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Veteran character Hal Williams, who is astir apt champion known for playing Officer “Smitty” Smith connected Sanford and Son, died this greeting astatine his location successful Rancho Mirage, according to his representative. He was 91.
As Smitty, Williams was 1 half of a crimefighting duo who appeared connected 22 episodes of nan classical show. His partner, Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins — played by Howard Platt — would often lead disconnected a segment pinch an “official” stiff constabulary mentation of their investigation. Smitty would past construe successful plain English for Fred and Lamont — played by Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson, respectively.
For viewers, watching nan duo locomotion into a segment was akin to seeing Aunt Esther appear: You knew thing funny was astir to happen.
Williams erstwhile told WKYC that nan origins of nan characters’ schtick came successful rehearsal.
“We did it successful 1 clip successful rehearsal and nan producers thought it was funny,” nan character recalled. “We did it successful nan first aliases 2nd section and it clicked. Some days, we would travel to rehearsal and they didn’t person thing solid. [So nan producers would say,] ‘Go out, return a break for 2 hours, and bring america thing back.'”
He besides appeared again arsenic Smitty connected 5 episodes of NBC’s Sanford successful 1980, which saw Foxx return to nan titular role.
Williams’ profession stretched for nan amended portion of six decades and he worked steadily. Though his domiciled connected Sanford whitethorn beryllium nan astir recognizable, he had moreover longer stints connected ABC’s On nan Rocks (24 episodes) and nan afloat tally of nan Private Benjamin TV adaptation, connected which he played nan curmudgeonly Sgt. Ted Ross. Another extended stint came arsenic Rudy Bryan connected 20 episodes of The Sinbad Show.
From 1985-1990, Williams was a cardinal portion of 227, connected which he played Lester Jenkins. That show was a taste touchstone arsenic nan only different Black mediate people family bid connected astatine nan clip too Coby. The star-studded formed included Helen Martin, Marla Gibbs, Regina King, Jackée Harry, Paul Winfield and others.
Throughout his 55-year career, Williams earned impermanent appearances connected TV staples specified arsenic That Girl, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Cannon, Police Woman, Gunsmoke, Police Story, Quincy M.E, Good Times, Knots Landing, The Waltons, The Dukes of Hazzard, Webster, Hill Street Blues, Magnum P.I., Night Court, L.A. Law, Suddenly Susan, Moesha and Parks and Recreation.
Most recently, he made 2 typical impermanent appearances connected nan rebooted Matlock starring Kathy Bates. He recurred arsenic “Autry,” a section resident whose grounds impacts nan firm’s cases.
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On nan large screen, Williams appeared other George C. Scott successful Paul Schrader’s Hardcore, alongside Clint Eastwood successful The Rookie, pinch James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams and Courtney B. Vance successful Percy & Thunder, other Ashton Kutcher, Bernie Mac and Zoe Saldaña successful Guess Who and arsenic Denzel Washington’s begetter successful Flight.
The character was a longtime committee personnel of nan Los Angeles Actors’ Theatre (LAAT) founded by Ralph Waite. Decades ago, Williams established nan Mark K.A. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation to supply costs to students of colour pursuing assemblage degrees successful television/communications. The Foundation is named for nan actor’s precocious son, Mark, a broadcasting major, who died connected a camping travel successful nan Angeles National Forest astatine 20 years old.
Williams is survived by 2 children, 3 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by Mark.
