But in an earlier starring role, Texas Ranger Joe Riley on the popular TV show Laredo, Smith was a good guy known for his strength. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter, but did not mention the cause. Whos the baddest of the movie badmen? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He did many of his own stunts. william traylor actor cause of death - attitudesinreverse.org As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The fact that neither Smith nor Eastwood used body doubles for the scene was confirmed by Smith in a 2014 interview. },false) With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Smith was a . He was so convincing as a villain that people attacked him in the streets! Any Which Way You Can star William Smith dies at 88 Whos the baddest of the movie badmen? He was 88. 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'. So insanely violent for its time. 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. }); Actor William Smith, who was famous for starring in television shows like 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Laredo', has died. William Smith, Action Star Known for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88 She declined to give the cause of death. pic.twitter.com/ISCqVYDgzC, William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. }); window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { View. William Smith, an action star from classic movies like "Any Which Way You Can" and "Red Dawn," died Monday. William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. In 2009, Smith published The Poetic Works of William Smith. Home. William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on July 5 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Smiths wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said he died at the Motion Picture and Television Funds Country House and Hospital. 'Laredo,' 'Any Which Way You Can' actor William Smith dead at 88 William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. Biography - A Short Wiki '50s television icon who was immortalized for his role as Paul Drake on over 250 episodes of the series, Perry Mason. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment. The cause of death is unknown. His character was a boxer named Jack Smith. He speaks five languages, was an award-winning bodybuilder . 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William Smith's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death May Surprise You William was born on his mother's 38th birthday. Jodie Turner-Smith sends temperatures soaring as she struts out of Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Smith was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War. His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. 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. [citation needed] Smith held a 311 record as an amateur boxer. pic.twitter.com/rFPAKrQm1q, Just found out that one of my favorite, super talented character actors from my childhood passed away on Monday.William Smith was in films like The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, and Any Which Way You Can. He was 88 years old. 'Laredo,' 'Any Which Way You Can' actor William Smith dead at 88 document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ She declined to give the cause of death. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS. [1], Smith died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles, on July 5, 2021, at the age of 88. With his chiseled . Smith was 88 years old. Smith also was a part of the first miniseries broadcast on American television, Rich Man, Poor Man.. The. 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"). "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'. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { Larry Karaszewski, a writer on "American Crime Story," tweeted out that Smith was such a "bad***" that he "thought he'd never die." All in a days work.". 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'. The Associated Press contributed to this report. At the ranch, he would develop a love and admiration for horses and the classic Western lifestyle, according to his website. She declined to give the cause of death. Inside Josh Duggar's lonely 35th birthday in prison solitary confinement, Honey Boo Boo, 17, & boyfriend, 21, found with gun & drugs in car in arrest, Today's Hoda Kotb looks solemn on stroll with daughter amid show absence, Jill Duggar reveals she's 'so proud' of husband's major career change in new pic, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, William fought Clint in Any Which Way You Can, William 'played a lot of motorcycle gang leaders in films', William posed with the rest of the Hawaii Five-O cast for a photo. He played a general in the 1984 cult classicRed Dawn, speaking fluent Russian which was only one of the six languages he spoke. The Conan the Barbarian actor played the title characters father and played his scenes opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. R.I.P William Smith & thanks for the memories. Named 2017's Obituary Writer of the Year by the Society of Professional Obituary Writers. 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. In 1970, he portrayed a sadistic bodybuilder inDarker Than Amber, and performed what is considered to be one of the most realistic on-screen fights, with Taylor famously breaking three of his ribs and getting his nose busted. 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. No cause of death was immediately made public. Good actor ! 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. He played Detective Jim Kimo Carew on the final season of Hawaii Five-O and made appearances on other TV shows including Batman, Dukes of Hazzard, and The A-Team. Mr. Smiths wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said he died at the Motion Picture and Television Funds Country House and Hospital. We are one of the worlds fastest growing His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. ga('ads.send', { }); William Smith was born on March 24, 1933, in Columbia, Missouri, on a Hereford cattle ranch owned by his family. She declined to give the cause of death. William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. William's final appearance in his film career was in the comedyIrresistible, which starred Steve Carell. Along with appearing in films, William Smith also made his mark in television. 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, . A fan tweeted: "I'll never forget that fearsome brawl between Rod Taylor and William Smith in Darker than Amber. Smith was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness and inducted into the Muscle Beach Venice Bodybuilding Hall of Fame in 2010. Rest in Prominence & Peace, Big Bill. 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. He left tinsel town for a bit when he enlisted in the Army to fight in the Korean War. Personal Quotes (2) Sammy [ Sammy Davis Jr.] was really good friends with Peter Brown. In 2009, Mr. Smith published a book of poetry, The Poetic Works of William Smith.. (Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images). AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference For movie fans, Smith is best remembered for his 70's biker movies, and TV-series. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ He was reportedly also fluent in French, German and Serbo-Croatian.[3]. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ga('ads.send', { William Smith's Death - Cause and Date - The Celebrity Deaths In fact, his career spanned over several decades with his first official TV credit in the 1950s, according to IMDb. Jodie Turner-Smith made a head-turning exit from a fancy hotel on Thursday. Fans took to Twitter and posted messages of condolence for the iconic actor remembering his great performances. His career spans 60 years of acting in some of the most popular films and television shows of all time. pic.twitter.com/tMc8fKJBa5, Phoef Sutton (@phoefsutton) July 10, 2021. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Nicolas Cage's mom, 85, battled schizophrenia, How did Lisa Banes die? Actor William Smith, known for playing bikers, cowboys and brawlers in a series of television shows and hit movies, has died. 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. William Smith. Smith died on July 5 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Smith was a constant, rugged presence on screen in . Later in his career, he was the "go-to-guy" for biker films, like "The Losers" and "Chrome and Hot Leather," in the 1970s. July 11, 2021 William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on July 5 in Woodland Hills, Calif. According to the outlet, Smith was known for his roles on television, including "Laredo," "Rich Man, Poor Man," and "Hawaii Five-O." Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. His films and TV performances bring me great viewing pleasure. 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. William Smith, Action Actor and Star of 'Laredo' and 'Rich Man, Poor Man,' Dies at 88 The legendary tough guy appeared in biker movies and blaxpoitation pics and went toe-to-toe with Clint. One fan commented, "I'll never forget that fearsome brawl between Rod Taylor and William Smith in Darker than Amber. Smith starred as Texas Ranger Joe Riley in both seasons of the NBC Western "Laredo" from 1965 to 1967. William Smith: My fight with Clint Eastwood was the longest two-man 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. 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. The 88 year olds cause of death is unknown; he died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. RIP: Famous actor and athlete William Smith, star of such titles as Laredo and Rich Man, Poor Man, has died at the age of 88; seen here circa 1975 It was the final season. 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. ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER, He would also play Arnold Schwarzenegger's father in 1982's "Conan the Barbarian," after being considered for the title role, and a Soviet general in 1984's "Red Dawn.". All rights reserved. Smith is survived by Joanne, his wife of 31 years, and his son, William E. Smith III and daughter, Sherri Anne Cervell. He was 88. For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online. 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. ", Laredo star William Smith died on Monday at the age of 88. He was 88. 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. 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. In the 1980s, the 6-foot-2 actor earned roles in Francis Ford Coppolas The Outsiders, (1983) and in Conan the Barbarian (1982), for which he was cast as the father of Conan, who was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. ", Another fan wrote: "Farewell to the last great Bad Ass of TV & movies, William Smith. However, news of his death has saddened the industry which is already mourning the loss of a lot of great actors recently. 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.