Howard Smith (actor)
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Howard Irving Smith (August 12, 1893 – January 10, 1968) was an American
character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...
with a 50-year career in vaudeville, theatre, radio, films and television. In 1938, he performed in
Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
's short-lived stage production and once-lost film, ''
Too Much Johnson ''Too Much Johnson'' is a 1938 American silent comedy film written and directed by Orson Welles. An unfinished film component of a stage production, it was made three years before Welles directed ''Citizen Kane'', but it was never publicly screen ...
'', and in the celebrated radio production, "
The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...
". He portrayed Charley in the original Broadway production of ''
Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montag ...
'' and recreated the role in the 1951 film version. On television, Smith portrayed the gruff Harvey Griffin in the situation comedy, ''
Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...
''.


Biography

Howard Irving Smith was born August 12, 1893, in Attleboro, Massachusetts, to parents George H. Smith and Sybelle Pollard Smith. Smith began as a concert singer, but his hopes of an opera career were ended after his service in the
77th Infantry Division 77th Division or 75th Infantry Division may refer to: * 77th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), Germany * 77th Infantry Division of Khurasan, Iran * 77th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) * 77th Division (People's Republic of China) * 77th Division ( ...
in World War I.
Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyrical tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles (74) ...
suggested that he try a musical act in vaudeville. He formed a team with his friend Harry Meeker and later, as a comedian, he shared bills with Frank Fay,
Sophie Tucker Sophie Tucker (born Sofia Kalish; January 13, 1886 – February 9, 1966) was an American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertaine ...
, James Barton and
Bessie Clayton Bessie Clayton (c. 1875 – July 16, 1948)Staff. ''The New York Times'', July 17, 1948, p. 15. Accessed October 25, 2015. "Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Andrew Allison, former wife of Roger Pryor, movie actor and band leader, and a granddaughter, ...
. In 1928, with big-time vaudeville ending, Smith landed a job on radio's popular ''
The Collier Hour ''The Collier Hour'', also known as ''Collier's Radio Hour'', broadcast on the NBC Blue Network from 1927 to 1932, was radio's first major dramatic anthology. Production ''The Collier Hour'' offered adaptations of stories and serials from ''Coll ...
'', and received $35 for three minutes work. His radio career continued with ''
The March of Time ''The March of Time'' is an American newsreel series sponsored by Time Inc. and shown in movie theaters from 1935 to 1951. It was based on a radio news series broadcast from 1931 to 1945. The "voice" of both series was Westbrook Van Voorhis. Pr ...
'', ''
Cavalcade of America ''Cavalcade of America'' is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company, although it occasionally presented musicals, such as an adaptation of ''Show Boat'', and condensed biographies of popular composers. It was initially ...
'', ''Forty Minutes in Hollywood'' and '' Crime Doctor''. Smith created the role of Sergeant Velie in ''
The Adventures of Ellery Queen ''The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' is the title of a The Adventures of Ellery Queen (radio program), radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional character, fictional dete ...
''. He played the role of Will Brown, Homer's father, on radio's ''
The Aldrich Family ''The Aldrich Family'', a popular radio teenage situation comedy (July 2, 1939 – April 19, 1953), was also presented in films, television and comic books. In the radio series' opening exchange, awkward teen Henry's mother called, "Hen-''reeeee ...
'' Dunning, John, ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1998 hardcover; revised edition of ''Tune In Yesterday'' (1976) and later reprised the role on the NBC television series.Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, '' The Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946–Present''. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988 (fourth edition), A member of the
repertory company A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing ...
of
Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
's CBS Radio series ''
The Mercury Theatre on the Air ''The Mercury Theatre on the Air'' is a radio series of live radio dramas created and hosted by Orson Welles. The weekly hour-long show presented classic literary works performed by Welles's celebrated Mercury Theatre repertory company, with mus ...
'' and '' The Campbell Playhouse'', Smith played the role of the ill-fated bomber commander in the 1938 production of "
The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...
