Just months after Sanford & Son fans mourned the loss of Grady Demond Wilson, the groundbreaking sitcom has suffered another heartbreaking loss. Hal Williams, the veteran actor best known for playing Officer "Smitty" Smith on the classic NBC comedy and later starring on 227, has died at the age of 91.
According to People, Williams died Wednesday morning, July 15, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. His passing marks the end of a television career that stretched more than five decades and included memorable roles on Sanford & Son, The Waltons, 227, Private Benjamin, Moesha, Flight, and dozens of other film and television projects.
Born Halroy Candis Williams in Columbus, Ohio, Williams didn't begin pursuing acting until his 30s after working as a social worker, corrections officer, and postal employee. Following his divorce, he decided to take a chance on a lifelong dream.
"I sat down after getting divorced and said, 'What do I really want to try to do before the maker comes and gets me?' And it was acting," Williams recalled. "So, I took the plunge and drove to California in 48 hours. I gave myself three years."
That gamble paid off when he landed the role of Officer Smitty on Sanford & Son in 1972, appearing in 20 episodes of the iconic sitcom.
Williams often spoke fondly of the creative freedom behind the scenes on Sanford & Son. "They used to tell us they didn't have anything to do that week and to go make up some lines," he said.
He also remembered that he and co-star Howard Platt would brainstorm dialogue together before bringing their ideas back to the writers. "That was a fun show," Williams said. The series helped redefine Black sitcoms during the 1970s and remains one of television's most influential comedies.
His second signature role arrived in 1985 when he joined Marla Gibbs on 227 as Lester Jenkins after Gibbs insisted her character not be portrayed as a single mother. The sitcom also introduced Regina King in her first television role and became one of the defining Black family comedies of the decade.
Looking back, Williams said, "It was a family show that anybody could watch across all color lines."
Although audiences embraced his sitcom work, Williams acknowledged it sometimes overshadowed his dramatic abilities. "People don't realize that I'm a serious actor," he said. "I've always tried to keep a foot in both camps... I wasn't the funny guy. I was the straight guy in all the madness."
He continued acting well into his later years, appearing in projects ranging from The Rookie to Robert Zemeckis' Flight.
Reflecting on his longevity, Williams once said, "I've prided myself on choosing a profession where you don't have to stop working. You just get older as you work."
