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Hal Williams

{{short description|American actor (born 1938)}}

{{Infobox person

| name =

| image = Hal Williams, Waltons 40th Anniversary 2012.jpg

| caption = Williams at The Waltons{{'}} 40th anniversary, 2012

| birth_name = Halroy Candis Williams

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|12|14}}

| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actor

| yearsactive = 1968–present

| spouse = {{plainlist|

  • {{marriage|Gay Anderson
    |1975|1976|reason=div.}}
  • {{marriage|Renee W. Himes
    |December 16, 1978|March 20, 1984|reason=div.}}

}}

| children = 3

| known_for = Lester Jenkins – 227
Smitty – Sanford and Son
Dick Blaque - Hardcore

}}

Halroy Candis Williams{{cite news| title=Every detail you want to know about Hal Williams| date=August 18, 2022| work=University Wire| quote=Full name: Halroy Candis Williams; Date of birth: December 14, 1938; Place of birth: Ohio, United States of America| id={{ProQuest|532496921}}}} (born December 14, 1938)Merrill, Brian (2006). [https://books.google.com/books?id=wwUvsDqrWj4C&dq=hal+williams+1938&pg=PA225 On This Date A Day-By-Day Look at Historical Events]. Lulu Publishing. p. 225. {{ISBN|978-1-4303-0501-9}}. is an American actor, best known for his recurring roles as Police Officer Smith ("Smitty") on Sanford and Son (1972–1976), Harley Foster on The Waltons (1973-1980), and as the patriarch Lester Jenkins, the husband of Marla Gibbs's character, on the NBC sitcom 227 which originally aired from 1985 until 1990. His film credits include Private Benjamin (1980), Guess Who (2005), and Flight (2012).

Early life and career

Williams was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio.{{cite news| title=The Face Is Familiar: Hal Williams, Actor!| author=Kotta, Carmen| date=October 10, 1981| work=The Afro-American| page=A4| quote=Williams was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he spent his time going to movies and wishing he could be a cowboy.| id={{ProQuest|532496921}}}}Hill, Anthony D. (2018). [https://books.google.com/books?id=PTptDwAAQBAJ&dq=hal+williams+1938&pg=PA555 Historical Dictionary of African American Theater]. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 555. {{ISBN|978-1-5381-1728-6}}. In the early 1960s, he began acting in community theater in Ohio. Williams worked as a postal worker and corrections officer before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career in 1968.{{cite news| title=Small role led Hal Williams to big part on NBC's hit '227'| url=https://newspaperarchive.com/anonymous-celebrity-clipping-sep-03-1987-404632| access-date=8 February 2018| agency=Associated Press| newspaper=Frederick News Post| date=September 3, 1987}}

Williams began pursuing his acting career full-time in 1970. Since then, Willams has appeared in movies such as Paul Schrader's Hardcore, Howard Zieff's Private Benjamin (he also portrayed the role of Sgt L.C. "Ted" Ross in the television series of the same name), and Clint Eastwood's The Rookie. In the early to mid-1990s, he starred in many of comic Sinbad's productions, including The Sinbad Show and The Cherokee Kid. In one of his latest films, Williams portrayed the grandfather in the Bernie Mac film Guess Who which was released in 2005.

Williams appeared as a guest star in the 3rd season, 24th episode of the television series, Kung Fu as a friend of Caine named Caleb.

Personal life

Williams has been married twice and has three children. On April 11, 1975, Williams married Gay Anderson; they were divorced in November 1976.{{Citation needed |date=May 2022}}

Selected credits

=Theater=

class="wikitable"
Year

! Production

! Role

! Theater(s)

! Notes

1981Nevis Mountain DewBoise McCanlesLos Angeles Actors Theatre

|

=Film=

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1972Cool BreezeHarry, PolicemanUncredited
1974Herbie Rides AgainTicketing Police Officer
1979Hardcore"Big Dick Blaque"
1980On the NickelPaul
1980Private BenjaminDrill Sergeant L.C. Ross
1982The Escape ArtistCop At Mayor's Office
1990The RookieDetective Powell
1996The Cherokee KidReverend Peel
2005Guess WhoHoward Jones
2011Night ClubResident Playing Cards At Casino Night
2012FlightWhip's DadVoice

=Television=

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1971The Jimmy Stewart ShowLieutenant Quigley1 episode
1971That GirlHerbie Robinson2 Episodes
1972–1976Sanford and SonOfficer "Smitty" Smith20 episodes
1973Kung FuCaleb BrownSeason 2, Episode 1 - "The Well"
1973-1980The WaltonsHarley Foster7 episodes
1975GunsmokeWidgeSeason 14, Episode 20 - "Hard Labor"
1975S.W.A.T.Bo TateSeason 1, Episode 12 - "Sole Survivor"
1975-1976On the RocksLester DeMott24 episodes
1977Quincy, M.E.CodySeason 2, Episode 9 - "The Hot Dog Murder"
1979Roots: The Next GenerationsAleck HaleySeason 1, Episode 3 - "Part III (1914-1918)"
1979What's Happening!!Mr. LoganSeason 3, Episode 17 - "The Eviction"
1979The White ShadowHenry JuddSeason 2, Episode 3 - "Sudden Death"
1980Knots LandingMagazine Owner2 episodes
1980-1981SanfordOfficer "Smitty" Smith5 episodes
1982TJ HookerOfficer BryanSeason 1, Episode 1 - "The Protectors"
1981–1983Private BenjaminSergeant Ted Ross39 episodes
1984The Dukes of HazzardJonas JonesSeason 6, Episode 21 - "Cooter's Confession"
1984WebsterPrincipal JenkinsSeason 2, Episode 2 - "Webster Long: Part 3"
1984The JeffersonsKent TobinSeason 11, Episode 5 - "Some Enchanted Evening"
1984Gimme a Break!Dr. Phil GraySeason 4, Episode 10 - "Julie's Lie"
1985–1990227Lester Jenkins115 episodes
1986Hill Street BluesKen EdwardsSeason 6, Episode 15 - "I Want My Hill Street Blues"
1988Magnum, P.I.Dave, The DJ2 episodes
1993–1994The Sinbad ShowRudy Bryan18 episodes
1997 MoeshaRosevelt Mitchell1 Episode
2019A Black Lady Sketch ShowHimselfSeason 1, Episode 3 - "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade"

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

  • {{IMDb name|0930724|Hal Williams}}
  • [http://movies.about.com/od/guesswho/a/guesshw031305.htm Williams talks about his role in Bernie Mac movie "Guess Who" on movies.about.com website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230011737/http://movies.about.com/od/guesswho/a/guesshw031305.htm |date=2007-12-30 }}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Hal}}

Category:1938 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male film actors

Category:Male actors from Columbus, Ohio

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:20th-century African-American male actors

Category:21st-century African-American male actors