Born in Columbia, Missouri, Smith began his acting career at the age of eight in 1942; he entered films as a child . He appeared in over 300 films and television shows. Nicholas William Smith, 20, of Dallas, Texas passed away unexpectedly on January 10, 2017. 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. . William Smith, Action Star Known for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88 0. As he walked out my front door, he turned around and said in German, I will be a movie star, and was and is and now so much more! Smith was a fascinating person with a diverse background. Cause of death was teething. The place to find Mr. Smith, even as an older man, was the gym, Ms. Smith said. William Smith was an actor known for roles in movies and TV shows including "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man.". He was so convincing as a villain that people attacked him in the streets! The grave site of William Smith / Plot 18015428. He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. [8], For other people named William Smith, see, Louis Paul (2007). His wife Joanne Cervelli Smith, who confirmed the news to THR, didn't reveal the cause . William Smith (March 24, 1933 - July 5, 2021) was an American actor. . R.I.P. William Smith, Hawaii Five-O; Rich Man, Poor Man actor dead at 88 Those uncredited roles early in his career served as motivation for him to make it big, but Smith also did not give up on his schooling. 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,[2] with his best known role being the menacing Anthony Falconetti in the 1970s television mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man. Jada Pinkett Smith and son Jaden, 24 . gads_event = event; It was the final season. So insanely violent for its time. 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 On Gunsmoke, Smith appeared[4] in a 1972 episode, "Hostage! } She declined to give the cause of death. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ She did not want to reveal the cause of death. ; Maintained by Find a Grave. She declined to give the cause of death. Specifically: Ashes given to family. hitType: 'event', Anyone can read what you share. Editorial: Death penalty's retreat is excruciatingly slow. William Smith Actor Bodybuilder Dead. 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. RIP, Big Bill. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The Hollywood screen icon had over 270 credits to his name in film and television (via IMDb), including his legendary role as boxer Jack Wilson in "Any Which Way You Can," opposite Clint Eastwood, as well as "Conan the Barbarian" with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Smith died on July 5 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Hes definitely tough as nails but he had the heart of a poet, she said. 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. William Smith was in the Season 12 Classic HFO season 1979-1980. 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 . In addition to wife Joanne, Smith leaves behind a daughter, Sherri, and a son,William III. We are one of the worlds fastest growing 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. He did many of his own stunts. 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. And while you can, spit in the Reapers eye., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. 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. 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. He first came to the screen as a child actor in films such as Going My Way (1944) and The Song of Bernadette (1943), before entering the service during the Korean War, where his fluency in foreign languages landed him in the N.S.A. CBS. William Smith was an American film and television actor who 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". Another Twitter user said that Smith was "one of the all time greats," and it's true. Help us maintain a respectful and inclusive community. To me, it was like the hand-to-hand combat version of the Battle of Bloody Porch. The Sun is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. ", A third fan added: "Godspeed, William Smith. We shot it in Jackson, Wyoming, which is about 8,000 feet high in altitude, and I was smoking so hard at the time.. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { He was 88. Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter, but did not mention the cause. Security Squadron. Williams' preliminary cause of death - asphyxia . In a Hollywood career spanning more than 75 years, he appeared in almost three hundred f. }); Actor William Smith, who was famous for starring in television shows like 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Laredo', has died. Besides all of these skills and interests, Smith was a poet. Forall the toughness he demonstrated onscreen, Smith showed off a softer side in his 2009 book,The Poetic Works of William Smith. The Hollywood star William Smith who starred in TV shows including Hawaii Five-O and Rich Man, Poor Man and films including Any Which Way You Can and Conan The Barbarian has died aged 88 . Im watching him now In a bunch of old 70s biker movies .. another surprise. 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.