Margaret Alexis Fitzsimmons-Smith (June 8, 1921 – June 9, 1993) was a Canadian-born American actress and singer. She appeared in several major Hollywood films in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

in 1972 for the Stephen Sondheim-

James Goldman James Goldman (June 30, 1927 – October 28, 1998) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay '' The Lion in Winter'' (1968). His younger brother was novelist and screenwriter William Goldman. Biog ...

musical ''

Follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Fol ...

''.

Early life

Alexis Smith Photograph of Hollywood celebrities and dignitaries at Roosevelt Birthday Ball activities in Washington - NARA - 199317

Smith was born in

Penticton Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan Valley of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan and Skaha lakes. In the 2016 Canadian Census, its population was 33,761, while its census agglomeration The ce ...

, British Columbia, to Gladys Mabel Fitz-Simmons (a Canadian) and Alexander Smith (a Scot). Her family moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

when she was about a year old. Her parents both became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1939, through which she derived her United States citizenship. Smith grew up in Los Angeles, attending Hollywood High School along with other future talents, including actress

Nanette Fabray Nanette Fabray (born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa Fabares; October 27, 1920 – February 22, 2018) was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a musical-theatre actress dur ...

. Smith made her professional debut performing ballet at the Hollywood Bowl.Monush 2003
pg. 69
She was discovered in 1940 at

Los Angeles City College Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campu ...

, acting in a school production, by a Warner Brothers' talent scout.

Warner Bros

Early roles

After being discovered by a talent scout while attending college, Smith was signed to a contract by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

Her early film roles were uncredited bit parts in films like ''

Lady with Red Hair ''Lady with Red Hair'' (1940) is an American historical drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Miriam Hopkins, Claude Rains and Richard Ainley. Released by Warner Brothers it stars Hopkins as the nineteenth century actress Mrs. Le ...

'' (1940), '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1940), ''

Flight from Destiny ''Flight from Destiny'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and written by Barry Trivers. The film stars Geraldine Fitzgerald, Thomas Mitchell, Jeffrey Lynn, James Stephenson, Mona Maris and Jonathan Hale. The film was rel ...

'' (1941), '' The Great Mr. Nobody'' (1941), ''

Here Comes Happiness ''Here Comes Happiness'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by Charles L. Tedford. The film stars Mildred Coles, Edward Norris, Richard Ainley, Russell Hicks, Marjorie Gateson and John Ridgely. The film was r ...

'' (1941), ''

Affectionately Yours ''Affectionately Yours'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Merle Oberon, Dennis Morgan, and Rita Hayworth. Plot Foreign correspondent Rickey Mayberry (Dennis Morgan) hurriedly flies back from Portu ...

'' (1941), ''

Singapore Woman ''Singapore Woman'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Brenda Marshall and David Bruce. The Warner Bros. B picture is a remake of '' Dangerous'' (1935) using leftover sets from '' The Letter'' (1940). The s ...

'' (1941), ''

Passage from Hong Kong ''Passage from Hong Kong'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by D. Ross Lederman and written by Fred Niblo Jr. and Earl Derr Biggers. The film stars Lucile Fairbanks, Douglas Kennedy, Paul Cavanagh, Richard Ainley, Marjorie Gateson and ...

'' (1941) and ''

Three Sons o' Guns ''Three Sons o' Guns'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff, written by Fred Niblo, Jr., and starring Wayne Morris, Marjorie Rambeau, Irene Rich, Tom Brown, William T. Orr, Susan Peters and Moroni Olsen. It was released b ...

'' (1941). Her first credited role was in the feature film '' Dive Bomber'' (1941), playing the female lead opposite

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

. It was a "decorative" part but the film was very successful.Alexis Smith Rejected Fancy Name From Studio: Screen Actress Third Hollywood School 'Find' Alexis Likes Role Change Alexis Smith Says She's Happy When Roles Change Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times September 23, 1945: B1. Warners decided to build her up as a star. She had a support role in ''

The Smiling Ghost ''The Smiling Ghost'' is a 1941 American film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Wayne Morris, Alexis Smith, and Alan Hale. The film is in the horror comedy genre, which was popular in the 1940s. Plot The elderly Mrs. Bentley (Helen West ...

