Kent Smith
Kent Smith | |
|---|---|
Woodland Hills, California , U.S. | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1929-1978 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Frank Kent Smith (March 19, 1907 – April 23, 1985) was an American actor who had a lengthy career in film, theatre and television.
Early years
Smith was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Smith.[1] He was born in New York City and was educated at Lincoln School, Phillips Exeter Academy[1] in Exeter, New Hampshire,[2] and at Harvard University.[3]
Stage
Smith's early acting experience started in 1925 when he was one of the founders of the Harvard University Players, which later included Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Joshua Logan and Margaret Sullavan in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Smith's stock experience included productions with the Maryland Theatre in Baltimore. His professional acting debut was in 1929 in Blind Window in Baltimore. He made his Broadway acting debut in 1932 in Men Must Fight.[3] He appeared on Broadway in Measure for Measure, Sweet Love Remembered, The Best Man, Ah, Wilderness!,[4] Dodsworth (1934), Saint Joan (1936), Old Acquaintance (1941), Antony and Cleopatra (1948) and Bus Stop (1956).
Film
Smith moved to Hollywood, California, where he made his film debut in The Garden Murder Case.[3]
His biggest successes occurred during the 1940s in films such as
During World War II, Smith served as a private in the U.S. Army, making training films covering among others, medical, dental, artillery, and electronics.[5]
Television
Regular cast
Kent Smith played the imperious Dr. Morton on the popular series Peyton Place with his actual wife (Edith Atwater) cast as Mrs. Morton. Smith played Edgar Scoville in the second season of the science-fiction series The Invaders (1967-1968)[6] and was a host for the anthology series Philip Morris Playhouse (1953-1954).[6]: 831
Guest appearances
Smith had roles in TV movies such as
He played Governor Winston Brubaker in "The Wild Wild West" S3 E12 "The Night of the Legion of Death" which aired 11/22/1967.
Personal life
Smith was married to actress Betty Gillette from 1937 until 1954 and to actress
He was survived by his wife and daughter.[4]
Smith was a
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | The Garden Murder Case | Woode Swift | |
| 1939 | Back Door to Heaven | Attorney | |
| 1942 | Cat People | Oliver Reed | |
| 1943 | Hitler's Children | Professor Nichols | |
| Forever and a Day | Gates Trimble Pomfret | ||
| This Land Is Mine | Paul Martin | ||
| Three Russian Girls | John Hill | alternate title: She Who Dares | |
| 1944 | The Curse of the Cat People | Oliver Reed | |
| Resisting Enemy Interrogation | Capt. Reining - American Working for the Nazis | ||
| Youth Runs Wild | Danny Coates | ||
| 1946 | The Spiral Staircase | Dr. Parry | |
| 1947 | Nora Prentiss | Dr. Richard Talbot | |
| Magic Town | Professor Frederick Hoopendecker | ||
| The Voice of the Turtle | Kenneth Bartlett | ||
| 1949 | The Fountainhead | Peter Keating | |
| My Foolish Heart | Lew Wengler | ||
| 1950 | The Damned Don't Cry | Martin Blankford | |
| This Side of the Law | David Cummins | ||
| 1952 | Paula | John Rogers | alternate title: The Silent Voice |
| 1956 | Comanche | Quanah Parker | |
| 1957 | Sayonara | General Mark Webster | |
| 1958 | Imitation General | Brig. Gen. Charles Lane | |
| The Badlanders | Cyril Lounsberry | ||
| Party Girl | Jeffrey Stewart | ||
| The Mugger | Dr. Pete Graham | ||
| 1959 | This Earth Is Mine | Francis Fairon | |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Gilbert Hughes | Season 4 Episode 34: "A True Account" | |
| 1960 | Strangers When We Meet | Stanley Baxter | |
| 1961 | Susan Slade | Dr. Fane | |
| 1961 | Rawhide | Capt. Loomis | S2:E8, "Incident of the Haunted Hills" |
| 1962 | Moon Pilot | Secretary of the Air Force | |
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour |
Jerry O'Hara | Season 1 Episode 4: "I Saw the Whole Thing" | |
| 1963 | The Balcony | General | |
| 1964 | A Distant Trumpet | Secretary of War | |
| Youngblood Hawke | Paul Winter Sr. | ||
| The Young Lovers | Dr. Shoemaker | ||
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour |
Dr. Sam Adamson | Season 2 Episode 32: "Body in the Barn" | |
| Rawhide | Colonel Greer | S6:E23, "Incident at Hourglass" | |
| 1965 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour |
Mr. Benner | Season 3 Episode 22: "Thou Still Unravished Bride" |
| 1966 | The Trouble with Angels | Uncle George | |
| 1967 | A Covenant with Death | Parmalee | |
| Games | Harry Gordon | ||
| The Money Jungle | Paul Kimmel | ||
Mission Impossible |
Congressman Townsend | "The Confession" | |
| 1968 | Assignment to Kill | Mr. Eversley | |
| Kona Coast | Akamai | ||
| 1969 | Death of a Gunfighter | Andrew Oxley | |
| 1970 | The Games | Kaverley | |
| How Awful About Allan | Raymond Colleigh | TV movie | |
| 1971 | The Last Child | Gus Iverson | TV movie |
| 1972 | The Night Stalker | D.A. Tom Paine | TV movie |
| Probe | Dr. Edward Laurent | TV movie | |
| Another Part of the Forest | Simon Isham | TV movie | |
| The Crooked Hearts | James Simpson | TV movie | |
| The Judge and Jake Wyler | Robert Dodd | TV movie | |
| Pete 'n' Tillie | Father Keating | ||
| Call Me by My Rightful Name | Mr. Watkins | ||
| 1973 | Lost Horizon | Bill Fergunson | |
| Maurie | Dr. Walker | uncredited | |
| Cops and Robbers | Bit Part | uncredited | |
| The Affair | Mr. Patterson | TV movie | |
| The Cat Creature | Frank Lucas | TV movie | |
| 1974 | Murder or Mercy | Judge | TV movie |
| The Disappearance of Flight 412 | General Enright | TV movie | |
| 1976 | Once an Eagle | Gen. Jacklyn | TV miniseries |
| 1977 | Billy Jack Goes to Washington | Senator Joe Foley | |
| 1978 | Die Sister, Die! | Dr. Thorne | alternate title: The Companion final film role |
References
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ ISBN 9781557835512. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Kent Smith, the Actor, Dies; Career Lasted Four Decades". The New York Times. New York, New York City. Associated Press. April 26, 1985. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ The Bulletin of the U.S. Army Medical Department, June 1945, page 28
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^ Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 34, Ideal Publishers
External links
- Kent Smith at IMDb
- Kent Smith at the Internet Broadway Database
- Kent Smith at the TCM Movie Database
