Originally intending to work for the U.S. government in a classified position due to his clearance in the CIA and NSA, Smith changed his career trajectory when he landed an acting contract with MGM, which led to roles in George Pal's "Atlantis, The Lost Continent" in 1961 and TV series like "Batman," "Lassie," "Death Valley Days," and "The Mob Squad.". As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. } Beginning at eight years old, he earned small, uncredited roles in the movies The Ghost of Frankenstein and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. 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). Here is all you want to know, and more! The 88 year old's cause of death is unknown; he died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Smith was known for his roles in western and biker-themed films and TV shows. We've received your submission. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ pg.acq.push(function() { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY. ga('ads.send', { She did not want to reveal the cause of death. William Smith, the burly character actor known for playing tough guys and getting into fisticuffs with Clint Eastwood in 'Any Which Way You Can,' has died at 88. . At the time of his death, the culmination of William Smith's earnings as an actor and his many other ventures led to a net worth of around $7 million, according to Famous People Net Worth. William Smith. ga('ads.send', { Mr. Smith had more than 300 acting credits listed on IMDb from 1954 to 2020. Mr. Smiths wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said he died at the Motion Picture and Television Funds Country House and Hospital. 226, 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=1152562587, This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 00:21. He was 88. William 'Billy' Smith aka Thunder Death - Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death It is with great sadness we report the loss of #AmericanGladiators legend and deaddeath.com William 'Billy' Smith aka Thunder Death - Obituary : American Gladiators bodybuilding superstar has died - DeadDeath },false) Fight choreography and staging went out the window when Rod decided to really hit me, Smith remembered in a 2010 interview. William Smith. Young actors often would talk to him between workout sets, and he would share advice, sometimes inviting them to his home to discuss upcoming auditions. William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. Im watching him now In a bunch of old 70s biker movies .. another surprise. She did not want to reveal the cause of death. He was 34. 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. . On the silver screen, Smith also acted in popular films. As a member of the US Air Force, Smith was a veteran of the Korean War; he acted as a Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions. Chick Vennera, Robert Downey Sr, Richard Donner and Frank Bonner are to name a few. William fought Clint in Any Which Way You Can Credit: Alamy. Despite not receiving the best reviews, film critic Roger Ebert enjoyed the pair acting together. So insanely violent for its time. window.adsContainer = {"position2":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Above_Next_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position3":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_ATF_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle1_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle2_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position7":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle3_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle4_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle5_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position10":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle6_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position11":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle7_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position12":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle8_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position13":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle9_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position14":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle10_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position15":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle11_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position16":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle12_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250}} William Smith, an action star from classic films like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died on Monday. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter, but did not mention the cause. Nicholas William. & 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. At the time, Smith was just 8 years old (via Deadline). In excellent shape and healthy living. Who do you cast to play Conan The Barbarians daddy? In 1964, he appeared in the episode "The Rope of Lies" as Bill, a ranch hand from the Shiloh Ranch in the syndicated television series The Virginian. NASHVILLE, Tenn. William Smith Jr., Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell's grandfather, died at age 76 on Friday evening in a pedestrian-vehicle crash in Nashville. Forall the toughness he demonstrated onscreen, Smith showed off a softer side in his 2009 book,The Poetic Works of William Smith. Unsubscribe at any time. He was 88 at the time of his death. No one, no one in this world can you trust not men, not women, not beasts this you can trust, he says pointing to the movies iconic steel sword. William Smith, the rugged actor who starred on television onLaredo,Rich Man, Poor ManandHawaii Five-Oand went toe-to-toe with Clint Eastwood and Rod Taylor in two of the more remarkable brawls in movie history, has died. One of those great men you thought would live forever. william smith actor cause of deathchannel 13 weather girl pregnant; william smith actor cause of deathphiladelphia inmate mugshots; william smith actor cause of deathhanalei hat company THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. (They smeared Karo syrup and peanut butter on his face to keep the critters in the shot.). 