'' (1941) and appeared with her future husband Craig Stevens in ''

Steel Against the Sky ''Steel Against the Sky'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by A. Edward Sutherland, written by Paul Gerard Smith, and starring Lloyd Nolan, Alexis Smith, Craig Stevens, Gene Lockhart, Edward Ellis and Walter Catlett. It was released ...

'' (1941), the first time she was top billed.

Stardom

Smith co starred opposite

in '' Gentleman Jim'' (1942), one of the most popular movies of the year. Her lead appearance in '' The Constant Nymph'' (1943) was well-received and led to bigger parts. After a cameo in '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) Smith appeared opposite

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated, versatile stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, ...

in '' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944), and starred alongside Ann Sheridan in ''

The Doughgirls ''The Doughgirls'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by James V. Kern based on the 1942 hit Broadway play written by Joseph Fields. The film works around three newlywed couples, focusing on the Halstead couple, played by Jane Wyman and ...

'' (1944). She had another cameo in ''

Hollywood Canteen The Hollywood Canteen operated at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in the Los Angeles, California, neighborhood of Hollywood between October 3, 1942, and November 22, 1945 (Thanksgiving Day), as a club offering food, dancing and entertainment for serv ...

'' (1944) then co starred with

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

in ''

The Horn Blows at Midnight ''The Horn Blows at Midnight'' is a 1945 comedy fantasy film directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Jack Benny. Following its poor box-office, Benny often exploited the film's failure for laughs over the next 20 years in his radio and television c ...

'' (1945). Smith co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in ''

Conflict Conflict may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Conflict'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Stuart Paton * ''Conflict'' (1936 film), an American boxing film starring John Wayne * ''Conflict'' (1937 film) ...

'' (1945) and

Robert Alda Robert Alda (born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo; February 26, 1914 – May 3, 1986) was an Italian-American theatrical and film actor, a singer, and a dancer. He was the father of actors Alan and Antony Alda. Alda was featured in a ...

in the

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

biopic ''

Rhapsody In Blue ''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work premiered i ...

'' (1945). She liked her part in the latter because "while a heavy of sorts I get to do the unexpected." She was reunited with Flynn in ''

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

'' (1945) in which she sang a special version of the popular ballad "

Some Sunday Morning "Some Sunday Morning" is the title of two well-known American songs. The first has music written by Richard A. Whiting with lyrics by Gus Kahn and Raymond B. Egan, and was recorded by Ada Jones and Billy Murray in 1917. The second has music b ...

"; the movie was a huge hit.Glancy, H. Mark. "Warner Bros film grosses, 1921–51." Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. March 1995 Smith appeared with Sheridan again in '' One More Tomorrow'' (1946) then

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

in a sanitized, fictionalized version of the life of

Cole Cole may refer to: Plants * Cole crops of the genus ''Brassica'', especially cabbage, kale, or rape (rapeseed). People * Cole (given name), people with the given name Cole * Cole (surname), people with the surname Cole Companies *Cole Motor ...

and Linda Porter in '' Night and Day'' (1946); the latter was another box office success. Smith appeared alongside

Eleanor Parker Eleanor Jean Parker (June 26, 1922 – December 9, 2013) was an American actress. She was nominated for three Academy Awards for her roles in the films ''Caged'' (1950), ''Detective Story'' (1951), and ''Interrupted Melody'' (1955), the first ...

and

Paul Henreid Paul Henreid (November 10, 1908 – March 29, 1992) was an Austrian-British- American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is best remembered for two film roles; Victor Laszlo in '' Casablanca'' and Jerry Durrance in ''Now, Voyager'', ...

in ''

Of Human Bondage ''Of Human Bondage'' is a 1915 novel by W. Somerset Maugham. The novel is generally agreed to be Maugham's masterpiece and to be strongly autobiographical in nature, although he stated, "This is a novel, not an autobiography; though much in i ...

'' (1946), then did a second film with Bogart, '' The Two Mrs. Carrolls'' (1947); Hopper described the latter as "a typical Alexis Smith role". She later said of her Warners years "more often than not I played the other woman." Smith made '' Stallion Road'' (1948) with Ronald Reagan and '' The Woman in White'' (1948) with Parker. She was top billed in ''

The Decision of Christopher Blake ''The Decision of Christopher Blake'' is a 1948 American drama film based upon the Moss Hart play. It was adapted by Ranald MacDougall and directed by Peter Godfrey. The film stars Alexis Smith, Robert Douglas, Cecil Kellaway, Ted Donaldson, ...

