', 'The Losers', 'Angels Die Hard', 'C.C. 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. All rights reserved. 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. He was 63. Smith, a prolific actor with nearly 300 credits on his IMDb profile, starred alongside fellow bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Barbarian and spoke fluent Russian in Red Dawn. The iconic actor also was a part of the first miniseries broadcast on American television, 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. Your email address will not be published. Mr. Hurt revealed in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. 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. 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. william traylor actor cause of death. },false) 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. Will Smith ' Facebook page attracted nearly one million of 'likes'. 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. 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. It was the final season. } William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. 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'. Tribute to William Smith, the American actor who has died aged 88.Watch a compilation of some of William's best bits here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW4. "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. 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.. How did William Smith die? Smith was a fascinating person with a diverse background. A fluent Russian speaker, during the Korean War Smith was a Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions over the Russian SFSR. Smith was born on March 24, 1933, in Columbia, Missouri, to William Emmett Smith and Emily Richards Smith, and grew up on the cattle ranch owned by his parents. [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. 10 years before this scene, Smith had another legendary fight scene with Rod Taylor inDarker Than Amber. ga('ads.send', { reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. That one was so realistic that both Smith and Taylor suffered injuries during the filming of it. Falconetti and William Smith. Details of death: Died at the. Smith appeared as heavy Terry Bartell in Darker than Amber in 1970. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 'Hawaii Five-O' star dead at 88, fans mourn 'greatest TV villain'. 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"). 1. She did not disclose his cause of death. Smith is survived by Joanne, his wife of 31 years, and his son, William E. Smith III and daughter, Sherri Anne Cervell. RIP, Big Bill, A sad day for Classic HFO fans. "And so the fight was on. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said the star. Actor William Smith, known for playing bikers, cowboys and brawlers in a series of television shows and hit movies, has died. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. His films and TV performances bring me great viewing pleasure. #RIP #WilliamSmith. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), "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'. Besides all of these skills and interests, Smith was a poet. Joanne Cervelli Smith, his wife of 31 years,confirmed the actor's death to USA TODAY on Friday. ", Another tweeted, "A sad day for Classic HFO fans. He was also a bodybuilder, discus thrower, an arm-wrestling champion, and served as a volunteer firefighter in California. To me, it was like the hand-to-hand combat version of the Battle of Bloody Porch. Born from humble beginnings, Smith grew up on a cattle farm owned by his family in Columbia, Missouri. In 1967, Smith guest starred as Jude Bonner on James Arness's long-lived western Gunsmoke. One of which was with Clint Eastwood in the film"Any Which Way You Can." hitType: 'event', Here are three cold hard facts about William Smith. However, they divorced in May 1967. "; his character beats and rapes Amanda Blake's character Miss Kitty Russell and shoots her twice in the back. John Smith, who starred in the television westerns "Laramie" and "Cimarron City," died on Jan. 25 at his home here. 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. Larry Karaszewski, a writer on "American Crime Story," tweeted out that Smith was such a "bad***" that he "thought he'd never die." ET on Sunday (February 26, 2023), our beloved actor Will Smith passed away. 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.". 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. & 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. Smith was a fascinating person with a diverse background. He was 88. On the big screen, Smith became the star of several cult movies from the early seventies. Will Smith died after being shot eight times, including seven times in the back, Orleans Parish coroner Dr. Jeffrey Rouse said Wednesday (April 13). Actor: Any Which Way You Can. He was 88. ICONIC actor William Smith, who tussled with Clint Eastwood in the movies, has died at the age of 88. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. He had 18-inch biceps and could do 5,100 continuous sit-ups and reverse-curl 163 pounds all of which helped solidify the 6-foot-2-inch man as one of Hollywoods legendary tough guys, along with the list of his 289 credits on Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com). She also penned onFacebook, "My heart hurts so badly.". Actor William Smith, who was famous for starring in television shows like 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Laredo', has died. 1:44 William Smith, an action star from classic films like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died on Monday. Whos the baddest of the movie badmen? His son Alexander Hurt announced the death in a statement but did not give a cause. