Hal Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hal Williams
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Williams at The Waltons' 40th anniversary, 2012
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| Born |
Halroy Candis Williams
December 14, 1938 Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Known for | Lester Jenkins – 227 Smitty – Sanford and Son Dick Blaque - Hardcore |
| Spouse(s) |
Gay Anderson
(m. 1975; div. 1976)Renee W. Himes
(m. 1978; div. 1984) |
| Children | 3 |
Halroy Candis Williams (born December 14, 1938) is an American actor. He is well-known for his roles in popular TV shows. These include playing Police Officer Smith, also known as "Smitty," on Sanford and Son. He also played Harley Foster on The Waltons. Many people remember him as Lester Jenkins, the dad in the sitcom 227.
Hal Williams has also appeared in several movies. Some of his film roles were in Private Benjamin, Guess Who, and Flight.
Contents
About Hal Williams
Early Life and Beginnings
Hal Williams was born and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. In the early 1960s, he started acting in local plays. Before becoming a full-time actor, he worked as a postal worker and a corrections officer. In 1968, he moved to Hollywood to follow his dream of acting.
His Acting Journey
Williams began acting full-time in 1970. He appeared as a guest star on the TV series Kung Fu in 1973. He played a character named Caleb in two episodes.
He also acted in movies like Paul Schrader's ... and Howard Zieff's Private Benjamin. He later played the same role, Sergeant L.C. "Ted" Ross, in the TV show based on Private Benjamin. In 1990, he was in Clint Eastwood's movie The Rookie.
During the 1990s, he worked with comedian Sinbad on shows like The Sinbad Show. He also appeared in the movie The Cherokee Kid. In 2005, Williams played Howard Jones in the film Guess Who. He was the father of the character played by Bernie Mac.
More recently, in 2024 and 2025, Williams appeared in the TV series Matlock. He played the character Autry in two episodes.
Selected Works
Hal Williams has had many roles in theater, film, and television. Here are some of his notable appearances.
Film Roles
- 1974 – Herbie Rides Again as a Ticketing Police Officer
- 1979 – ... as a character
- 1980 – Private Benjamin as Drill Sergeant L.C. Ross
- 1990 – The Rookie as Detective Powell
- 1996 – The Cherokee Kid as Reverend Peel
- 2005 – Guess Who as Howard Jones
- 2012 – Flight as Whip's Dad (voice role)
Television Roles
- 1972–1976 – Sanford and Son as Officer "Smitty" Smith (20 episodes)
- 1973–1980 – The Waltons as Harley Foster (7 episodes)
- 1975–1976 – On the Rocks as Lester DeMott (24 episodes)
- 1981–1983 – Private Benjamin as Sergeant Ted Ross (39 episodes)
- 1985–1990 – 227 as Lester Jenkins (115 episodes)
- 1993–1994 – The Sinbad Show as Rudy Bryan (18 episodes)
- 2019 – A Black Lady Sketch Show as Himself
- 2024–2025 – Matlock as Autry (2 episodes)
