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Howard Smith (actor)

January 23, 2023

Howard Irving Smith (August 12, 1893 – January 10, 1968) was an American character actor with a 50-year career in vaudeville, theatre, radio, films and television. In 1938, he performed in Orson Welles's short-lived stage production and once-lost film, Too Much Johnson, and in the celebrated radio production, "The War of the Worlds". He portrayed Charley in the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman and recreated the role in the 1951 film version. On television, Smith portrayed the gruff Harvey Griffin in the situation comedy, Hazel.

Howard Smith
Born
Howard Irving Smith

(1893-08-12)August 12, 1893
Attleboro, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJanuary 10, 1968(1968-01-10) (aged 74)
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Other namesHoward I. Smith
OccupationActor
Years active1918–1967
Spouse(s)Lillian Boardman
(m. 19??; died 1953)

Biography

Howard Irving Smith[1] was born August 12, 1893, in Attleboro, Massachusetts,[2] to parents George H. Smith and Sybelle Pollard Smith.[3]

Smith began as a concert singer, but his hopes of an opera career were ended after his service in the 77th Infantry Division in World War I. Enrico Caruso 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, James Barton and Bessie Clayton.[4]

In 1928, with big-time vaudeville ending, Smith landed a job on radio's popular The Collier Hour, and received $35 for three minutes work. His radio career continued with The March of Time, Cavalcade of America, Forty Minutes in Hollywood and Crime Doctor.[4] Smith created the role of Sergeant Velie in The Adventures of Ellery Queen.[5]: 8  He played the role of Will Brown, Homer's father, on radio's The Aldrich Family[5]: 21  and later reprised the role on the NBC television series.[6]: 23 

 
Howard Smith, Mary Wickes, Orson Welles, Virginia Nicolson, William Herz, Erskine Sanford, Eustace Wyatt and Joseph Cotten outside the Stony Creek Theatre during the two-week run of the Mercury Theatre stage production of Too Much Johnson (August 16–29, 1938)

A member of the repertory company of Orson Welles's CBS Radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air and The Campbell Playhouse, Smith played the role of the ill-fated bomber commander in the 1938 production of "The War of the Worlds".[7][8] Smith appears as Cuban plantation owner Joseph Johnson in Welles's rediscovered film Too Much Johnson — slapstick sequences that were to be integrated into a theatre production that was briefly staged in August 1938 before it was shelved.[9][10]: 50, 152–153 

After New York stage appearances in Solitaire, Decision and Dear Ruth, Smith created the role of Charley in the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman.[11] He may be best remembered for his recreation of the role in the 1951 screen version.[12]

His other film credits include Kiss of Death, Call Northside 777, The Street with No Name, State of the Union, A Face in the Crowd and No Time for Sergeants.[13] He made his film debut in 1918, in Young America.[14]

On television, Smith played the overbearing boss Oliver Misrell in The Twilight Zone first-season episode, "A Stop at Willoughby" (1960), and also appeared in the 1962 episode, "Cavender Is Coming". In 1962, he was cast in the Perry Mason season six episode, "The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle", as character Frank Warden.

He was regularly featured on the 1960s TV series Hazel, as George Baxter's gruff client Harvey "Harv" Griffin.[6]: 322 [14]

His wife, actress and singer Lillian Boardman, died in 1953.[4] Smith died January 10, 1968, in Hollywood, following a heart attack.[14]: 239  He was cremated and his ashes are buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.[4]

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  2. ^ "Howard Smith". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  3. ^ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840–1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d "Howard Smith, 73, An Actor, Is Dead; Performed for 50 Years in Vaudeville and on Air". The New York Times. January 11, 1968.
  5. ^ a b Dunning, John, On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1998 ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3 hardcover; revised edition of Tune In Yesterday (1976)
  6. ^ a b Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946–Present. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988 (fourth edition), ISBN 0-345-35610-1
  7. ^ "The Mercury Theatre". RadioGOLDINdex. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  8. ^ "Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Orson Welles's panic radio broadcast The War of the Worlds". Wellesnet, October 26, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  9. ^ "Too Much Johnson: Becoming Orson Welles". Movie Morlocks (blog), Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  10. ^ Wood, Bret, Orson Welles: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1990 ISBN 0-313-26538-0
  11. ^ "Death of a Salesman". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  12. ^ "Howard I. Smith". AllMovie. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  13. ^ "Howard Smith". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c Willis, John A., ed. (1983). Screen World [1969, Volume 20]. New York: Biblo and Tannen. ISBN 978-0-8196-0310-4. Retrieved December 19, 2014.

