Halroy Candis Hal Williams (born December 14, 1938) is an American actor, best known for his recurring role as Police Officer Smith (Smitty) on Sanford and Son (1972–76) and as the patriarch Lester Jenkins, the husband of Marla Gibbss character, on the NBC sitcom 227 (1985–90).Williams started in the acting business in 1969. Since then, he has appeared in movies such as Paul Schraders Hardcore, Howard Zieffs Private Benjamin (he also portrayed the role of Sgt L.C. Ted Ross in the television series of the same name), and Clint Eastwoods The Rookie. He was controversially fired from The Jimmy Stewart Show in 1971 at the insistence of its star, James Stewart. In the early to mid-1990s, he starred in many of comic Sinbads productions, including The Sinbad Show and The Cherokee Kid. He played the grandfather in the Bernie Mac film Guess Who.His other television credits include Moonlight, Moesha, Suddenly Susan, Minor Adjustments, L.A. Law, Night Court, Magnum, P.I., Hill Street Blues, Gimme a Break, The Jeffersons, The Dukes of Hazzard, T.J. Hooker, The Waltons, Knots Landing, The White Shadow, Whats Happening!!, Good Times, Quincy, M.E., Kung Fu, S.W.A.T., Gunsmoke and That Girl.Williams is also the host of the annual Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation nationally televised telethon.
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