Hal Williams

Hal Williams (b. 1938) is an actor whose best known roles include Leroy Jenkins on Room 222 (with Alaina Reed) and Sgt. Ross in the film Private Benjamin (with Goldie Hawn) and the 1980-1983 CBS sitcom. While still on the Private Benjamin sitcom in 1982, he guest starred on Sesame Street in Episode 1609 as Olivia's pilot friend Hal.

Williams was a semi-regular on Sanford and Son and the short-lived spinoff Sanford as policeman Smitty, who usually had to translate the dialogue of his Caucasian partners. Beginning in the second season of The Waltons, he made recurring appearances as Harley Foster (husband of neighbor Verdie). His other regular TV roles include Sinbad's father on The Sinbad Show and one of the convicts on the short-lived prison sitcom On the Rocks (an American remake of the BBC series Porridge with Fulton MacKay).

Apart from his running roles, Williams guest starred on Kung Fu, Magnum, P.I., Gunsmoke, The Dukes of Hazzard, Night Court, Parks and Recreation, and Tales from the Crypt. Films, apart from Private Benjamin, include The Rookie (with Clint Eastwood), Hardcore (with George C. Scott), and Guess Who (with Zoe Saldana).