window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { He was 88. John Smith, Star of 'Laramie,' 'Cimarron City,' Dies at 63 "It was to my immense delight that I immediately recognized the actor playing Jack Wilson," Ebert wrote. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Smith was a constant, rugged presence on screen in the 1960s, 1970s and . 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, Poor Man" and "Any Which Way You Can," has died at 88. . He had previously appeared with Jack Lord in Stoney Burke. However, his most memorable role on TV was when he played Anthony Falconetti in 1976's "Rich Man, Poor Man," where he played a villain. She did not specify the cause. He was in 1982sConan the Barbarian alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and had his last acting credit just last year as Hofbrau Bar Fly in 2020s Irresistible with Steve Carell and Rose Byrne. Having both CIA and NSA clearance, Smith made up his mind to enter a classified position with the US government, but while he was working on his doctorate studies he took on an acting contract with MGM. On the big screen, Smith became the star of several cult movies from the early seventies. Personal Quotes (2) Sammy [ Sammy Davis Jr.] was really good friends with Peter Brown. Required fields are marked *. Tremendous screen presence. He was 88. hitType: 'event', In 1985, Smith landed the starring role of Brodie Hollister in the short-lived Disney Western series Wildside, created by writer-producer Tom Greene, and another role as the bookmaker Dutchman's strongarm enforcer known simply as "Panama Hat", in director Richard Brooks's final movie, Fever Pitch (1985) opposite Ryan O'Neal. Beginning at eight years old, he earned small, uncredited roles in the movies The Ghost of Frankenstein and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. While Mr. Smith was best known for his roles in action movies like Any Which Way You Can (1980), and television shows including Laredo, Rich Man, Poor Man and Hawaii Five-O, the real action came from his offscreen life. hitType: 'event', For iPhone click here, for Android click here. Mr. Smith had more than 300 acting credits listed on IMDb from 1954 to 2020. Legal Statement. According to the outlet, Smith was known for his roles on television, including "Laredo,". if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Smith was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness and inducted into the Muscle Beach Venice Bodybuilding Hall of Fame in 2010. In a career span of more than 75 years, Smith appeared in almost three hundred feature films and television productions. Cue his Darker than Amber fight with Rod Taylor in memoriam. His films and TV performances bring me great viewing pleasure. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! To me, it was like the hand-to-hand combat version of the Battle of Bloody Porch. [1] Smith later reported that Taylor was "a very tough guy" who broke three of his ribs while he broke Taylor's nose.[7]. His last role was in Irresistible, a 2020 film directed by Jon Stewart. 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. ", 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.". William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. Who do you cast to make Clint Eastwood break a sweat in a fistfight? William Smith, an action star from classic movies like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died Monday. In addition to his wife of 31 years, he is survived by a son, William E. Smith III, and a daughter, Sherri Anne Cervelli. Smith was known for his roles in western and biker-themed films and TV shows. Inside Josh Duggar's lonely 35th birthday in prison solitary confinement, Honey Boo Boo, 17, & boyfriend, 21, found with gun & drugs in car in arrest, Today's Hoda Kotb looks solemn on stroll with daughter amid show absence, Jill Duggar reveals she's 'so proud' of husband's major career change in new pic, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, William fought Clint in Any Which Way You Can, William 'played a lot of motorcycle gang leaders in films', William posed with the rest of the Hawaii Five-O cast for a photo. The Heartbreaking Death Of Action Star William Smith. Smith often played villains as his did in the 1976 ABC miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, playing the antagonist Anthony Falconetti. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ He was also famous as televisions last tobacco-advertising Marlboro Man. RIP, Big Bill, A sad day for Classic HFO fans. It was the final season. He was 88. The actor was famously known for his stint as Falconetti in 1976s 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. }); Market data provided by Factset. My favorite TV screen villain would be Falconetti from the Rich Man Poor Man miniseries and Rich Man Poor Man Book II. I really enjoyed working with Nick Nolte and Peter Strauss. In 2009, Mr. Smith published a book of poetry, The Poetic Works of William Smith.. 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'. 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.. 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 . He starred in 1972's Grave of the Vampire as James Eastman (co-starring with Michael Pataki and Lyn Peters), and 1973's Invasion of the Bee Girls (co-starring Victoria Vetri, Anitra Ford and Katie Saylor, written by Nicholas Meyer and directed by Denis Sanders), and 1975's The Swinging Barmaids (starring Ms. Saylor, Bruce Watson and Laura Hippe, and directed by Gus Trikonis). Good actor ! However, news of his death has saddened the industry which is already mourning the loss of a lot of great actors recently. 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. He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. Smith served in the United States Air Force. 'Laredo' actor William Smith dies; played cowboys, brawlers Actor William Smith, who was famous for starring in television shows like 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Laredo', has died. A lifelong bodybuilder, Smith was a record holder for reverse-curling his own body weight. The Heartbreaking Death Of Action Star William Smith William Smith, an action star from classic films like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died on Monday. 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. hitType: 'event', Download our fantastic, new and improved free App for the best ever Sun Online experience. Any Which Way You Can star William Smith dies at 88 In 1976, Smith was also part of the first miniseries on American television, "Rich Man, Poor Man" on ABC. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}}