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. And during the course of his life, he put his thoughts and feelings down on paper in the form of poetry. He was 71. eventAction: 'render' Entries for each day are listed alphabetically by surname. Hurt won the best actor Oscar in 1986 for playing . Who do you cast to make Clint Eastwood break a sweat in a fistfight? 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. The Poetic Works of William Smith is a collection of his poetry, photos spanning his life and films, his filmography and a biography of one of the . In 1996, Warwick married William Elliott. hitType: 'event', After starring roles in the high-impact films Avatar and Colombiana, Zoe Saldana was eager for more action films to come her way. hitType: 'event', Those who read the 'About' page were given a believable account of the American actor's passing: " At about 11 a.m. His character was a boxer named Jack Smith. He started his career way back in the 40's and is still going strong. With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Mr. Smith was a constant, rugged presence on screen in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, amassing nearly . She declined to give the cause of death. Heflew on secretmissions over the Soviet Unionand Eastern Bloc countries, according to a statement shared by his wife. Also in 1970, Smith featured in two biker flicks Nam's Angels (originally released under the title "The Losers") co-starring Bernie Hamilton and C.C. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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?) His wife,. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { 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. }); Smith served in the United States Air Force. In 1983, Smith appeared in two films from Francis Ford Coppola, in The Outsiders as a store clerk and in Rumble Fish as a police officer. 7 months ago. ", Smith would take part in another classic screen brawl, this one with Rod Taylor, as a bodybuilder in the 1970 film "Darker Than Amber. por . He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. Security Squadron. William Smith is just that. Throughout his life, he was interested in bodybuilding and boxing. He would later become an elite discus thrower at UCLA, a martial arts black belt and a champion arm-wrestler. 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. Pigott-Smith was found dead on 7 April 2017, aged 70. Bill could ride almost before he . BBC News Heartbeat actor William Simons, who charmed Sunday evening viewers for nearly two decades as easygoing veteran PC Alf Ventress, has died aged 79. hitType: 'event', if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ 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). Age: 93, Actor, Cause of death: Natural Causes 12th April 2020 }); 10, 2021 at 4:04 AM PDT. GLEE STAR HEATHER MORRIS HONORS NAYA RIVERA WITH TRIBUTE TATTOO: TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED, American actor William Smith, circa 1975. Early years [ edit ] Born in New York City, Redfield was the son of Henry C. Redfield and the former Mareta A. George. Actor William Smith, known for playing bikers, cowboys and brawlers in a series of television shows and hit movies, has died. His son, Will, attributed the death to natural causes, but Hurt was diagnosed with terminal prostate . One of those great men you thought would live forever. 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 1970s. The actor was famously known for his stint as Falconetti in 1976s 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. Required fields are marked *. }) and Company with Ann-Margret, Joe Namath, Jennifer Billingsley and genre favorite, Sid Haig, the latter of which was directed by Seymour Robbie and written by Ann-Margret's husband, actor Roger Smith. Action star William Smith, known for his roles in "Rich Man, Poor Man" and "Laredo," died Monday, according to the New York Post. A cause of death has not been released. 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." His wife . The cause of the actor's death is unknown yet. In 2009, he published The Poetic Works of William Smith. Back in his heyday, the bodybuilder was a champion discus thrower at UCLA, an arm-wrestling and boxing champion and a martial arts black belt. 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. Rest in Peace, William Smith. He also played Anthony Falconetti, the menacing nemesis of the central family in the 1976 ABC miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man," and returned for its sequel. A lifelong bodybuilder, Smith was a record holder for reverse-curling his own body weight. 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. }); Actor William Smith, who was famous for starring in television shows like 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Laredo', has died. Sieger) Family (3) Trade Mark (1) William Smith was one of the best, underrated actors in the business. William Emmett Smith (March 24, 1933 July 5, 2021) was an American actor. American actor William Smith passed away at the age of 88 years old on July 9, 2021. William H Gates, philanthropist and father of Bill Gates, has provided DeathList 2020 with another score. William Smith's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death May Surprise You. 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. So insanely violent for its time. 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