
William Smith
Biography:
William Smith is an American film and television actor who has appeared in more than 300 feature films and television productions, best known for playing Anthony Falconetti on the TV mini series "Rich Man, Poor Man". He holds a BA from Syracuse and an MA in Russian Studies from UCLA.
Born in Columbia, Missouri, Smith began his acting career at the age of eight in 1942; he entered films as a child actor in such films as The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Song of Bernadette and Meet Me in St. Louis.
He was a regular on the 1961 ABC television series The Asphalt Jungle, portraying police Sergeant Danny Keller. One of his earliest leading roles was as Joe Riley, a Texas Ranger on the NBC western series Laredo. In 1967, Smith guest starred as Jude Bonner on James Arness's long-lived western Gunsmoke.
Smith was cast as John Richard Parker, brother of Cynthia Ann Parker, both taken hostage in Texas by the Comanche, in the 1969 episode "The Understanding" of the syndicated television series Death Valley Days, which was hosted by Robert Taylor. In the story line, Parker contracts the plague, is left for dead by his fellow Comanche warriors, and is rescued by his future Mexican wife, Yolanda (Emily Banks).
He played outlaw turned temporary sheriff Hendry Brown in the 1969 episode "The Restless Man". In that story line, Brown takes the job of sheriff to tame a lawless town, begins to court a young woman (again played by Emily Banks), but soon returns to his deadly outlaw ways in search of bigger thrills.
On Gunsmoke, Smith appeared in a 1972 episode, "Hostage!"; his character beats and rapes Amanda Blake's character Miss Kitty Russell and shoots her twice in the back. Smith has been described as the "greatest bad-guy character actor of our time".
Known For:
Acting
Known Credits:
189
Gender :
Male
Birthday :
1933-03-24
Day of Death:
-
Place of Birth:
Columbia, Missouri, USA
Also Known As:
William E. Smith, Bill Smith, Big Bill Smith, William Smith II
Streaming now on SassyFlix
5/10
NR
1993
Legend of The Roller Blade Seven
5/10
NR
1993
Return of the Roller Blade Seven
6/10
R
1979
Seven
6/10
PG-1
1969
The Over the Hill Gang
4/10
NR
1995
Big Sister 2000
5/10
R
1975
The Ultimate Warrior
6/10
R
1992
The Last Riders
6/10
R
1970
The Losers
6/10
R
1986
Eye of the Tiger
5/10
R
1970
Angels Die Hard
3/10
R
1969
Run, Angel, Run!
0/10
R
1973
Sweet Jesus, Preacherman
6/10
R
1974
Black Samson
2/10
R
1991
The Roller Blade Seven
4/10
PG
1972
The Thing with Two Heads
7/10
R
1985
The Mean Season
5/10
NR
1976
Hollywood Man
4/10
R
1989
Memorial Valley Massacre
6/10
R
1987
Commando Squad
5/10
R
1988
B.O.R.N.
7/10
PG
1970
Darker Than Amber
5/10
R
1972
Hammer
6/10
R
1988
Maniac Cop
5/10
R
1975
Dr. Minx
6/10
PG
1973
The Last American Hero
6/10
R
1988
Hell Comes to Frogtown
5/10
NR
1961
Atlantis: The Lost Continent
5/10
PG
1972
Grave of the Vampire
7/10
PG
1975
Boss Nigger
6/10
PG
1971
Chrome and Hot Leather
5/10
R
1975
The Swinging Barmaids
4/10
R
1973
Invasion of the Bee Girls
6/10
R
1970