william smith actor cause of death

A fluent Russian speaker, during the Korean War Smith was a Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions over the Russian SFSR. eventAction: 'load' William Smith was born on March 24, 1933, in Columbia, Missouri, on a Hereford cattle ranch owned by his family. Bill could ride almost before he . American actor William Smith, circa 1975. Smith has been described as the "greatest bad-guy character actor of our time".[5]. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. Born in Chicago, Ill., he is survived by daughter Mililani; sons William II and Keoni; and brother Jim. The other was one of the most "realistic brawl scenes of all time," per theDaily Mail, when Smith squared off against Rod Taylor in the film "Darker Than Amber.". According to a report by Deadline, the late actor's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed he had passed away July 5th at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. [1] His family later moved to Southern California, where he began his acting career at the age of eight in 1942; entering films as a child actor in such films as The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Song of Bernadette and Meet Me in St. Louis. I'll never forget that fearsome brawl between Rod Taylor and William Smith in Darker than Amber. His agent described him as "one of the greatest actors of . (Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images). He could "ride almost before he could walk" (via his official site), and "his love of horses and the western lifestyle" became an integral part to his on-screen presence. In a career span of more than 75 years, Smith appeared in almost three hundred feature films and television productions. ", Another tweeted, "Rest in Peace, William Smith. ga('ads.send', { hitType: 'event', Age: 93, Actor, Cause of death: Natural Causes 12th April 2020 eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Another Twitter user said that Smith was "one of the all time greats," and it's true. Actor William Smith, known for playing bikers, cowboys and brawlers in a series of television shows and hit movies, has died. He was 54. Legal Statement. Smith began his long Hollywood career as a child actor in the 40s, when his family moved to Southern California from the Dust Bowl. R.I.P. Smith also fought legendary actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood in "Any Which Way You Can," which was "the longest two-man fights ever done on film" without the use of stunt doubles. The Tragic Death Of Action Star William Smith. 1. We've received your submission. 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. He could speak six languages which made him a valuable asset during his military service. },false) William Smith, Action Actor and Star of 'Laredo' and 'Rich Man, Poor Man,' Dies at 88 The legendary tough guy appeared in biker movies and blaxpoitation pics and went toe-to-toe with Clint. 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. The 6-foot-2 actor's career saw himtussle onscreen with some of the most rugged leading men in Hollywood, includingClint Eastwood, Rod Taylor, Richard Harris, Yul Brynner and Nick Nolte. Ten years later, he made movie history again when he squared off against Eastwood in Any Which Way You Can. It has to be one of the longest two-man fights ever done on film without doubles, Smith said about the notorious scene. 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. ', 'The Losers', 'Angels Die Hard', 'C.C. 226, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 01:32, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, "William Smith, Action Star Known for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88", "William Smith | Brilliant Classroom Characters: The Top 10 Wicked Smart Actors", "William Smith: My fight with Clint Eastwood was longest two-man fight scene on screen", "William Smith, Action Actor and Star of 'Laredo' and 'Rich Man, Poor Man,' Dies at 88", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Smith_(actor)&oldid=1142010105, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 01:32. ", 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.". Rest in peace to a great actor. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Market data provided by Factset. } Details of death: Died at the. #RIP #WilliamSmith. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the actor died Monday, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif. A. Action star William Smith, known for his roles in "Rich Man, Poor Man" and "Laredo," died Monday, according to the New York Post. 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 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"). Bill could ride almost before he could walk, and his love of horses and the western lifestyle would be an important part of what he would bring to the screen in many of the roles he played throughout his career. 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. When one talks about actor William Smith, not only are they discussing the career of one of the most prolific and popular cult actors of all time, but also one of the screen's greatest villains. The 88 year olds cause of death is unknown; he died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. William Smith is one of the most prolific and popular cult actors of our time and is considered one of the screen's all-time great actors. 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). He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Although often typecast as an anti-social personality, he sporadically got other kinds of roles as a law enforcement officer or an anti-heroic protagonist. }) One of his earliest leading roles was as Joe Riley, a good-natured Texas Ranger on the NBC western series Laredo (19651967). He was also proprietor of Luana of Hawaii. He was 88. William Smith Obituary: In the loving memory of William Smith, we are saddened to inform you that William Smith, a beloved and loyal friend, has passed away. 1:44 William Smith, an action star from classic films like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died on Monday. Rest in Peace, William Smith. American actor William Smith passed away at the age of 88 years old on July 9, 2021. British actor Tim Pigott-Smith, who was best known for his Bafta-winning role in 1984 TV series The Jewel in the Crown, has died aged 70. He left tinsel town for a bit when he enlisted in the Army to fight in the Korean War. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter, but did not mention the cause. Whether his character was the hero or villain, he made the role believable. Beginning at eight years old, he earned small, uncredited roles in the movies The Ghost of Frankenstein and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. His trademark arms measured as much as .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}19+12 inches. pg.acq.push(function() { William Smith, a longtime film and TV tough guy, passed away on Monday, July 5th, as confirmed by his wife Joanne Cervelli Smith. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Warren C. Staib (updated by R.M. She did not disclose his cause of death. 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." 0:00. }); How did Joy Vogelsang die? Actor, 65, was on way to meet wife Kathryn Kranhold. William Henry Redfield (January 26, 1927 - August 17, 1976) was an American actor and author who appeared in many theatrical, film, radio, and television roles. William Smith, the actor, known for his roles on "Laredo," "Rich Man, Poor Man" and "Hawaii Five-O," has died at 88. eventAction: 'render' document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Over the next thirty years, Smith became one of the kings of B-movie and television villainy.Smith died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in 2021, aged 88. He was 88. Melissa Roberto covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. 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