LOS ANGELES (AP) Actor William Smith, who played bikers, brawlers, cowboys and no-nonsense tough guys in films and television shows including "Laredo," "Rich Man, . hitType: 'event', In a career span of more than 75 years, Smith appeared in almost three hundred feature films and television productions. Smith was also known to fight in two of the most memorable fight sequences in cinematic history going up against Clint Eastwood in 1980s 'Any Which Way You Can' and Rod Taylor in 1970s 'Darker than Amber'. Jodie teamed the look . eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Born in Columbia, Missouri on March 24, 1933, Smith debuted as a child actor in 1942 in films like 'The Ghost of Frankenstein', 'The Song of Bernadette' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis' at the age of 8. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Had one son (William Emmett Smith III) with first wife, Michele Smith, and one daughter (Sherri Anne Cervelli DOB: April 24, 1980) with his second wife, Joanne Cervelli. He played a general in the 1984 cult classicRed Dawn, speaking fluent Russian which was only one of the six languages he spoke. A bodybuilder himself, The Rockford Files actor appeared in the cult classic Conan the Barbarian. [1], Smith died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles, on July 5, 2021, at the age of 88. William Smith, the iconic tough-guy actor in "Hawaii Five-O" and "Laredo," died Monday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. He served in the Korean War and acted in bit parts in television shows throughout the 1950s before landing a regular role as a police sergeant in the 1961 ABC series "The Asphalt Jungle. Mr. Smith's wife, Joanne. "It was to my immense delight that I immediately recognized the actor playing Jack Wilson," Ebert wrote. William Smith, Action Star Known for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/11/arts/television/william-smith-dead.html. Not only was Smith an action star, but he was known as atough guy and appeared in two of the biggest brawls in movie history. ", Another tweeted, "A sad day for Classic HFO fans. }) Back in his heyday, the bodybuilder was a champion discus thrower at UCLA, an arm-wrestling and boxing champion and a martial arts black belt. That was a real fight with real blood and real broken bones. 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It has to be one of the longest two-man fights ever done on film without doubles, Smith said about the notorious scene. RIP, Big Bill, A sad day for Classic HFO fans. Required fields are marked *. He was 88. Smith also made guest appearances opposite James Garner in the 1974 two-hour pilot for The Rockford Files (titled "Backlash of the Hunter" and also featuring Lindsay Wagner and Bill Mumy), and George Peppard in The A-Team (in two appearances as different characters, in the first season's "Pros and Cons" and the fourth season's "The A-Team Is Coming, The A-Team Is Coming"). This man was one of the best actors Ive ever seen. [citation needed] Smith held a 311 record as an amateur boxer. Smith was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War. What a badass legend. Who do you cast to make Clint Eastwood break a sweat in a fistfight? CHICK VENNERA, 'GOLDEN GIRLS' AND 'ANIMANIACS' ACTOR, DEAD AT 74, Born in Columbia, Missouri, Smith would begin acting at age 8, playing small uncredited roles in 1940s films, including "The Ghost of Frankenstein" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. He speaks five languages, was an award-winning bodybuilder . He has 274 credited acting roles on the IMDB database spanning almost 80 years and 30 credits for stunt work during a period of 33 years. And he played Detective James "Kimo" Carew in the final season of the original "Hawaii Five-O" on CBS in 1979 and 1980. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In 2009, Smith published The Poetic Works of William Smith. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ John Smith, who changed his name from Robert Earl Van Orden as a joke, then gained starring roles in the TV westerns ``Laramie and ``Cimarron City, has died at age 63. The place to find Mr. Smith, even as an older man, was the gym, Ms. Smith said. He played bareknuckle boxer Jack Wilson, who grappled with Clint Eastwood in an epic brawl in "Any Which Way You Can," one of the top-grossing movies of 1980. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ Smith was involved in a fight scene alongside Clint Eastwood in the 1980 movie Any Which Way You Can. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61 after brain aneurysm, Coley Laffoon honors late ex-wife Anne Heche in birthday post to son, Forensic expert doubts homicide claims from Aaron Carters mother, Jazz legend dead: Grammy-winning visionary composer was 89. [1] Smith later reported that Taylor was "a very tough guy" who broke three of his ribs while he broke Taylor's nose.[7]. #RIP #WilliamSmith. On the big screen, Smith became the star of several cult movies from the early seventies. In the 1976 television miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, he portrayed Anthony Falconetti, nemesis of the Jordache family, and reprised the role in the sequel, Rich Man, Poor Man Book II. View. For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online. One fan commented, "I'll never forget that fearsome brawl between Rod Taylor and William Smith in Darker than Amber. He was reportedly also fluent in French, German and Serbo-Croatian.[3]. One of the great ones. (Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images). To me, it was like the hand-to-hand combat version of the Battle of Bloody Porch. Returning to California, Smith continued working steadily throughout the 60s and 70s, becoming an obvious choice when casting cult hit biker films such as Run, Angel, Run!, The Losers, Angels Die Hard, C.C. Here are three cold hard facts about William Smith. That's how you become a cult actor. The Duke and Duchess are not as 'stunned' about the . R.I.P. He was so convincing as a villain that people attacked him in the streets! He was 88. He also played Conan the Barbarians (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) father in the 1982 film Conan. He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. Mr. Smith had more than 300 acting credits listed on IMDb from 1954 to 2020. Smith, whose acting career peaked in the late 1950s, died at his home here on Jan. 25 of what was probably a combination of cirrhosis and heart problems . His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. In addition to his Hollywood legacy, the Missouri native was also a bodybuilder, a champion discus thrower and a published poet. A legend. But in an earlier starring role, Texas Ranger Joe Riley on the popular TV show Laredo, Smith was a good guy known for his strength. RIP#WilliamSmith#RIPWilliamSmith pic.twitter.com/KbTl0tuVe3. In addition to his wife of 31 years, he is survived by a son, William E. Smith III, and a daughter, Sherri Anne Cervelli. