Hal Williams remains one of television’s most quietly influential character actors, a familiar face whose warmth and presence helped define multiple eras of sitcom history. Rising to prominence during the 1970s, Williams’ first breakout role came as Officer Smitty on “Sanford and Son,” where his deadpan delivery made him an instant fan favorite.
A decade later, he cemented his place in TV history as Lester Jenkins on “227,” bringing heart, humor, and charm to one of the era’s most beloved ensemble family comedies. His career never slowed; Williams continued working steadily for more than five decades, ultimately giving his final performance in 2025 as Autry Tucker on the gender‑swapped reboot of “Matlock.”
In a 2022 interview with Columbus Monthly, Williams reflected on his longevity with characteristic humility. “I’ve prided myself on choosing a profession where you don’t have to stop working. You just get older as you work,” he said. That philosophy guided a career that began somewhat unexpectedly in his 30s, when he left Columbus, Ohio after a divorce and headed to Los Angeles to pursue acting. More than 100 film and TV credits followed, including memorable roles in films such as “Private Benjamin” and “Guess Who.”
Though Williams sadly died in July 2026, his legacy lives on through his five best TV shows, ranked below.
The Sinbad Show
From the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” to “Family Matters,” the ’90s were a peak time for Black sitcoms. Perhaps a lesser known one was Fox’s “The Sinbad Show,” starring popular standup comedian Sinbad as David Bryan, a man who adopts two kids, Zana and LJ (played by a young Ray J), to prevent them from being split up in the foster system. Hal Williams plays Sinbad’s father, Rudy Bryan; his dry humor and excellent comedic timing makes him the perfect TV granddad. Williams appeared in 20 episodes of the series.
“The Sinbad Show” was canceled after one season, which caused a bit of controversy at the time due to Fox canceling multiple other Black-led series, including “In Living Color” and “South Central.” Fox’s official position was that the cancellations were specifically due to low ratings, but the network did face criticism from activists and diversity organizations.
On the Rocks
Premiering in 1975, the ABC sitcom “On the Rocks” starredJose Perez, Rick Hurst, and Hal Williams as a rag-tag group of inmates pooling their resources to run the Alamesa Minimum Security Prison alongside the guards and warden. Williams played Lester Demott, the best friend of Perez’s character Hector Fuentes. The comedy was an adaptation of the British TV show “Porridge,” which aired on the BBC from 1974 to 1977.
“On the Rocks” aired after “Barney Miller” on ABC, and it was often advertised as “Funny cops, funny robbers.” Unfortunately, “On the Rocks” is very hard to find today and is largely considered lost media, unlike “Barney Miller,” which is still available to stream on various platforms, including Tubi. “On the Rocks” aired for only one season and was cancelled by ABC in 1976.
Private Benjamin
If you look up “Private Benjamin,” you’re likely to first come across the 1980 film starring Goldie Hawn (pictured here). The movie’s success in 1980 included several Oscar nominations, as well as a TV spin-off that aired from 1981 to 1983. In both the film and TV series, Hal Williams plays Sgt. Ross, though his first name differs in the projects.
Both the show and the movie follow the story of a woman who lives a sheltered, glamorous before entering the U.S. Army, but one major difference between the movie and the show is that the latter stars Lorna Patterson instead of Goldie Hawn. Williams was also not the only actor to reprise his film role, as Eileen Brennan also returned as Captain Doreen Lewis. As usual, Williams does an excellent job of mixing in humor with his role as an authority figure. The series aired for three seasons.
Sanford and Son
“Sanford and Son” followed the misadventures of junk dealer Fred Sanford (Red Foxx) and his son Lamont (Demond Wilson), and while the highlight of the show for most people is the performance of comedian Foxx, it also features a career-making turn from Hal Williams as Officer “Smitty” Smith.
One of the best bits from “Sanford and Son” was Officer Smitty having to explain the overly complicated jargon of his police partner, Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins (Howard Platt). Williams recalled improvising the bit during a 2026 interview with WKYC. “We did it one time in rehearsal and the producers thought it was funny, so the writers started asking us to bring us stuff that was current,” Williams said.
Critics and audiences alike enjoyed “Sanford and Son,” as the series was nominated for multiple Emmys over the course of its run, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 1972 and 1973.
227
Hal Williams is best remembered as Lester Jenkins on the iconic Black sitcom “227,” and there’s no question why. Williams starred opposite Marla Gibbs as Mary, and their comedic chemistry as a married couple was immaculate.
“227” aired for five seasons (1985 to 1990), and while everyone has their favorite episode, Williams’ favorite came when production convinced him to cross dress on camera in Season 4, Episode 19. Lester wears a purple dress and hat with a veil to disguise himself as a woman to visit Mary while she is sequestered in a hotel as a jury member.
In an interview with Antenna TV, Williams explained that he initially refused to do scenes in a dress or in his underwear, because he felt it was culturally inappropriate for Lester, a child of the ’50s. However, Williams ultimately agreed to the bit.
Leave a Reply