Hal Williams, a veteran actor best known for playing Officer “Smitty” Smith and Lester Jenkins on the NBC sitcoms “Sanford and Son” and “227,” died on Wednesday. He was 91.
According to Williams’ rep, the actor passed away at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. No cause of death was immediately shared.
Williams was a longtime working actor in Hollywood, having a career that spanned nearly six decades. He was most known for acting opposite Howard Platt’s Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins across 22 episodes of “Sanford and Son,” where they emerged as fan favorites thanks to their schtick as a duo.
“We did it one time in rehearsal and the producers thought it was funny,” the actor recently recalled on WKYC regarding the origins of the bit. “We did it in the first or second episode and it clicked.”
He added: “Some days, we would come to rehearsal and they didn’t have anything solid. [So producers would say,] ‘Go out, take a break for two hours, and bring us something back.’”
After “Sanford and Son” concluded its six-season run in 1977, Williams later revived his beloved character for NBC’s spinoff, aptly titled “Sanford.”
Other notable credits included a 24-episode stint on ABC’s “On the Rocks,” a leading role on CBS’ TV adaptation of “Private Benjamin” – which so him reviving the part he played in the movie of the same name – and a recurring character on “The Waltons.”
Additionally, he starred opposite Marla Gibbs in NBC’s “227,” which ran for five seasons between 1985-1990. The show also starred Regina King, Jackée Harry, Paul Winfield and other notable names.
His lengthy career included a number of TV guest appearances, including “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Night Court,” “Moesha” and “Parks and Recreation,” among other titles.
Williams most recently had a guest appearance on the Kathy Bates-led reboot of “Matlock.”
His resume boasted a number of film credits, too, including Paul Schrader’s “Hardcore,” Clint Eastwood’s “The Rookie” and Robert Zemeckis’ “Flight.”
Williams is survived by his two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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