External links

January 23, 2023
howard, smith, actor, howard, irving, smith, august, 1893, january, 1968, american, character, actor, with, year, career, vaudeville, theatre, radio, films, television, 1938, performed, orson, welles, short, lived, stage, production, once, lost, film, much, jo. Howard Irving Smith August 12 1893 January 10 1968 was an American character actor with a 50 year career in vaudeville theatre radio films and television In 1938 he performed in Orson Welles s short lived stage production and once lost film Too Much Johnson and in the celebrated radio production The War of the Worlds He portrayed Charley in the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman and recreated the role in the 1951 film version On television Smith portrayed the gruff Harvey Griffin in the situation comedy Hazel Howard SmithBornHoward Irving Smith 1893 08 12 August 12 1893Attleboro Massachusetts U S DiedJanuary 10 1968 1968 01 10 aged 74 Hollywood California U S Other namesHoward I SmithOccupationActorYears active1918 1967Spouse s Lillian Boardman m 19 died 1953 Contents 1 Biography 2 Partial filmography 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditHoward Irving Smith 1 was born August 12 1893 in Attleboro Massachusetts 2 to parents George H Smith and Sybelle Pollard Smith 3 Smith began as a concert singer but his hopes of an opera career were ended after his service in the 77th Infantry Division in World War I Enrico Caruso 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 James Barton and Bessie Clayton 4 In 1928 with big time vaudeville ending Smith landed a job on radio s popular The Collier Hour and received 35 for three minutes work His radio career continued with The March of Time Cavalcade of America Forty Minutes in Hollywood and Crime Doctor 4 Smith created the role of Sergeant Velie in The Adventures of Ellery Queen 5 8 He played the role of Will Brown Homer s father on radio s The Aldrich Family 5 21 and later reprised the role on the NBC television series 6 23 Howard Smith Mary Wickes Orson Welles Virginia Nicolson William Herz Erskine Sanford Eustace Wyatt and Joseph Cotten outside the Stony Creek Theatre during the two week run of the Mercury Theatre stage production of Too Much Johnson August 16 29 1938 A member of the repertory company of Orson Welles s CBS Radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air and The Campbell Playhouse Smith played the role of the ill fated bomber commander in the 1938 production of The War of the Worlds 7 8 Smith appears as Cuban plantation owner Joseph Johnson in Welles s rediscovered film Too Much Johnson slapstick sequences that were to be integrated into a theatre production that was briefly staged in August 1938 before it was shelved 9 10 50 152 153 After New York stage appearances in Solitaire Decision and Dear Ruth Smith created the role of Charley in the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman 11 He may be best remembered for his recreation of the role in the 1951 screen version 12 His other film credits include Kiss of Death Call Northside 777 The Street with No Name State of the Union A Face in the Crowd and No Time for Sergeants 13 He made his film debut in 1918 in Young America 14 On television Smith played the overbearing boss Oliver Misrell in The Twilight Zone first season episode A Stop at Willoughby 1960 and also appeared in the 1962 episode Cavender Is Coming In 1962 he was cast in the Perry Mason season six episode The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle as character Frank Warden He was regularly featured on the 1960s TV series Hazel as George Baxter s gruff client Harvey Harv Griffin 6 322 14 His wife actress and singer Lillian Boardman died in 1953 4 Smith died January 10 1968 in Hollywood following a heart attack 14 239 He was cremated and his ashes are buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla New York 4 Partial filmography EditYoung America 1918 as Jack Doray Too Much Johnson 1938 Joseph Johnson Her Kind of Man 1946 Bill Fellows Kiss of Death 1947 Warden Call Northside 777 1948 K L Palmer State of the Union 1948 Sam I Parrish The Street with No Name 1948 Commissioner Ralph Demory Cry Murder 1950 Sen Alden Death of a Salesman 1951 Charley Never Wave at a WAC 1953 Maj Gen Prentiss uncredited The Caddy 1953 Golf Official The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell 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 1958 Maj Gen Eugene Bush I Bury the Living 1958 George Kraft Wind Across the Everglades 1958 George Leggett Face of Fire 1959 Sheriff Nolan Murder Inc 1960 Albert Anastasia The Tom Ewell Show 1960 TV series Warren Prescott The Twilight Zone 1960 1962 TV Series Polk Misrell Hazel 1961 1965 TV Series Harvey Griffin Bon Voyage 1962 Judge Henderson The Dakotas 1963 TV Series Ed Turner The Brass Bottle 1964 Senator Grindle Vacation Playhouse 1964 TV Series T J Gittings Green Acres 1966 Judge Clemens The John Forsythe Show 1966 TV Series Oakes The Mystery of the Chinese Junk 1967 TV Series Cummings Bewitched 1967 TV Series C L Morton The Hardy Boys The Mystery of the Chinese Junk 1967 Cummings final film role References Edit Ancestry com U S World War II Draft Registration Cards 1942 database on line Provo UT USA Ancestry com Operations Inc 2010 Retrieved December 19 2014 Howard Smith Internet Broadway Database Retrieved December 19 2014 Ancestry com Massachusetts Birth Records 1840 1915 database on line Provo UT USA Ancestry com Operations Inc 2013 Retrieved December 19 2014 a b c d Howard Smith 73 An Actor Is Dead Performed for 50 Years in Vaudeville and on Air The New York Times January 11 1968 a b Dunning John On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio New York Oxford University Press Inc 1998 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 hardcover revised edition of Tune In Yesterday 1976 a b Brooks Tim and Earle Marsh The Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 Present New York Ballantine Books 1988 fourth edition ISBN 0 345 35610 1 The Mercury Theatre RadioGOLDINdex Retrieved December 19 2014 Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Orson Welles s panic radio broadcast The War of the Worlds Wellesnet October 26 2008 Retrieved December 19 2014 Too Much Johnson Becoming Orson Welles Movie Morlocks blog Turner Classic Movies Retrieved December 19 2014 Wood Bret Orson Welles A Bio Bibliography Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press 1990 ISBN 0 313 26538 0 Death of a Salesman Internet Broadway Database Retrieved November 7 2017 Howard I Smith AllMovie Retrieved December 19 2014 Howard Smith AFI Catalog of Feature Films American Film Institute Retrieved November 7 2017 a b c Willis John A ed 1983 Screen World 1969 Volume 20 New York Biblo and Tannen ISBN 978 0 8196 0310 4 Retrieved December 19 2014 External links EditHoward Smith at the Internet Broadway Database Howard Smith at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Howard Smith actor amp oldid 1132464062, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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