Veteran American television actor Hal Williams, best known for his roles in the hit sitcoms 227 and Sanford and Son, has died at the age of 91, according to his manager. Deadline reported the news.
Williams earned widespread recognition for playing Lester Jenkins in NBC’s 227, which aired from 1985 to 1990. The sitcom followed a group of middle-aged neighbours living in an apartment building. Williams portrayed the husband of Mary Jenkins, played by Marla Gibbs, and the father of Brenda Jenkins, portrayed by Regina King. The series ran for 116 episodes over five seasons. Jackée Harry won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1987 for her performance. The cast also featured Helen Martin, Alaina Reed-Hall and Curtis Baldwin.
He also became a familiar face on Sanford and Son, appearing in 22 episodes as Officer “Smitty” Smith. His character formed a popular comic partnership with Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins, played by Howard Platt. In the recurring routine, Hopkins would explain police cases using complex jargon before Smith translated them into simple language.
Speaking to WKYC in a recent interview, Williams recalled how the comedy routine developed. He said the idea first emerged during rehearsals, where producers found it amusing and decided to include it in the series. He added that when scripts were unfinished, the producers would often ask the actors to take a break and return with new ideas for the scenes.
Beyond those signature roles, Williams appeared in television series including On the Rocks, The Waltons, Private Benjamin and The Sinbad Show. His most recent television appearance came in CBS’s remake of Matlock.
His film credits included Hardcore, The Rookie, Percy & Thunder, Guess Who and Flight.
