mac's character Simon, alongside Ashton Kutcher and Zoë Saldana.^[17] He also provided the voice for Whip's Dad in Robert Zemeckis's drama Flight (2012), a pivotal offscreen role that added emotional depth to Denzel Washington's portrayal of a troubled pilot. Other notable credits include his performance as Henry Mays in the Disney Channel's family holiday film Snow 2: Brain Freeze (2008), a sequel emphasizing themes of redemption and Christmas spirit. That same year, he starred as Mac in the Hallmark Channel original Generation Gap, a heartfelt story about intergenerational bonding between a rebellious teen and his grandfather. Over his career, Williams amassed approximately 20 film credits, spanning theatrical releases, TV movies, and voice work, which showcased his versatility in both dramatic intensity and lighthearted comedy beyond his television persona.^[5]

Theater roles

Williams began his acting journey in the early 1960s through community theater productions in Columbus, Ohio, where he performed while employed by the Ohio Youth Commission.^[6]^[18] Following his relocation to Los Angeles in the late 1960s, Williams made his professional stage debut in 1981, portraying Boise McCanles in a revival of Nevis Mountain Dew at the Los Angeles Actors Theatre.^[18]^[19] In this role, he appeared four nights a week without compensation, demonstrating his dedication to live performance amid his growing television commitments.^[19] Williams accumulated credits in numerous stage plays, including dramatic roles in regional productions throughout the 1980s, contributing to over a dozen theatrical works. Later stage credits include the lead in Port Chicago 50 (2017) at the National Black Theatre.^[8]^[20] These performances highlighted his versatility in live settings, where he navigated complex character dynamics and improvisational elements inherent to theater.^[21] His theater training profoundly shaped his screen acting technique, providing a strong foundation in grounding emotional depth and authenticity that translated to roles requiring nuanced dramatic range.^[21] For instance, the improvisational demands of stage work enhanced his ability to adapt in on-camera scenes, allowing seamless shifts between comedic and serious portrayals.^[21] Despite the dominance of his television and film career during this period, Williams' theater engagements remained limited yet impactful, with notable productions concentrated through the 1980s that reinforced his reputation as a multifaceted performer.^[8]^[18]

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

Williams' first marriage took place during his tenure as a social worker in Columbus, Ohio, in the mid-1960s. The union dissolved in divorce around 1968 amid personal challenges that contributed to his decision to relocate to Los Angeles and launch an acting career.^[2] Following his move to Hollywood, Williams entered his second marriage to Gay Anderson on April 11, 1975, as he began establishing himself in television roles. The partnership was short-lived, ending in divorce in 1976 after less than two years.^[5] Williams' third marriage occurred on December 16, 1978, to Dr. Renee W. Himes, a period aligning with his growing success in shows like The Waltons and Sanford and Son. The marriage provided stability during his peak television years but concluded in divorce on March 20, 1984, after six years.^[5]

Family and children

Hal Williams is the father of three children from his first marriage. His son, Mark K. A. Williams (born circa 1957), tragically died at age 20 in October 1977 from exposure during a camping trip in the Big Bear area of the San Bernardino Mountains, California.^[22] In Mark's memory, Williams established the Mark K. A. Williams Memorial Scholarship, supporting minority students pursuing higher education.^[23] Following his divorce around 1968, Williams relocated to Hollywood, California, initially leaving his young children in the care of his parents in Columbus, Ohio, while he established himself professionally; the children later joined him in California to form a family unit amid his rising acting career.^[2] This relocation, prompted in part by personal challenges in his marriage, allowed Williams to balance fatherhood with demanding filming schedules, raising his children in a stable environment that emphasized resilience and education.^[2] Williams' family life has remained free of public scandals, underscoring his commitment as a devoted parent and family man. As of 2025, at age 86, he maintains close ties with his extended family, including three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, reflecting a lasting legacy of familial support and stability.^[23]