The actor took his last breath at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills on Monday, July 5, according to his wife Joanne Cervelli Smith. According to the outlet, Smith was known for his roles on television, including "Laredo," "Rich Man, Poor Man," and "Hawaii Five-O." 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. hitType: 'event', His films and TV performances bring me great viewing pleasure. Here are three cold hard facts about William Smith. All rights reserved. He was 31-1 in amateur boxing bouts and was also an accomplished arm wrestler, winning multiple championships in the 200-pound weight class. He was 88. We are one of the worlds fastest growing In 1972 and 1975, respectively, he appeared in two popular Blaxploitation films, Hammer and the controversially titled Boss Nigger, both with Fred Williamson. A bodybuilder himself, The Rockford Files actor appeared in the cult classic Conan the Barbarian. 'Laredo' actor William Smith dies; played cowboys, brawlers - AP NEWS 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. On the big screen, Smith became the star of several cult movies from the early seventies. William Smith, Action Star Known for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/11/arts/television/william-smith-dead.html. However, news of his death has saddened the industry which is already mourning the loss of a lot of great actors recently. ", Another tweeted, "Rest in Peace, William Smith. 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. In 2009, Mr. Smith published a book of poetry, The Poetic Works of William Smith.. He was 88. 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. Smith's wife,Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter, but did not mention the cause. Mountain Climber Movie Actor Movie Actress Music Producer Non-fiction Author Novelist Who do you cast to play Conan The Barbarians daddy? 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. } On Gunsmoke, Smith appeared[4] in a 1972 episode, "Hostage! Cue his Darker than Amber fight with Rod Taylor in memoriam. 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. Marvel Actor William Hurt Dead at 71: Cause of Death Revealed - Us Weekly What a badass legend. 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 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. Who do you cast to play Conan The Barbarians daddy? R.I.P. 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. The man has nearly 300 roles in both films and television. Beginning at eight years old, he earned small, uncredited roles in the movies The Ghost of Frankenstein and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. 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. One of those great men you thought would live forever. 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. 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. Smith died on July 5 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. "And so the fight was on. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ William Smith Dies: 'Rich Man, Poor Man', 'Any Which Way You Can' Actor For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} 2023 COLD WIRE MEDIA. In fact, his career spanned over several decades with his first official TV credit in the 1950s, according to IMDb. },false) 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. }); Later in his career, he was the "go-to-guy" for biker films, like "The Losers" and "Chrome and Hot Leather," in the 1970s. His wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, confirmed that the action star passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on July 5. Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved. In addition to his wife, Mr. Smith is survived by his son, William E. Smith III, and his daughter, Sherri Anne Cervelli. 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"). She declined to give the cause of death. William's final appearance in his film career was in the comedyIrresistible, which starred Steve Carell. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) 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. William Smith obituary: "Laredo" star dies at 88 - Legacy.com McFarland, pg. Before he was known as a bodybuilder and tough guy, Smith was a child actor in Hollywood. },false) He was so convincing as a villain that people attacked him in the streets!R.I.P William Smith & thanks for the memories pic.twitter.com/YjOkgnHUUa. At the time, Smith was just 8 years old (via Deadline). He did many of his own stunts, and sometimes those scenes got heated. pic.twitter.com/ISCqVYDgzC, William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. ", Another fan wrote: "Farewell to the last great Bad Ass of TV & movies, William Smith. American actor William Smith, circa 1975. William Smith (actor) - Wikipedia Fans took to Twitter and posted messages of condolence for the iconic actor remembering his great performances. William Smith was an actor known for roles in movies and TV shows including Laredo and Rich Man, Poor Man.. [citation needed] Smith held a 311 record as an amateur boxer. He was throwing punches with Rod Taylor for the 1970 film Darker Than Amber when the two began fighting each other for real. Scarlett Johansson 'quickly killed' Black Widow's sexy blo Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Murdaugh son collapsed outside court after sitting stone-faced through dad's 6-week murder trial: source, Tom Sandoval breaks silence on Ariana Madix split amid cheating claims, Kelly Osbourne posts first photo of baby son as he hangs out with uncle Jack, Greys Anatomy alum Isaiah Washington retiring from acting: The haters have won, Chris Rock Jokes About Watching Emancipation to See Will Smith Getting Whipped In Advance of Netflix Special: Report, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. Keep on reading to find out more about one of Smith's most memorable moments on set. Smith is survived by his wife of 31 years, Joanne Cervelli Smith and his two children William E. Smith III and Sherri Anne Cervelli. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. Chick Vennera, Robert Downey Sr, Richard Donner and Frank Bonner are to name a few. }); He was 88. 'Laredo' actor William Smith dies; played cowboys, brawlers Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 'Laredo' Actor William Smith Dies; Played Cowboys, Brawlers Had one son (William Emmett Smith III) with first wife, Michele Smith, and one daughter (Sherri Anne Cervelli DOB: April 24, 1980) with his second wife, Joanne Cervelli. Here is all you want to know, and more! Home. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { The Columbia, Mo., native solidified his Hollywood status after tussling onscreen with actors like Clint Eastwood, Nick Nolte and Yul Brynner. Who do you cast to make Clint Eastwood break a sweat in a fistfight? The other was one of the most "realistic brawl scenes of all time," per theDaily Mail, when Smith squared off against Rod Taylor in the film "Darker Than Amber.".