". Smith appears as Cuban plantation owner Joseph Johnson in Welles's rediscovered film ''
Too Much Johnson ''Too Much Johnson'' is a 1938 American silent comedy film written and directed by Orson Welles. An unfinished film component of a stage production, it was made three years before Welles directed ''Citizen Kane'', but it was never publicly screen ...
'' — slapstick sequences that were to be integrated into a theatre production that was briefly staged in August 1938 before it was shelved. Wood, Bret, ''Orson Welles: A Bio-Bibliography''. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1990 After New York stage appearances in ''Solitaire'', ''Decision'' and ''
Dear Ruth ''Dear Ruth'' is a successful 1944 Broadway play written by Norman Krasna. It ran for 680 performances. History Krasna wrote a serious play, '' The Man with Blond Hair'', which received a tepid response. He said that Moss Hart suggested he wri ...
'', Smith created the role of Charley in the original Broadway production of ''
Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montag ...
''. He may be best remembered for his recreation of the role in the 1951 screen version. His other film credits include '' Kiss of Death'', ''
Call Northside 777 ''Call Northside 777'' is a 1948 reality-based newspaper drama directed by Henry Hathaway. The film parallels the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man jailed for murder was wrongly convicted 11 years before. James Stewart stars ...
'', ''
The Street with No Name ''The Street with No Name'' is a 1948 film noir directed by William Keighley. A follow-up to ''The House on 92nd Street'' (1945), it tells the story of an undercover FBI agent, Gene Cordell ( Mark Stevens), who infiltrates a deadly crime gang. Cor ...
'', ''
State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current conditio ...
'', '' A Face in the Crowd'' and ''
No Time for Sergeants ''No Time for Sergeants'' is a 1954 best-selling novel by Mac Hyman, which was later adapted into a teleplay on ''The United States Steel Hour'', a popular Broadway play and 1958 motion picture, as well as a 1964 television series. The book chro ...
''. He made his film debut in 1918, in ''Young America''. On television, Smith played the overbearing boss Oliver Misrell in ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...
'' first-season episode, "
A Stop at Willoughby "A Stop at Willoughby" is episode 30 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. Rod Serling cited this as his favorite story from the first season of the series. Opening narration Plot Gart Williams is a contemporary New ...
" (1960), and also appeared in the 1962 episode, "
Cavender Is Coming "Cavender Is Coming" is episode 101 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on May 25, 1962 on CBS. Opening narration The narration continues after Cavender is assigned as Agnes' guardian angel. ...
". In 1962, he was cast in the ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'' season six episode, "The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle", as character Frank Warden. He was regularly featured on the 1960s TV series ''
Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...
'', as George Baxter's gruff client Harvey "Harv" Griffin. His wife, actress and singer Lillian Boardman, died in 1953. Smith died January 10, 1968, in Hollywood, following a heart attack. He was cremated and his ashes are buried at Kensico Cemetery in
Valhalla, New York Valhalla is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) within the town of Mount Pleasant, in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the New York City metropolitan area. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census. The name was in ...
.


Partial filmography

* ''Young America'' (1918) as Jack Doray * ''
Too Much Johnson ''Too Much Johnson'' is a 1938 American silent comedy film written and directed by Orson Welles. An unfinished film component of a stage production, it was made three years before Welles directed ''Citizen Kane'', but it was never publicly screen ...
'' (1938) – Joseph Johnson * ''
Her Kind of Man ''Her Kind of Man'' is a 1946 American crime film noir directed by Frederick De Cordova, and starring Dane Clark, Janis Paige and Zachary Scott. The film is not to be confused with ''His Kind of Woman'' (1951) starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Russ ...
'' (1946) – Bill Fellows * '' Kiss of Death'' (1947) – Warden * ''
Call Northside 777 ''Call Northside 777'' is a 1948 reality-based newspaper drama directed by Henry Hathaway. The film parallels the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man jailed for murder was wrongly convicted 11 years before. James Stewart stars ...
'' (1948) – K.L. Palmer * ''
State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current conditio ...
'' (1948) – Sam I. Parrish * ''
The Street with No Name ''The Street with No Name'' is a 1948 film noir directed by William Keighley. A follow-up to ''The House on 92nd Street'' (1945), it tells the story of an undercover FBI agent, Gene Cordell ( Mark Stevens), who infiltrates a deadly crime gang. Cor ...