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Smith starred in one episode each of the Adam West Batman TV series (in the episode "Minerva, Mayhem and Millionaires" as Adonis, one of the minions of the title guest villainess portrayed by Zsa Zsa Gabor), I Dream of Jeannie (in the episode "Operation: First Couple on the Moon" as Turk Parker), Kung Fu, and as The Treybor, a ruthless warlord, in the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century episode "Buck's Duel to the Death". We are one of the worlds fastest growing William Smith was an actor known for roles in movies and TV shows including "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man." Died: July 5, 2021 ( Who else died on July 5?) hitType: 'event', "It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday. An experience, though, that would forever shape Smith's legacy would be when he stepped into the role of a merciless bodybuilder in 1970's "Darker Than Amber," where he went head to head in the ring with Rod Taylor. ", A third fan added: "Godspeed, William Smith. She declined to give the cause of death. ", Another fan wrote: "Farewell to the last great Bad Ass of TV & movies, William Smith. According to the outlet, Smith was known for his roles on television, including "Laredo," "Rich Man, Poor Man," and "Hawaii Five-O." His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. In addition to wife Joanne, Smith leaves behind a daughter, Sherri, and a son,William III. Anyone can read what you share. He was 88. Good actor ! William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on July 5 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Smiths wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said he died at the Motion Picture and Television Funds Country House and Hospital. William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. In the years from 1961 to 2014, Smith established himself as a highly prolific and profoundly talented character actor with roles in a diverse range of genres. pic.twitter.com/ISCqVYDgzC, William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Smith was a . eventAction: 'click_ads' In the 1980s, the 6-foot-2 actor earned roles in Francis Ford Coppolas The Outsiders, (1983) and in Conan the Barbarian (1982), for which he was cast as the father of Conan, who was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Smith was best known for his portrayal of Falconetti in the groundbreaking 1976 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. The actor also fought in two of the most memorable brawls in cinematic history, going up against Clint Eastwood in 1980s Any Which Way You Can and Rod Taylor in 1970s Darker Than Amber.. Besides being highly educated, Smith was known for his build and physique, earning recognition for his action sequences in multiple films. },false) Loved his performances as Joe Riley in the TV series #Laredo ('65-'67), & in particular in the season 2 episode, 'The Bitter Yen of General Ti,' with Irene Tsu." }); In its obituary for William Smith,Deadline revealed that the "Hawaii Five-O" actor first wanted to pursue a career in government, but ended up acting after MGM gave him a contract. With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Mr. Smith was a constant, rugged presence on screen in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, amassing nearly . Falconetti and William Smith. In 1970, he portrayed a sadistic bodybuilder inDarker Than Amber, and performed what is considered to be one of the most realistic on-screen fights, with Taylor famously breaking three of his ribs and getting his nose busted. Smith was infamously known for fighting with Clint Eastwood in Any Which Way You Can, a 1980 movie. Smith served in the United States Air Force. Home. He and Eastwood meet while out jogging one morning, and then he falls off a cliff and is rescued by Eastwood, after which he beats up a lot of guys who insult Eastwoods girlfriend in a bar. William Smith was born on March 24, 1933, in Columbia, Missouri, on a Hereford cattle ranch owned by his family. William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on July 5 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said he died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund's Country House and Hospital. William Smith, the rugged actor who starred on "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man" and had memorable movie brawls with Rod Taylor and Clint Eastwood, died Monday, his wife said. So insanely violent for its time. Mountain Climber Movie Actor Movie Actress Music Producer Non-fiction Author Novelist pic.twitter.com/UJVpOSTted, Daily Grindhouse (@DailyGrindhouse) July 9, 2021. William's final appearance in his film career was in the comedyIrresistible, which starred Steve Carell. William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. The actor was famously known for his stint as Falconetti in 1976s 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. ga('ads.send', { Smith was such a hardworking actor that he had over 280 credits in his career, and his most recent one was as the Hofbrau Bar Fly in the 2020 film "Irresistible" (via IMDb). Thanks for contacting us. William Smith, an action star from classic movies like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died Monday. She declined to give the cause of death. Besides all of these skills and interests, Smith was a poet. He was 88. He was a regular on the 1961 ABC television series The Asphalt Jungle, portraying police Sergeant Danny Keller. How did William Smith die? R.I.P William Smith & thanks for the memories. Smith is also known for films like Any Which Way You Can (1980), Conan The Barbarian (1982), Rumble Fish (1983), and Red Dawn (1984), as well as lead roles in several exploitation films during the 1990s.[2]. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) May his soul Rest In Peace. He was 88. He played Natalie Wood's character's father in Rebel Without a Cause. He played Detective Jim Kimo Carew on the final season of Hawaii Five-O and made appearances on other TV shows including Batman, Dukes of Hazzard, and The A-Team. ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER, He would also play Arnold Schwarzenegger's father in 1982's "Conan the Barbarian," after being considered for the title role, and a Soviet general in 1984's "Red Dawn.". Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS. The actor took his last breath at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills on Monday, July 5, according to his wife Joanne Cervelli Smith. The cause of the actor's death is unknown yet. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ One of those great men you thought would live forever. With his chiseled . In excellent shape and healthy living. Smith starred as Texas Ranger Joe Riley in both seasons of the NBC Western "Laredo" from 1965 to 1967. Despite not receiving the best reviews, film critic Roger Ebert enjoyed the pair acting together. Smith left Hollywood for a while when he enlisted in the Army to fight in the Korean War, during which he served as a Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions over the Russian SFSR.
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