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. Born on a cattle ranch in Columbia, Missouri, on March 24, 1933, Smith and his family moved to Southern California after the Dust Bowl. Here are three cold hard facts about William Smith. CBS. He also portrayed Texas Ranger Joe Riley in the two seasons of 'Laredo' and then joined the original cast of 'Hawaii Five-O' for its last season. He also was unforgettable in the blaxploitation filmsHammer(1972),Black Samson(1974) andBoss Nigger(1975). 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]. Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved. Throughout his life, he was interested in bodybuilding and boxing. Smith used a ball-and-chain belt on Brynner in the climax ofThe Ultimate Warrior, and his character ends up falling down a chute filled with rodents. 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. His wife Joanne Cervelli Smith, who confirmed the news to THR, didn't reveal the cause . She declined to give the cause of death. "; his character beats and rapes Amanda Blake's character Miss Kitty Russell and shoots her twice in the back. Both walked away with broken bones. In 1961, he starred on the studios ABC police dramaThe Asphalt Jungleopposite Jack Warden. Sunday | 35 views, 2 likes, 2 loves, 4 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Grace Pointe Church - Lakeland: Sunday Worship - Doug Smith 4/30/23 Died: July 5, 2021 ( Who else died on July 5?) For iPhone click here, for Android click here. He was also a bodybuilder, discus thrower, an arm-wrestling champion, and served as a volunteer firefighter in California. The actor was famously known for his stint as Falconetti in 1976s 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. He was 88. Television and action star William Smithhas diedat 88,The Hollywood Reporterconfirmed on July 9. One fan commented, "I'll never forget that fearsome brawl between Rod Taylor and William Smith in Darker than Amber. "Nic" Smith. Smith is survived by his wife of 31 years, Joanne Cervelli Smith and his two children William E. Smith III and Sherri Anne Cervelli. How did Joy Vogelsang die? }); After that, he played a vindictive sergeant in Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977) with an all-star cast headed by Burt Lancaster and Richard Widmark, a drag-racing legend in Fast Company (1979) also co-starring Claudia Jennings and John Saxon, the main character's father in Conan the Barbarian (1982) with Arnold Schwarzenegger, bad guy Matt Diggs in The Frisco Kid (1979) opposite Gene Wilder and Harrison Ford, and Clint Eastwood's bare-knuckle opponent Jack Wilson in 1980's Any Which Way You Can (a sequel to 1978's Every Which Way But Loose in which Smith did not appear), and also had a top villainous role of the Soviet commander in the hit 1984 theatrical film Red Dawn. His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. His wife Joanne Cervelli Smith confirmed the death. The 6-foot-2 Smith, who was a champion discus thrower at UCLA, an . Biography - A Short Wiki. Will Smith, a former first-round pick in the NFL who played for the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl-winning team, was shot to death after a traffic incident on April 9. 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. He is interred in Delta 51 alongside his parents and his siblings Ann, Jane, Jane, George and William. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. However, news of his death has saddened the industry which is already mourning the loss of a lot of great actors recently. In 1995, Smith received a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness. eventAction: 'click_adunit' 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. InAny Which Way You Can(1980), Smiths Jack Wilson squares off with Clint Eastwoods Philo Beddoe in a long bare-knuckle bout through the streets and restaurants of Wyoming. Smith appeared in the cult moviesPiranha(1972), where he said his stunt with a very large anaconda almost cost him his life, as an FBI agent inInvasion of the Bee Girls(1973), and as a drag racer in David CronenbergsFast Company(1979). He spent his early days in Columbia, Missouri. 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 on . Along with his wife of 31 years, Smith is survived by his two children, William E. Smith III and Sherri Anne Cervelli. After they healed, they worked again in the WesternThe Deadly Trackers(1973). . A legend. Smith starred with fellow bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger inConan the Barbarian(1982) and spoke fluent Russian as a colonel inRed Dawn(1984) both those films were directed by John Milius and, as a gang leader named Carrot, battled Yul Brynner with a ball and chain inThe Ultimate Warrior(1975). We shot it in Jackson, Wyoming, which is about 8,000 feet high in altitude, and I was smoking so hard at the time.. The trailer called it the most knuckle-busting, gut-wrenching, brain-scrambling, butt-bruising, lip-splitting brawl of all time., It has to be one of the longest two-man fights ever done on film without doubles, Smith said in an interview for Louis Pauls 2014 bookTales From the Cult Film Trenches. ", A fourth commentator added: "REMEMBER HIM WELLalways thought he should be a leading man with his looksbut seemed always the slightly sleazy tough guyRIP William Smith". The place to find Mr. Smith, even as an older man, was the gym, Ms. Smith said. "Any Which Way You Can" Star William Smith Cause of Death. William Smith (March 24, 1933 - July 5, 2021) was an American actor. hitType: 'event', pic.twitter.com/tMc8fKJBa5, Phoef Sutton (@phoefsutton) July 10, 2021. The cause of the actor's death is unknown yet. His character was a boxer named Jack Smith. