Actor Hal Williams, whose steady screen presence made him a sitcom staple for decades, has died at 91. Williams, best known for playing Officer “Smitty” Smith on the hit 1970s comedy Sanford and Son, died of natural causes at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, on Wednesday morning, his manager, Zna Portlock Houston, told TMZ. Houston said Williams had experienced health issues and felt tired after returning from Ohio, where he attended a Sanford and Son reunion with former co-star Howard Platt. Williams launched his television career in 1972 with the show, starring alongside Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson. He went on to land major roles on The Waltons and 227, while appearing in dozens of other TV series, including Good Times, Hill Street Blues, Magnum P.I., Night Court, and L.A. Law. His film credits included Hardcore, The Rookie, and Flight. Just days before his death, Williams reflected on why Sanford and Son still resonates with audiences. “Because the humor was so real and wasn’t artificial, and it was just generally funny, funny, funny, one laugh after another all the time,” he said.