'' (1948) which was announced as an attempt to change her image instead of being just "a mirror to reflect others emotions.".New Alexis Smith to Make Her Debut: New Alexis Smith to Make Bow Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times November 28, 1948: D1. She co starred with

Dane Clark Dane Clark (born Bernard Zanville; February 26, 1912September 11, 1998) was an American character actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average." Early life Clark was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Jewish imm ...

in ''

Whiplash Whiplash may refer to: * The long flexible part of a whip * Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury ** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles Film and television * ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer * ''Whiplas ...

'' (1948), was

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

's leading lady in ''

South of St. Louis ''South of St Louis'' is a 1949 American Technicolor Western film directed by Ray Enright and starring Joel McCrea, Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott and Dorothy Malone. It chronicles the friendship between three ranchers after their ranch is destroy ...

'' (1949) then worked with

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary '' Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie L ...

in ''

One Last Fling ''One Last Fling'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by Richard Flournoy and William Sackheim. The film stars Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott, Douglas Kennedy, Ann Doran, Ransom M. Sherman and Veda Ann Borg. The ...

'' (1949). MGM borrowed her for a

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

film '' Any Number Can Play'' (1950) then she made one last movie with Flynn, ''

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

'' (1950). In October 1949 Smith was granted a release from her contract with Warner Bros after refusing being loaned out to Universal for a role in ''

Shoplifter Shoplifting is the theft of goods from an open retail establishment, typically by concealing a store item on one's person, in pockets, under clothes or in a bag, and leaving the store without paying. With clothing, shoplifters may put on items ...

'' (1950) (she was replaced by Andrea King). She had been at the studio for nine years, having signed a four-year deal in 1946 that had the option of going to 1953.

Post Warners

Smith went to Universal to appear in '' Wyoming Mail'' (1950), a Western with Stephen McNally, and ''

Undercover Girl ''Undercover Girl'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Alexis Smith and Scott Brady. This was the second movie for Joseph Pevney as a director. Plot A young woman joins the police, and tries to track ...

'' (1950) a film noir. She played

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

's rival in Paramount's ''

Here Comes the Groom ''Here Comes the Groom'' is a 1951 American musical romantic comedy film produced and directed by Frank Capra and starring Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman. Based on a story by Robert Riskin and Liam O'Brien, the film is about a foreign correspondent w ...

'' (1951), her favorite role. At Universal she made ''

Cave of Outlaws ''Cave of Outlaws'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by William Castle and starring Macdonald Carey and Alexis Smith. It was also known as ''The Cave''. Plot In 1880, Pete Carver is part of a gang that robs a train of gold. They flee ...

'' (1951) with

MacDonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast member. ...

then back at Paramount was in '' The Turning Point'' (1952) with

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

. She received excellent reviews for playing ''Private Lives'' on stage with

Victor Jory Victor Jory (November 23, 1902 – February 12, 1982) was a Canadian-American actor of stage, film, and television. He initially played romantic leads, but later was mostly cast in villainous or sinister roles, such as Oberon in ''A Midsummer N ...

. Smith was in '' Split Second'' (1953) at RKO with McNally then went to England to star in ''

The Sleeping Tiger ''The Sleeping Tiger'' is a 1954 British film noir directed by Joseph Losey and starring Alexis Smith, Dirk Bogarde and Alexander Knox. It was Losey's first British feature, which he directed under the pseudonym of Victor Hanbury due to being bl ...

'' (1954) with Dirk Bogarde for Joseph Losey. In 1953 she appeared on stage in ''Bell Book and Candle'' with

. She began appearing in television on shows such as ''

The Star and the Story ''The Star and the Story'' is an American television anthology series which aired 1955–1956 in first-run syndication. A filmed half-hour series, episodes were approximately 25 minutes long, excluding commercials. Produced by Four Star Produc ...

'', '' Stage 7'', ''

The 20th Century-Fox Hour ''The 20th Century Fox Hour'' is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title '' ...

'', '' The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial'', ''

Robert Montgomery Presents ''Robert Montgomery Presents'' is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950, until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its eight-year run, and the title was altered to feature the ...

'', ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

'', ''

Schlitz Playhouse ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both Television comedy, comedies and Dramatic programming, drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The ti ...

'', and ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S ...