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); hitType: 'event', He held a BA from Syracuse and an MA in Russian Studies from UCLA. Anyone can read what you share. Rest in Peace, William Smith. A bodybuilder himself, The Rockford Files actor appeared in the cult classic Conan the Barbarian. She married William Smith in 1913. Smith appeared late in a vicious turn as the hired thug Anthony Falconetti, then returned the following year for the sequel. [1], Smith died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles, on July 5, 2021, at the age of 88. "And so the fight was on. R.I.P. Whoopi Goldberg interrupts 'The View' live segment, raises her voice and hits co-host, Baywatch star Jeremy Jacksons ex-wife Loni Willison spotted looking for food in LA waste, 'Liza took a final breath and sighed': Liza Burke, 21, dies 6 weeks after stage 4 cancer diagnosis, 'Go for a size bigger': Honey Boo Boo slammed for flaunting 'tight' prom dress with boyfriend Dralin Carswell. He was throwing punches with Rod Taylor for the 1970 film Darker Than Amber when the two began fighting each other for real. Mr. Smith, who was born on March 24, 1933, grew up on a cattle ranch in Missouri owned by his parents, William Emmett Smith and Emily Richards Smith. William Smith, star of "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man," has died at 88 years old. Jan. 2, 2023. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Smith began his long Hollywood career as a child actor in the '40s, when his family moved to . The star's ex-wife, Sheree Fletcher , shared the news via Instagram on Monday, November 7. 2023 COLD WIRE MEDIA. William Smith was an actor known for roles in movies and TV shows including "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man.". 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". 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Who do you cast to make Clint Eastwood break a sweat in a fistfight? eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Specifically: Ashes given to family. All in a days work.". William Smith remembered as 'greatest TV villain ever' Fans took to Twitter and posted messages of condolence for the iconic actor remembering his great performances. William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. ", "To me, it was like the hand-to-hand combat version of the Battle of Bloody Porch. Action star William Smith, known for his roles in "Rich Man, Poor Man" and "Laredo," died Monday, according to the New York Post. Details of death: Died at . "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. Actor, 65, was on way to meet wife Kathryn Kranhold. The Sun is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. By Rachel Chapman / July 9, 2021 10:30 pm EST. He was 88. William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on July 5 in Woodland Hills, Calif. . William Smith, star of Laredo and Rich Man, Poor Man, has died at 88 years old. 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. The TV actor William Smith died at the age of 88. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. 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'. Before he was known as a bodybuilder and tough guy, Smith was a child actor in Hollywood. He was 88. He was a spiteful sergeant inTwilights Last Gleaming(1977), a con man in Robert AldrichsThe Frisco Kid(1979) and a cop in Francis Ford CoppolasRumble Fish(1983). Smith was infamously known for fighting with Clint Eastwood in Any Which Way You Can, a 1980 movie. Joanne Cervelli Smith, his wife of 31 years, confirmed the actor's death to . the cause of death is unknown at this time. The cause of death is unknown. eventAction: 'view' reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. She declined to give the cause of death. Stanley Tucci Credits Felicity and Emily Blunt for Helping Him Get Through Brutal Cancer Treatment, Barry Humphries, aka Dame Edna, Dies at 89, Bill Butler, Cinematographer on Jaws, Dies at 101, Bert I. Gordon, Director of Cult (and Cheap) Sci-Fi Classics, Dies at 100, Jerry Springer, Host of a Scandalous Talk Show, Dies at 79, Robert Patrick, 'Kennedy's Children' Playwright, Dies at 85, Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? and Company(1970), starring Joe Namath and Ann-Margret; inChrome and Hot Leather(1971), opposite Marvin Gaye; and inGentle Savage(1973) andEye of the Tiger(1986). He was also famous as televisions last tobacco-advertising Marlboro Man. This man was one of the best actors Ive ever seen. He also played Conan the Barbarians (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) father in the 1982 film Conan. 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. An inductee into the Muscle Beach Venice Bodybuilding Hall of Fame, Smith was perfect for the role as Adonis, a henchman for Zsa Zsa Gabors evil Minerva onBatman. from Batman, Robin and Batgirl. As a sadistic bodybuilder inDarker Than Amber(1970), he participated in a violent free-for-all with Taylor that is regarded as one of the most realistic of all time. Smith is survived by his wife, son, William E. Smith III, and daughter, Sherri Anne Cervelli. Robin Williams died on August 11, 2014, at age 63 by suicide, according to a coroner's report released after his death. Nicolas Cage's mom, 85, battled schizophrenia, How did Lisa Banes die? Ms. Smith said in a phone interview on Sunday that besides the tough guy roles that made her husband a star onscreen, he had a compassionate side as well. 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. Smith had three broken ribs, and Taylor had a broken nose. In 1976, Smith was also part of the first miniseries on American television, "Rich Man, Poor Man" on ABC. Deadline noted that Smithpursued higher educationin Syracuse, Munich, and Paris before he graduated Cum Laude from UCLA, earning a master's degree. Back in 1942, William started his professional career as an eight-year-old child actor in The Ghost of Frankenstein, according to Deadline. But while working on his doctorate in foreign-language studies, he landed an acting contract at MGM. The one thing about Schwarzenegger that I will never forget is that nobody could double him, be his stunt double, because of the shape he was in. Fluent in Russian, German, French and Serbo-Croatian, he caught the eye of the CIA and NSA, which gave him a teaching position within the agencies. ga('ads.send', { No cause of death was immediately made public. 