Smith died on July 5 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. "And so the fight was on. pic.twitter.com/UJVpOSTted, R.I.P to the Hollywood Man himself William Smith. 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"). 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. GLEE STAR HEATHER MORRIS HONORS NAYA RIVERA WITH TRIBUTE TATTOO: TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED, American actor William Smith, circa 1975. For iPhone click here, for Android click here. Fans took to Twitter and posted messages of condolence for the iconic actor remembering his great performances. ", A third fan added: "Godspeed, William Smith. So insanely violent for its time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 'Hawaii Five-O' star dead at 88, fans mourn 'greatest TV villain'. We are one of the worlds fastest growing }); "Fight choreography and staging went out the window when Rod decided to really hit me," Smith recalled in an interview with the outlet in 2010. Home. 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. } Actor, 65, was on way to meet wife Kathryn Kranhold. In 2009, Smith published The Poetic Works of William Smith. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS. The. It was the final season. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Taylor broke three of Smith's ribs, while Smith broke Taylor's nosefilming of the scene. Quoted by CNN, the New York Times, and Macleans. His character was a boxer named Jack Smith. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ }); One of those great men you thought would live forever. Hislegacy as an action star of both film and television for several decades will live on. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said the star. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Good actor ! Both walked away with broken bones. [citation needed] Smith held a 311 record as an amateur boxer. Back in 1942, William started his professional career as an eight-year-old child actor in The Ghost of Frankenstein, according to Deadline. 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. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said the star of "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man" died Monday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. [8], For other people named William Smith, see, Louis Paul (2007). The Duke and Duchess are not as 'stunned' about the . eventAction: 'click_image_ads' She declined to give the cause of death. She declined to give the cause of death. In Rich Man, Poor Man, he played the dangerous and eccentric character Anthony Falconetti, which he would later reprise in a follow-up to the series, Rich Man, Poor Man Book II.. Smith began his long Hollywood career as a child actor in the 40s, when his family moved to Southern California from the Dust Bowl. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. On the big screen, Smith became the star of several cult movies from the early seventies. 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. He was so convincing as a villain that people attacked him in the streets!R.I.P William Smith & thanks for the memories pic.twitter.com/YjOkgnHUUa. However, news of his death has saddened the industry which is already mourning the loss of a lot of great actors recently. Smith was a working actor for over 70 . or redistributed. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Your email address will not be published. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { hitType: 'event', PerDeadline, Smith began his path to stardom as an extra in 1942's "The Ghost of Frankenstein," and although Smith didn't receive credit for the small role, he got more opportunities, acting in "The Song of Bernadette" and "Meet Me in St. Louis," shortly after, perIMDb. A lifelong bodybuilder, Smith was a record holder for reverse-curling his own body weight. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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." Despite not receiving the best reviews, film critic Roger Ebert enjoyed the pair acting together. Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for July 9, Film industry reacts to death of 'Saving Private Ryan' star Tom Sizemore: 'You're a legend', Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls, Kelsea Ballerini kisses Chase Stokes after criticizing ex amid nasty divorce. 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. Throughout his life, he was interested in bodybuilding and boxing. Smith was 88 years old. 10 years before this scene, Smith had another legendary fight scene with Rod Taylor inDarker Than Amber. She declined to give the cause of death. He was 88. His last role was in Irresistible, a 2020 film directed by Jon Stewart. Perhaps most well known for his portrayal of Anthony Falconetti in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, he was also notable for his role as James Kimo Carew in Hawaii Five-O, as well as for his work in The Virginian; The Asphalt Jungle; Laredo; and Zero One. RIP, Big Bill. 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. 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'. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); He was 88 years old. Wayne Shorter (19332023), jazz saxophonist who co-founded Weather Irma Serrano (19332023), Mexicos La Tigresa singer and Ricou Browning (19302023), Creature from the Black Lagoons Jerry Richardson (19362023), Carolina Panthers founder, Wayne Shorter (19332023), jazz saxophonist who co-founded Weather Report, Irma Serrano (19332023), Mexicos La Tigresa singer and actress, Ricou Browning (19302023), Creature from the Black Lagoons Gill-man, Burny Mattinson (19352023), Disney animator for decades. Action star William Smith, known for his roles in "Rich Man, Poor Man" and "Laredo," died Monday, according to the New York Post. He died. 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. Smith was a fascinating person with a diverse background. Spoke fluent French, Italian, and Russian. "It has to be one of the longest two-man fights ever done on film without doubles," Smith said about the fight scene with Clint Eastwood in 'Any Which Way You Can'. He would later become an elite discus thrower at UCLA, a martial arts black belt and a champion arm-wrestler. 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. She declined to give the cause of death. Here is all you want to know, and more! Along with his wife of 31 years, Smith is survived by his two children, William E. Smith III and Sherri Anne Cervelli. All rights reserved. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), One fan wrote, "Greatest TV villain ever, as a kid in the 70's everyone and their aunt hated the character of Falconetti that he brought to life in 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online. MovieWeb even states that Smith appeared in almost every TV series of the 1970s and 1980s, like"The Dukes of Hazzard" and "The A Team.". With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Smith was a constant, rugged presence on screen in the 1960s, 1970s and . & Company, Chrome and Hot Leather, Gentle Savage andEye of the Tiger., He played Texas Ranger Joe Riley in TVs Laredo from 1965 to 1967, and later joined the original cast of Hawaii Five-O for its last season in 1980. The TV actor William Smith died at the age of 88. Named 2017's Obituary Writer of the Year by the Society of Professional Obituary Writers. eventAction: 'render' Smith had three broken ribs, and Taylor had a broken nose. Beginning at eight years old, he earned small, uncredited roles in the movies The Ghost of Frankenstein and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Who do you cast to play Conan The Barbarians daddy? #RIP #WilliamSmith. 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. The man has nearly 300 roles in both films and television. Market data provided by Factset.