''. At Republic she made ''

The Eternal Sea ''The Eternal Sea'' (aka ''The Admiral Hoskins Story'') is a 1955 American war film directed by John H. Auer and starring Sterling Hayden, Alexis Smith and Ben Cooper. After an American naval officer loses his leg at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, h ...

'' (1955) with

Sterling Hayden Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter; March 26, 1916 – May 23, 1986) was an American actor, author, sailor and decorated Marine Corps officer and an Office of Strategic Services' agent during World War II. A leading man for mos ...

. She had no offers so signed to go on tour with her husband in a production of ''Plain and Fancy'' which meant she missed out on roles in the films ''Serenade'' and ''The Toy Tiger''. Smith was in ''

Beau James ''Beau James'' is a 1957 film based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Gene Fowler. The film stars Bob Hope in a rare dramatic role as Jimmy Walker, the colorful but controversial Mayor of New York City from 1926–32. Plot In 1925, New ...

'' (1957) with Bob Hope, ''

This Happy Feeling ''This Happy Feeling'' is a 1959 (or 1958) American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards adapted from the F. Hugh Herbert play ''For Love or Money''. Edwards regretted Universal-International's eleventh hour decision of a name change, but the ...

'' (1958) with

Curt Jurgens Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...

and ''

The Young Philadelphians ''The Young Philadelphians'' is a 1959 American legal drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Robert Vaughn and Alexis Smith. The film is based on the 1956 novel ''The Philadelphian'', by Richard P. Powell. ...

'' with Paul Newman (1959). She also appeared on a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis radio (NBC) broadcast on January 25, 1952.Maltin 1994, p. 824.

Stage career

While Smith was under contract at Warner Bros., she met fellow actor Craig Stevens; they wed in 1944. In her later years, Smith toured in several stage hits including the 1955 National company of ''

Plain and Fancy ''Plain and Fancy'' is a musical comedy with a book by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman, lyrics by Arnold Horwitt, and music by Albert Hague. One of the first depictions of an Amish community in American pop culture, it includes a traditional barn ...

'',

Jean Kerr Jean Kerr (born Bridget Jean Collins, July 10, 1922 – January 5, 2003) was an Irish-American author and playwright born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who authored the 1957 bestseller ''Please Don't Eat the Daisies'' and the plays ''King of Hea ...

's '' Mary, Mary'', ''

Any Wednesday ''Any Wednesday'' is a 1966 American Technicolor romantic comedy film starring Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, and Dean Jones. It was directed by Robert Ellis Miller from a screenplay by producer Julius J. Epstein based on the Broadway play of the ...

'' and '' Cactus Flower'', all co-starring her husband. In the 1960s Smith continued to work on television with roles in ''Adventures in Paradise'', ''Michael Shayne'', ''The Defenders'', ''The Governor & J.J.'', and ''Marcus Welby, M.D.''. Smith appeared on the cover of the May 3, 1971 issue of ''Time'' as the result of the critical acclaim for her singing and dancing role in

Hal Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...

's Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's ''

'', which marked her long-awaited Broadway debut. In 1972, she won the

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...

for her performance. Her stage career continued through the 1970s, with appearances in the 1973 all-star revival of '' The Women'' (1973), the short-lived re-working of

William Inge William Motter Inge (; May 3, 1913 – June 10, 1973) was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s he had a string of memorable Broad ...

's drama '' Picnic'', re-titled '' Summer Brave'' (1975), and the ill-fated musical ''

Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

'' (1978), which earned Smith another Tony nomination for her performance but closed after a brief run. She starred in several regional productions of ''

Applause Applause (Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performanc ...

'' and then toured for more than a year as the madam in ''

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grang ...

'', including a seven-month run in Los Angeles. She continued to appear on TV in movies like ''Nightside'' and shows such as '' The Lives of Benjamin Franklin''. She also performed in nightclubs.

Later work

Smith returned to the big screen with star billing at the age of 54 in ''

Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough ''Once Is Not Enough'' is the third novel by Jacqueline Susann, published in 1973 following her huge bestsellers '' Valley of the Dolls'' (1966) and '' The Love Machine'' (1969). With ''Once Is Not Enough,'' Susann became the first writer in publ ...

'' (1975) opposite Kirk Douglas, followed by ''

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane ''The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane'' is a 1976 cross-genre film directed by Nicolas Gessner and starring Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, Mort Shuman, and Scott Jacoby. It was a co-production of Canada and France and written by L ...

