Hal Williams Dies at 91: ‘Sanford and Son,’ ‘227’ Star

Hal Williams Dies at 91: ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘227’ Star Remembered as Beloved TV Father

The veteran actor entertained generations as Officer Smitty and Lester Jenkins. Former co-star Jackée Harry remembered him as a gracious man who helped show American audiences loving and present Black fatherhood on television.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — To one generation of television viewers, Hal Williams was Officer Smitty, the calm neighborhood policeman attempting to navigate the chaos surrounding Fred Sanford.

To another generation, he was Lester Jenkins, the dependable husband and father at the heart of the NBC family comedy “227.”

Williams, whose familiar face and grounded performances appeared across more than five decades of American television, died Wednesday, July 15, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91.

A representative confirmed his death to Deadline. Entertainment Weekly subsequently reported that the actor died of natural causes after experiencing recent health issues.

Jackée Harry remembers a television gentleman

Among the first former cast members to publicly honor Williams was Jackée Harry, who starred as Sandra Clark on “227.”

Harry remembered Williams as a gentleman who carried himself with grace, kept his colleagues laughing and understood the importance of the family they portrayed on television.

Harry’s tribute, reported by People, captured why Williams’ work as Lester Jenkins endured beyond the jokes and familiar sitcom storylines.

Officer Smitty became a ‘Sanford and Son’ favorite

Williams joined “Sanford and Son” in 1972 as Officer Smith, better known to viewers as Smitty. He was frequently paired with Howard Platt’s Officer Hoppy Hopkins.

The officers’ appearances became recurring highlights of the popular sitcom, which starred Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford and helped define network television comedy during the 1970s.

Williams later explained that he and Platt sometimes helped develop their own dialogue. They would meet away from the studio and work through expressions, cultural references and comic exchanges before taking their ideas back to the show’s producers.

In a 2022 interview with Tell-Tale TV, Williams recalled the production as an unusually enjoyable experience and said the actors’ ideas were sometimes incorporated into finished scenes.

‘227’ gave viewers a loving and present television father

Williams reached another generation when he was cast as Lester Jenkins on “227,” which ran on NBC from 1985 to 1990.

Marla Gibbs played his wife, Mary Jenkins, while a young Regina King portrayed their daughter, Brenda. Harry played their memorable neighbor Sandra.

Williams’ character was not the loudest personality in the apartment building. Instead, Lester often served as the stable center of the Jenkins household: a working husband, an involved father and a partner whose presence helped ground the comedy.

That portrayal became part of Williams’ broader legacy. His character offered millions of viewers an image of a Black father who was engaged in his family’s daily life, affectionate toward his wife and present for his daughter.

He took a chance on acting while raising a family

Williams did not enter Hollywood through the traditional path of childhood stardom or immediate industry connections.

Before establishing himself as an actor, he worked in social services, corrections and the postal service. He moved to California in the late 1960s and gave himself a limited period to determine whether he could build a career in entertainment.

Williams attended auditions during the day, worked at night and continued developing his craft in theater. Even after television opportunities began arriving, he remained cautious about abandoning the steady income needed to support his family.

His persistence eventually produced recurring roles on several major programs, including “Sanford and Son,” “The Waltons” and the crime drama “Harry O.”

A career that extended far beyond two sitcoms

Although “Sanford and Son” and “227” remained his most recognizable credits, Williams regularly moved between comedy and drama.

Williams acknowledged that sitcom success sometimes caused audiences and casting professionals to overlook his dramatic range. He described himself not as the outrageous comic character, but as the composed performer reacting to the madness around him.

A scholarship created from personal loss

Williams’ legacy also extended beyond acting.

After his son Mark died at age 20 during a camping trip, Williams established the Mark K.A. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation .

The foundation was created to support students of color pursuing college education in television, communications and related fields, according to reporting from KFVS12 and Gray News.

The program reflected the same principles Williams often emphasized when speaking to younger performers: training matters, rejection is part of the profession and lasting success usually requires patience, preparation and another source of income during the difficult years.

Why Hal Williams remains important

Williams was rarely presented as the most chaotic person in a scene. His strength was restraint.

He gave other performers room to be outrageous while keeping the audience connected to something recognizable and human. As Smitty, he brought balance to Fred Sanford’s neighborhood. As Lester, he brought warmth and reliability to the Jenkins family.

His performances also arrived during an era when Black-led television programs were expanding their influence and demonstrating that stories centered on Black families could reach audiences across racial and cultural lines.

Williams understood that significance. In later interviews, he spoke proudly about the actors, filmmakers, writers and producers of his generation who helped open doors for those who followed.

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