Christopher Robin Smith (born 1959) is an American actor, director and
improviser, best known for his improv workshops and his handful of
appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Raised in Parma Heights,
Ohio, and a graduate of Valley Forge High School (Class of 1977),
Smith began performing at an early age. Appearing in many productions
throughout his high school years, Smith also sang with the legendary
Cleveland area rock n' roll revival group "The Fabulous Brylcreams"
from 1975 through August 1978. At this time he was attending Kenyon
College and singing with the Kokosingers, an a cappella group that
performed both locally and throughout the United States in addition to
recording two albums. After graduating from Kenyon in 1981 with a
degree in English, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting
career.Smith, a graduate who part-studied at the University of Exeter
in England, joined the Interplay improvisation troupe in New York City
and later married its founder and director, Tamara Wilcox. The troupe
gained good reviews and Smith, along with performing partner Jim
Meskimen, was recruited to appear in two episodes of Whose Line Is It
Anyway? when the British improvisation show filmed a season in New
York. Their performances were at the more astute and polished end of
the improvisation scale, although their debut was completely
overshadowed by the presence of Ryan Stiles, who would later become
the show's main star.Smith and Meskimen made one more appearance on
Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1992 when the show returned to New York
for a second run, and a year later, the Smiths moved to Los Angeles to
begin a new improvisation group called the Really Spontaneous Theatre
Company. Meskimen remains a member and the troupe continues to
perform, despite the death of Tamara Wilcox-Smith in 1998.After
Meskimen failed an audition for Whose Line Is It Anyway? when it moved
permanently to the USA, Smith opted not to follow suit. He has since
written numerous screenplays, short stories and books, but has
restricted his appearances on stage and screen, preferring instead to
coach young improvisers and write.
improviser, best known for his improv workshops and his handful of
appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Raised in Parma Heights,
Ohio, and a graduate of Valley Forge High School (Class of 1977),
Smith began performing at an early age. Appearing in many productions
throughout his high school years, Smith also sang with the legendary
Cleveland area rock n' roll revival group "The Fabulous Brylcreams"
from 1975 through August 1978. At this time he was attending Kenyon
College and singing with the Kokosingers, an a cappella group that
performed both locally and throughout the United States in addition to
recording two albums. After graduating from Kenyon in 1981 with a
degree in English, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting
career.Smith, a graduate who part-studied at the University of Exeter
in England, joined the Interplay improvisation troupe in New York City
and later married its founder and director, Tamara Wilcox. The troupe
gained good reviews and Smith, along with performing partner Jim
Meskimen, was recruited to appear in two episodes of Whose Line Is It
Anyway? when the British improvisation show filmed a season in New
York. Their performances were at the more astute and polished end of
the improvisation scale, although their debut was completely
overshadowed by the presence of Ryan Stiles, who would later become
the show's main star.Smith and Meskimen made one more appearance on
Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1992 when the show returned to New York
for a second run, and a year later, the Smiths moved to Los Angeles to
begin a new improvisation group called the Really Spontaneous Theatre
Company. Meskimen remains a member and the troupe continues to
perform, despite the death of Tamara Wilcox-Smith in 1998.After
Meskimen failed an audition for Whose Line Is It Anyway? when it moved
permanently to the USA, Smith opted not to follow suit. He has since
written numerous screenplays, short stories and books, but has
restricted his appearances on stage and screen, preferring instead to
coach young improvisers and write.
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