Hal Williams

Acting

Hal Williams

Born December 14, 1938 · Columbus, Ohio, USA

Died July 15, 2026 · aged 87

Halroy Candis Williams was an American actor, best known for his recurring roles as Police Officer Smith on Sanford and Son, Harley Foster on The Waltons, 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.

Known For

FlightFlight · 2012
Flight
6.92012
MovieDrama
Commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he's managed to complete his flights safely. His luck runs out when a disastrous mechanical malfunction sends his plane hurtling toward the ground. Whip pulls off a miraculous crash-landing that results in only six lives lost. Shaken to the core, Whip vows to get sober -- but when the crash investigation exposes his addiction, he finds himself in an even worse situation.
The RookieThe Rookie · 1990
The Rookie
5.91990
MovieActionCrime
Veteran cop Nick Pulovski is used to playing musical partners; many of the partners he's had in the past have died on the job, and often as a result of Nick's risky tactics. But the rookie who's been assigned to help Nick bust a carjacking ring is almost as hotheaded as he is … and when Nick gets kidnapped, his newbie partner is his only hope.
Guess WhoGuess Who · 2005
Guess Who
6.02005
MovieComedyRomance
When a young African-American woman brings her fiancé home to meet her parents, she's neglected to mention one tiny detail – he's white.
Herbie Rides AgainHerbie Rides Again · 1974
Herbie Rides Again
6.21974
MovieRomanceComedy
The living Volkswagen Beetle helps an old lady protect her home from a corrupt developer.
Private BenjaminPrivate Benjamin · 1980
Private Benjamin
6.01980
MovieComedy
A sheltered young high society woman joins the US Army on a whim and finds herself in a more difficult situation than she ever expected.
HardcoreHardcore · 1979
Hardcore
6.81979
MovieDramaCrime
A conservative Midwest businessman ventures into the sordid underworld of pornography in search of his runaway teenage daughter who’s making hardcore films in the pits of Los Angeles.
The Escape ArtistThe Escape Artist · 1982
The Escape Artist
6.21982
MovieComedyCrime
The young and self-confident Danny bluffs at the local police-station that he will escape from prison within an hour. What follows is a flashback showing his childhood with his uncle and aunt, who are 'vaudeville'-artists themselves.
The Cherokee KidThe Cherokee Kid · 1996
The Cherokee Kid
5.51996
MovieWesternAction
Isaih Turner didn’t want to be a hero-all he wanted was revenge. Orphaned when both his parents were cruelly murdered by the wealthy and powerful Cyrus Bloomington, the young Isaiah grew up with one air in mind: to find the man who killed his folks and take him down.

Filmography

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L.A. LawL.A. Law · 1986
L.A. Law
7.11986
SeriesDramaWar & Politics
L.A. Law is an American television legal drama series that ran for eight seasons on NBC from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it contained many of Bochco's trademark features including a large number of parallel storylines, social drama and off-the-wall humor. It reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s, and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights, homophobia, sexual harassment, AIDS, and domestic violence. The series often also reflected social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff. The show was popular with audiences and critics, and won 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run, four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series.

Councilman Marcus Cooke