Marla Gibbs is paying tribute to her late co-star, Hal Williams.
Williams, who died Wednesday at the age of 91, starred as Lester Jenkins, husband of Gibbs’ Mary and father of Regina King’s Brenda, on NBC’s “227,” appearing in all five seasons (116 episodes) of the 1985-1990 sitcom.
On Instagram, Gibbs, now 95, remembered Williams as “a generous man who freely gave his time, his talent, and his heart to the community.”
Marla Gibbs Pay Tribute to Hal Williams
“This is another difficult loss,” Gibbs’ tribute begins. “Our journey together began long before ‘227’ came to television. Hal was part of the original stage production at our Crossroads Theater. My daughter Angela and her partner, Shay Wafer, produced the play, and Hal was always there to help. He even secured donated theater seats and helped organize the seating chart because he believed in supporting young artists. That’s just who Hal was, a generous man who freely gave his time, his talent, and his heart to the community.
“When 227 became a television series, I fought to make sure my character had a husband. I’m so glad I did. Hal, Regina King, and I became a television family that showed the love, strength, and stability of a Black family for five wonderful seasons. But what I treasured most was our friendship,” her statement continues. “Even after the show ended, Hal never stopped checking on me. We talked just a couple of weeks ago, laughing, and carrying on like we always did… we still call each other Mary and Lester after all the years. I never imagined it would be our last conversation. Hal, thank you for your kindness, your friendship, and the joy you brought to so many lives. You will be deeply missed.”
To read Williams’ obituary, including a remembrance by fellow “227” co-star Jackée Harry, click here.
