Hal Williams (born December 14, 1938) is an American actor, best known for his recurring role as the black cop "Smitty" on Sanford and Son, and as the patriarch Lester Jenkins on 227.
Williams started out in show business in 1969. Since then, he has appeared in movies such as Hardcore, Private Benjamin, and 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. Most recently, he played the grandfather in the Bernie Mac film Guess Who.
Williams is also the host of the annual Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation nationally-televised telethon.
Works on behalf of the Sickle Cell Anemia foundation, appering as host of the annual Baton Rouge, LA telethon.
Originally from Columbus Ohio, he started out in community theater in Ohio in the 1960s while working for the Ohio Youth Commission.
Moved to Hollywood in 1968 and worked a regular job with the California Youth Authority to support his family while going out for auditions.
