William Smith (born March 24, 1933) is an American actor. In a
Hollywood career spanning more than 75 years, he has appeared in
almost three hundred feature films and television productions, with
his best known role being the menacing Anthony Falconetti in the 1970s
television mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man. Smith is also known for
films like Any Which Way You Can (1980), Conan The Barbarian (1982),
Rumble Fish (1983), and Red Dawn (1984), as well as lead roles in
several exploitation films during the 1970s.Born in Columbia,
Missouri, Smith began his acting career at the age of eight in 1942;
he entered films as a child actor in such films as The Ghost of
Frankenstein, The Song of Bernadette and Meet Me in St. Louis.Smith
served in the United States Air Force. He won the 200 pound (91 kg)
arm-wrestling championship of the world multiple times and also won
the United States Air Force weightlifting championship. A lifelong
bodybuilder, Smith is a record holder for reverse-curling his own body
weight. His trademark arms measured as much as 19½ inches. Smith held
a 31-1 record as an amateur boxer.During the Korean War he was a
Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions over
the Russian SFSR. He had both CIA and NSA clearance and intended to
enter a classified position with the U.S. government, but while he was
working on his doctorate studies he landed an acting contract with
MGM.
Hollywood career spanning more than 75 years, he has appeared in
almost three hundred feature films and television productions, with
his best known role being the menacing Anthony Falconetti in the 1970s
television mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man. Smith is also known for
films like Any Which Way You Can (1980), Conan The Barbarian (1982),
Rumble Fish (1983), and Red Dawn (1984), as well as lead roles in
several exploitation films during the 1970s.Born in Columbia,
Missouri, Smith began his acting career at the age of eight in 1942;
he entered films as a child actor in such films as The Ghost of
Frankenstein, The Song of Bernadette and Meet Me in St. Louis.Smith
served in the United States Air Force. He won the 200 pound (91 kg)
arm-wrestling championship of the world multiple times and also won
the United States Air Force weightlifting championship. A lifelong
bodybuilder, Smith is a record holder for reverse-curling his own body
weight. His trademark arms measured as much as 19½ inches. Smith held
a 31-1 record as an amateur boxer.During the Korean War he was a
Russian Intercept Interrogator and flew secret ferret missions over
the Russian SFSR. He had both CIA and NSA clearance and intended to
enter a classified position with the U.S. government, but while he was
working on his doctorate studies he landed an acting contract with
MGM.
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