ICONIC actor William Smith, who tussled with Clint Eastwood in the movies, has died at the age of 88. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, He played a general in the 1984 cult classicRed Dawn, speaking fluent Russian which was only one of the six languages he spoke. Before he was known as a bodybuilder and tough guy, Smith was a child actor in Hollywood. However, news of his death has saddened the industry which is already mourning the loss of a lot of great actors recently. Heflew on secretmissions over the Soviet Unionand Eastern Bloc countries, according to a statement shared by his wife. [8], For other people named William Smith, see, Louis Paul (2007). McFarland, pg. eventAction: 'view' 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. 7 months ago. His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. Smith was a fascinating guy who had many interests that extended beyond acting. He was so convincing as a villain that people attacked him in the streets! William Smith, the action star who tussled with Clint Eastwood in Any Which Way You Can, made a lasting impression as the evil Falconetti on TV miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man and was a regular. William Smith. 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. 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. He was inducted into the Muscle Beach Venice Bodybuilding Hall of Fame in 2010 and became an honorary member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures in 2000. Rumors that actor Will Smith has passed away started surfacing online in 2022, but the actor is not dead. Will Smith was born on September 25, 1968 in Philadelphia. While working towards his doctorate, he landed a contract with MGM and never looked back. Although it was reported that Smith retired from film in 2014 with his last screen appearance, he did make a cameo appearance in the Steve Carell comedy, Irresistible (2020). }); After he and his family moved to Southern California, an eight-year-old Smith appeared as an uncredited child extra on "The Ghost of Frankenstein" with Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr., and he also had roles in "The Song of Bernadette," "Going My Way," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" (via WFTV 9). Smith appeared as heavy Terry Bartell in Darker than Amber in 1970. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), He was 71. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), "; his character beats and rapes Amanda Blake's character Miss Kitty Russell and shoots her twice in the back. He also appeared in the 1979 miniseries The Rebels as John Waverly, in an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard as Jason Steele, a bounty hunter hired by Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane to frame the Duke Boys into jail, and in an episode of Knight Rider as Harold Turner, the manipulative leader of a hellish biker gang whom David Hasselhoff's character Michael Knight has to outsmart. ", Smith would take part in another classic screen brawl, this one with Rod Taylor, as a bodybuilder in the 1970 film "Darker Than Amber. #RIP #WilliamSmith JC, Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in, Julia Faustyna: 21-yr-old girl who claims to be Madeleine McCann admits to making 'pornographic videos' in past, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend. He was 88. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ Smith started in the 1940s as a child actor. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { 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. He was 88. gads_event = event; Your email address will not be published. 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. The Hollywood screen icon had over 270 credits to his name in film and television (via IMDb), including his legendary role as boxer Jack Wilson in "Any Which Way You Can," opposite Clint Eastwood, as well as "Conan the Barbarian" with Arnold Schwarzenegger. ET on Sunday (February 26, 2023), our beloved actor Will Smith passed away. In 1996, Warwick married William Elliott. William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. Smith starred as Texas Ranger Joe Riley in both seasons of the NBC Western "Laredo" from 1965 to 1967. hitType: 'event', In addition to his acting career, Smith enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War in 1951 and was recruited by the National Security Agency due to his fluency in multiple languages. Actor William Smith known for his many film and television roles since breaking into acting as a child star in the 1940s died on July 5, 2021. 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. Good actor ! Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. He was also proprietor of Luana of Hawaii. One of those great men you thought would live forever. His son, Will, attributed the death to natural causes, but Hurt was diagnosed with terminal prostate . The Hollywood screen icon had over 270 credits to his name in film and television (via IMDb), including his legendary role as boxer Jack Wilson in "Any Which Way You Can," opposite Clint Eastwood, as well as "Conan the Barbarian" with Arnold Schwarzenegger.He also starred in the likes of "Rich Man, Poor Man . Security Squadron 6907.While working towards his doctorate, he landed a contract with MGM and never looked back. Willie Garson seen on the set of "And Just Like That." the follow up series to "Sex and the City" at the Lyceum Theater on July 24, 2021 in New York City. Horror film legend Ricou Browning who 'played all the bad guys' and starred as Gill-man in Creature from the Black Lagoon dies aged 93 from natural causes. He was 54. William Hurt, the Oscar-winning star of "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "The Big Chill," and "Broadcast News," has died, his son Will told The Hollywood Reporter. Television and action star William Smithhas diedat 88,The Hollywood Reporterconfirmed on July 9. His son Alexander Hurt announced the death in a statement but did not give a cause. His wife . Smith died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in 2021, aged 88. }); American actor William Smith passed away at the age of 88 years old on July 9, 2021. Suzzanne Douglas, star of 'The Parent 'Hood' and 'When They See Us,' dead at 64. His character was a boxer named Jack Smith. Smith was 88 years old. ", Another tweeted, "A sad day for Classic HFO fans. His wife Joanne Cervelli Smith, who confirmed the news to THR, didn't reveal the cause for his death. He was 88. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Over the next thirty years, Smith became one of the kings of B-movie and television villainy. 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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"). How did Joy Vogelsang die? In excellent shape and healthy living. Born in Chicago, Ill., he is survived by daughter Mililani; sons William II and Keoni; and brother Jim. The coroner said Smith's death "has Smith had three broken ribs, and Taylor had a broken nose. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ He started his career way back in the 40's and is still going strong. 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?) At the time, Smith was just 8 years old (via Deadline). He could speak six languages which made him a valuable asset during his military service. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. One of his earliest leading roles was as Joe Riley, a good-natured Texas Ranger on the NBC western series Laredo (19651967). He first came to the screen as a child actor in films such as Going My Way (1944) and The Song of Bernadette (1943), before entering the service during the Korean War, where his fluency in foreign languages landed him in the N.S.A. She declined to give the cause of death. Bill could ride almost before he . A lifelong bodybuilder, Smith was a record holder for reverse-curling his own body weight. JENNIFER BOWLES June 25, 1997. He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. He was 88 years old. William Smith's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death May Surprise You. }) (Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images). 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