Introduction
Halroy Candis Williams is an American actor, best known for his recurring roles as Police Officer Smith ("Smitty") on Sanford and Son (1972–76) and as the patriarch Lester Jenkins, the husband of Marla Gibbs's character, on the NBC sitcom 227 (1985–90).
Early life
Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Williams worked as a postal worker and corrections officer before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.
Career
Williams started in the acting business in 1969. Since then, he 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. He was controversially fired from The Jimmy Stewart Show in 1971 at the insistence of its star, James Stewart. In the early to mid-1990s, he starred in many of comic Sinbad's productions, including The Sinbad Show and The Cherokee Kid. He played the grandfather in the Bernie Mac film Guess Who.
Selected credits
Theater
| Year | Production | Role | Theater(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Nevis Mountain Dew | Boise McCanles | Los Angeles Actors Theatre |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Cool Breeze | Harry, Policeman | Uncredited |
| 1974 | Herbie Rides Again | ||
| 1979 | Hardcore | Big Dick Blaque | |
| 1980 | On the Nickel | Paul | |
| 1980 | Private Benjamin | Sgt. L.C. Ross | |
| 1982 | The Escape Artist | Cop at Mayor's Office | |
| 1990 | The Rookie | Powell | |
| 2005 | Guess Who | Howard Jones | |
| 2011 | Night Club | Resident Playing Cards at Casino Night | |
| 2012 | Flight | Whip's Dad | Voice |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972–1976 | Sanford and Son | Police Officer Smith ("Smitty") | |
| 1973–1980 | The Waltons | Harley Foster | |
| 1975 | Gunsmoke | Widge | Season 14, Episode 20 - "Hard Labor" |
| 1981–1983 | Private Benjamin | Sgt. Ted Ross | |
| 1985–1990 | 227 | Lester Jenkins |