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. In addition to his wife of 31 years, survivors include his children, William E. Smith III and Sherri Anne Cervelli. "It was to my immense delight that I immediately recognized the actor playing Jack Wilson," Ebert wrote. 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. During the Korean War in the early '50s, Smith was "flying on secret missions over Russia and other Eastern Bloc countries" (via his official site), and could speak fluently in Russian, German, French, and Serbo-Croatian. The roles he is most known for are Anthony Falconetti in the 1976 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man,and he appeared in the original Hawaii Five-O television series from 1979-1980 as Detective James Kimo Carew. 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 Columbia, Mo., native solidified his Hollywood status after tussling onscreen with actors like Clint Eastwood, Nick Nolte and Yul Brynner. Smith was a fascinating person with a diverse background. First, as Texas Ranger Joe Riley in two seasons of "Laredo." MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. pic.twitter.com/UJVpOSTted, Daily Grindhouse (@DailyGrindhouse) July 9, 2021. }); The 88 year olds cause of death is unknown; he died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. The Tragic Death Of Action Star William Smith. Born in March 23, 1769 at The Forge in Churchill, Oxfordshire, England, William Smith was the eldest son of John Smith, the village blacksmith, and Ann Smith. In 1972, he appeared in a Columbo episode "The Greenhouse Jungle" as Ken Nichols, a handsome swindler who may be a person of interest in Columbo's murder investigation. Then he would work out for two hours.. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Find. The blues singer Mamie Smith died at the age of 63. In 2009, Smith published The Poetic Works of William Smith. In a Hollywood career spanning more than 79 years, he appeared in almost three hundred feature films and television productions in a wide variety of character roles, accumulating over 980 total credits, with his best known role being the menacing Anthony Falconetti in the 1970s television mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man. A lifelong bodybuilder, Smith was a record holder for reverse-curling his own body weight. By Douglas Martin. William Foster, Age 20 (Johnson C Smith University) The Courier Journal's database of sudden death in sports since 1909. memorial page for William Smith (24 Mar 1933-5 Jul 2021), Find a Grave Memorial ID 229324717; Cremated, Ashes given to family. }) According to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith died Monday in Woodland Hills, calif. The actor William Smith in 1978. }); Actor William Smith, who was famous for starring in television shows like 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Laredo', has died. ABCsRich Man, Poor Man, which premiered in February 1976, was the first miniseries broadcast on American television (it precededRootsby 11 months) and was an adaptation of the Irwin Shaw novel about two German-American brothers (Peter Strauss and Nick Nolte) and their lives after World War II. 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.. "He was William (Big Bill) Smith, who played a lot of motorcycle gang leaders in films of the late 1960s and still looks as fearsome as ever. [1] Other 1970s TV appearances included the Kolchak: The Night Stalker episode "The Energy Eater", as an Indian medicine man who advises Kolchak, and an early Six Million Dollar Man episode "Survival of the Fittest" as Commander Maxwell. He appeared in over 300 films and television shows. William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on July 5 in Woodland Hills, Calif. 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. William Hurt, a leading man of 1980s Hollywood who rose to stardom as a cocky but indolent lawyer in "Body Heat," won an Oscar for playing a gay man jailed under a South American dictatorship . She did not want to reveal the cause of death. Smith has been described as the "greatest bad-guy character actor of our time".[5]. RIP, Big Bill, A sad day for Classic HFO fans. Joanne Cervelli Smith, Smith's wife, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the actor died Monday at the Motion . He could speak six languages which made him a valuable asset during his military service. ", Another fan wrote: "Farewell to the last great Bad Ass of TV & movies, William Smith. 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.". }); 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 on . His death was confirmed by the American Gladiators' Instagram account. Rest in Prominence & Peace, Big Bill. American actor William Smith passed away at the age of 88 years old on July 9, 2021. He was 88. He was 88. Rod is a skilled fighter and at the same time a real scrapper." A fluent Russian speaker, during the Korean War Smith was a Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions over the Russian SFSR. 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. This memorial website was created in memory of William Smith, 46, born on August 10, 1934 and passed away on May 0, 1981. ', 'The Losers', 'Angels Die Hard', 'C.C. In 2009, Mr. Smith published a book of poetry, The Poetic Works of William Smith.. Create a personalized profile and stay informed with tailored email notifications. Fans took to Twitter and posted messages of condolence for the iconic actor remembering his great performances. William Smith, the burly character actor known for playing tough guys and fighting Clint Eastwood in the 1980 film Any Which Way You Can, has died at the age of 88.
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