Halroy Candis Williams (December 14, 1934 – July 15, 2026) was an American actor, best known for his recurring roles as Officer Smith ("Smitty") on Sanford and Son (1972–1976), Harley Foster on The Waltons (1973–1980), and as family patriarch Lester Jenkins on the NBC sitcom 227 which originally aired from 1985 until 1990. His film credits include Private Benjamin (1980), Guess Who (2005), and Flight (2012).

Early life Halroy Candis Williams was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1934, 1938,Merrill, Brian (2006). On This Date A Day-By-Day Look at Historical Events. Lulu Publishing. p. 225. . or 1939. However, one source says he was born on December 14, 1938.

Career In the early 1960s, Williams began acting in community theater in Ohio. Williams worked as a postal worker and corrections officer before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career in 1968.

Williams began pursuing his acting career full-time in 1970. In 1973, he appeared as a guest star on the television series Kung Fu, playing a friend of Caine named Caleb in the second-season premiere. In 1975, he reprised the role in the 24th episode of the third season. From 1972 to 1976, Williams had a recurring role as Officer "Smitty" Smith on Sanford and Son and the follow-up series Sanford. From 1973 to 1980, he played Harley Foster on The Waltons.

Willams appeared in the 1974 Disney film Herbie Rides Again as a Police Officer. He also appeared in Paul Schrader's 1979 film Hardcore as an auditioning adult film actor. The following year, he co-starred as Drill Sergeant L.C. "Ted" Ross in Howard Zieff's Private Benjamin, a role he would reprise in the television series of the same name. After the series concluded, Williams was cast as working-class husband and father Lester Jenkins in 227, which ran from 1985 until 1990. In the early to mid-1990s, he co-starred with the comic Sinbad in The Sinbad Show and The Cherokee Kid. His guest appearances over the years included Good Times, The Jeffersons, Hill Street Blues, Magnum, P.I., Night Court, and Moesha, among others.

Williams was also frequently cast as law enforcement characters, such as a police detective in Clint Eastwood's 1990 film The Rookie. He portrayed Howard Jones, the father to Bernie Mac's character, in the 2005 film Guess Who. He also voiced the role of Whip's Dad in the 2012 film Flight.

In 2024, Williams played Autry in the second episode of the TV series Matlock (drawn from the original series of the same name, and reprised the role the following year in the series' tenth episode.

Personal life and death Williams was married twice, and had three children. He died from natural causes at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, on July 15, 2026.

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 Ticketing Police Officer 1979 Hardcore Big Dick Blaque 1980 On the Nickel Paul 1980 Private Benjamin Drill Sergeant L.C. Ross 1982 The Escape Artist Cop At Mayor's Office 1990 The Rookie Detective Powell 1996 The Cherokee Kid Reverend Peel 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 1971 The Jimmy Stewart Show Lieutenant Quigley 1 episode 1971 That Girl Herbie Robinson 2 episodes 1972–1976 Sanford and Son Officer "Smitty" Smith 20 episodes 1973 Kung Fu Caleb Brown Season 2, episode 1 – "The Well" 1973–1980 The Waltons Harley Foster 7 episodes 1974 Sidekicks Max TV movie 1975 Gunsmoke Widge Season 14, episode 20 – "Hard Labor" 1975 S.W.A.T. Bo Tate Season 1, episode 12 – "Sole Survivor" 1975–1976 On the Rocks Lester DeMott Main cast 1977 Quincy, M.E. Cody Season 2, episode 9 – "The Hot Dog Murder" 1979 Roots: The Next Generations Aleck Haley Season 1, episode 3 – "Part III (1914–1918)" 1979 What's Happening!! Mr. Logan Season 3, episode 17 – "The Eviction" 1979 The White Shadow Henry Judd Season 2, episode 3 – "Sudden Death" 1980 Knots Landing Magazine Owner 2 episodes 1980–1981 Sanford Officer "Smitty" Smith 5 episodes 1982 TJ Hooker Officer Bryan Season 1, episode 1 – "The Protectors" 1981–1983 Private Benjamin Sergeant Ted Ross Main cast 1984 The Dukes of Hazzard Jonas Jones Season 6, episode 21 – "Cooter's Confession" 1984 Webster Principal Jenkins Season 2, episode 2 – "Webster Long: Part 3" 1984 The Jeffersons Kent Tobin Season 11, episode 5 – "Some Enchanted Evening" 1984 Gimme a Break! Dr. Phil Gray Season 4, episode 10 – "Julie's Lie" 1985–1990 227 Lester Jenkins Main cast 1986 Hill Street Blues Ken Edwards Season 6, episode 15 – "I Want My Hill Street Blues" 1988 Magnum, P.I. Dave, The DJ 2 episodes 1991 Night Court Head Bailiff Reedy Season 8, episode 13 – "Bringing Down Baby" 1993–1994 The Sinbad Show Rudy Bryan Main cast 1997 Moesha Rosevelt Mitchell 1 episode 2019 A Black Lady Sketch Show Himself Season 1, episode 3 – "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade" 2024–2025 Matlock Autry 2 episodes

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