'' (1948) – Commissioner Ralph Demory * '' Cry Murder'' (1950) – Sen. Alden * ''
Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montag ...
'' (1951) – Charley * '' Never Wave at a WAC'' (1953) – Maj. Gen. Prentiss (uncredited) * ''
The Caddy ''The Caddy'' is a 1953 American semi- musical-comedy- sports film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. It is noteworthy for Dean Martin introducing the hit song "That's Amore". Plot Harvey Miller, whose father was a famous golf pro, is ...
'' (1953) – Golf Official * ''
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell ''The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell'' is a 1955 American CinemaScope war film directed by Otto Preminger, and starring Gary Cooper and co-starring Charles Bickford, Ralph Bellamy, Rod Steiger, and Elizabeth Montgomery in her film debut. The fil ...
'' (1955) – Committee Chairman (uncredited) * '' A Face in the Crowd'' (1957) – J.B. Jeffries * '' Don't Go Near the Water'' (1957) – Adm. Junius Boatwright * ''
No Time for Sergeants ''No Time for Sergeants'' is a 1954 best-selling novel by Mac Hyman, which was later adapted into a teleplay on ''The United States Steel Hour'', a popular Broadway play and 1958 motion picture, as well as a 1964 television series. The book chro ...
'' (1958) – Maj. Gen. Eugene Bush * ''
I Bury the Living ''I Bury the Living'' is a 1958 horror film directed by famed B movie director Albert Band and starring Richard Boone and Theodore Bikel. It was written by Louis A. Garfinkle and produced by Garfinkle and Band. Plot Robert Kraft is the newly a ...
'' (1958) – George Kraft * ''
Wind Across the Everglades ''Wind Across the Everglades'' is a 1958 film directed by Nicholas Ray. Ray was fired from the film before production was finished, and several scenes were completed by screenwriter Budd Schulberg, who also supervised the editing. Chris Fujiwar ...
'' (1958) – George Leggett * ''
Face of Fire ''Face of Fire'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Albert Band and written by Louis A. Garfinkle. It is based on the 1898 short story ''The Monster'' by Stephen Crane. The film stars Cameron Mitchell, James Whitmore, Bettye Ackerman, M ...
'' (1959) – Sheriff Nolan * ''
Murder, Inc. Murder, Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was an organized crime group, active from 1929 to 1941, that acted as the enforcement arm of the National Crime Syndicatea closely connected criminal organization that included the Italian-American Mafia, the ...
'' (1960) – Albert Anastasia * ''
The Tom Ewell Show ''The Tom Ewell Show'', also known as ''The Trouble With Tom'', is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS during the 1960-61 television season. It depicts the challenges a husband and father faces as he resides in a household otherwise c ...
'' (1960, TV series) – Warren Prescott * ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...
'' (1960–1962, TV Series) – Polk / Misrell * ''
Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...
'' (1961–1965, TV Series) – Harvey Griffin * '' Bon Voyage!'' (1962) – Judge Henderson * ''
The Dakotas The Dakotas is a collective term for the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota. It has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is still used for the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology, econom ...
'' (1963, TV Series) – Ed Turner * '' The Brass Bottle'' (1964) – Senator Grindle * ''Vacation Playhouse'' (1964, TV Series) – T.J. Gittings * ''
Green Acres ''Green Acres'' is an American television sitcom starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm. Produced by Filmways as a sister show to ''Petticoat Junction'', the series was first broadcast on ...
'' (1966) – Judge Clemens * ''
The John Forsythe Show ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' (1966, TV Series) – Oakes * '' The Mystery of the Chinese Junk'' (1967, TV Series) – Cummings * ''
Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typic ...
'' (1967, TV Series) – C.L.Morton * ''The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk'' (1967) – Cummings (final film role)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Howard 1893 births 1968 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors American male radio actors American male stage actors United States Army personnel of World War I People from Attleboro, Massachusetts Vaudeville performers United States Army soldiers