'' with

Martin Sheen Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films ''The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wid ...

and

Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the hono ...

the following year and '' Casey's Shadow'' with Walter Matthau in 1978. She and her husband appeared in Losey's '' The Trout'' (1982) and she had roles in '' A Death in California'', ''

Dress Gray ''Dress Gray'' is a 1986 American television miniseries starring Alec Baldwin, Lloyd Bridges and Hal Holbrook. The program, about a cadet at a West Point-like military academy who investigates the murder of a fellow cadet, was adapted for the s ...

'', and ''The Love Boat''. One of her later film roles came in 1986, again with Douglas when he reunited with frequent co-star Burt Lancaster for the comedy ''

Tough Guys ''Tough Guys'' is a 1986 American action comedy film directed by Jeff Kanew and starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Eli Wallach, Charles Durning, Dana Carvey and Darlanne Fluegel. It is the eighth film of Touchstone Pictures, and the final ...

''. Smith had a recurring role on the television series ''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

'' as

Clayton Farlow Clayton Farlow is a fictional character in the popular American television series ''Dallas'', played by Howard Keel from 1981 to 1991. Background Clayton Farlow, along with his sister Jessica ( Alexis Smith), was raised on the Southern Cross Ran ...

's mentally unstable sister, Lady Jessica Montford in 1984, and again in 1990. She also starred in the short-lived 1988 series '' Hothouse'', and was nominated for an Emmy Award for her guest appearance on '' Cheers'' in 1990. Her last film role was in ''

The Age of Innocence ''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts, in the magazine '' Pictorial Review''. Later that year, it was released as a book by D. App ...

'' (1993).

Death

Alexis Smith died of brain

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

in Los Angeles on June 9, 1993, the day after her 72nd birthday. She had no children; her sole survivor was her husband of 49 years, actor Craig Stevens. Smith's final film, ''

'' (1993), was released shortly after her death. Her body was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.Cozad 2006, p. 112.

Filmography

Stage work

*''

Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetu ...

'' (1952) *''

Bell, Book and Candle ''Bell, Book and Candle'' is a 1958 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same title by John Van Druten. It stars Kim Novak as a witch who c ...

'' (1953) *''

'' (1955 National Tour) *''

Wonderful Town ''Wonderful Town'' is a 1953 musical with book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Leonard Bernstein. The musical tells the story of two sisters who aspire to be a writer and act ...

'' (1957) *'' Mary, Mary'' (1965) *'' Cactus Flower'' (1968 National Tour) *''

'' (1971) *'' The Women'' (1973) *''

'' (1973) *'' Summer Brave'' (1975) *''

'' (1978) *''

'' (1979–80 National Tour) *'' Pal Joey'' (1983) *'' Nymph Errant'' (1989 Concert)

Radio appearances

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Bubbeo, Daniel. ''The Women of Warner Brothers''. McFarland, 2001. . * Cozad, W. Lee. ''More Magnificent Mountain Movies: The Silver Screen Years 1940–2004''. Lake Arrowhead, California: Sunstroke Media, 2006. . * Donnelley, Paul. ''Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries''. London: Omnibus Press, 2005. . * Kirby, Walter. "Better Radio Programs for the Week". ''The Decatur Daily Review'', November 16, 1952. Retrieved: June 18, 2015 via

Newspapers.com Ancestry.com LLC is an American genealogy company based in Lehi, Utah. The largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, it operates a network of genealogical, historical records, and related genetic genealogy websites. In November 2018, ...

. * Maltin, Leonard. "Alexis Smith". ''Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia''. New York: Dutton, 1994. . * Monush, Barry. ''Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965''. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2003. . * "Film and legit actress Alexis Smith dead at 72". ''Variety'', June 10, 1993. Retrieved: March 11, 2009.

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Alexis 1921 births 1993 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century Canadian actresses 20th-century Canadian women singers Actresses from British Columbia Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian film actresses Canadian musical theatre actresses Canadian people of Scottish descent Canadian stage actresses Canadian television actresses Deaths from brain cancer in the United States People from Penticton Tony Award winners Warner Bros. contract players

Early life

Warner Bros

Early roles

Stardom

Post Warners

Stage career

Later work

Death

Filmography

Stage work

Radio appearances

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links