Hal Williams, Star of '227' and 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 91

Hal Williams, the actor who portrayed Lester Jenkins on the NBC sitcom "227" and Officer Smitty Smith on "Sanford and Son," has died at age 91. His manager confirmed the death. Williams appeared regularly on both long-running series.

Career on '227' "227" ran from 1985 to 1990 on NBC and centered on middle-aged tenants in an apartment building. Williams played Lester Jenkins, husband to Marla Gibbs' Mary Jenkins and father to Regina King's Brenda Jenkins. The series produced 116 episodes across five seasons. Jackée Harry won an Emmy for best supporting actress in 1987 for her work on the show.

Williams also appeared as Officer Smitty Smith on the 1970s sitcom "Sanford and Son." The role placed him among the regular cast during the show's run. Other cast members on "227" included Helen Martin, Alaina Reed-Hall and Curtis Baldwin. >"227" ran from 1985 to 1990, and followed a group of middle-aged tenants living together in an apartment building. — Jack Dunn, Variety, July 15, 2026