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 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 montage ...

'' and recreated the role in the

1951 film The year 1951 in film involved some significant events. Top-grossing films United States The top ten 1951 released films by box office gross in the United States are as follows: International The highest-grossing 1951 films in countries outs ...

version. On television, Smith portrayed the gruff Harvey Griffin in the situation comedy, '' Hazel''.

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 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 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. ...

'', ''

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 radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional detective and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen and the cases he solved wi ...

''. 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 of

'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 "

". Smith appears as Cuban plantation owner Joseph Johnson in Welles's rediscovered film ''

'' — 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 ''

''. 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'', ''

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'', '' 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, sup ...

'' 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". 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'', 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 * ''

'' (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 Ru ...

'' (1946) – Bill Fellows * '' Kiss of Death'' (1947) – Warden * '' Call Northside 777'' (1948) – K.L. Palmer * '' State of the Union'' (1948) – Sam I. Parrish * ''

'' (1948) – Commissioner Ralph Demory * '' Cry Murder'' (1950) – Sen. Alden * ''

'' (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 * ''

'' (1958) – Maj. Gen. Eugene Bush * '' I Bury the Living'' (1958) – George Kraft * '' Wind Across the Everglades'' (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'' (1960, TV series) – Warren Prescott * ''

'' (1960–1962, TV Series) – Polk / Misrell * '' Hazel'' (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, econo ...

'' (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

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