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John Smith

 
Actor: John Smith
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: Mar 06, 1931 in Los Angeles, California
  • Died: Jan 25, 1995 in Los Angeles, California
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '50s, '80s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Western
  • Career Highlights: The Bold and the Brave, Ghost Town, Rebel in Town
  • First Major Screen Credit: Desert Sands (1955)

Biography

Actor John Smith may best be remembered for starring in the television westerns Cimarron City (1958-60) and Laramie (1959-63), but he also played supporting roles in numerous feature films. Smith was born Robert Earl Van Orden in Los Angeles. He began his career singing with the Bob Mitchell Choir Boys. The musical group appeared in two Bing Crosby efforts Going My Way (1944) and The Bells of St. Mary's (1946). While one might think a distinguished-sounding name such as Robert Van Orden has as star quality all its own, the actor himself didn't agree and partially as a jest decided to change his name to the more generic John Smith. Accompanied by agent Henry Willson (the man who provided Tab Hunter and Rock Hudson with their stage names), Van Orden went before a skeptical judge. When asked why he would adopt such a plain-jane name, Van Orden claimed that he would be the only actor in Hollywood with that name. Thus far, he has been right. As John Smith, his film credits include The Kettles on Old Mac Donald's Farm (1957), Circus World (1964) and Justin Morgan Had a Horse (1981). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
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Wikipedia: John Smith (actor)
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John Smith
Born Robert Earl Van Orden
March 6, 1931(1931-03-06)
Los Angeles, California, USA
Died January 25, 1995 (aged 63) (cirrhosis of the liver)
Los Angeles
Occupation Actor: Laramie; Cimarron City
Spouse(s) Luana Patten (1960-1964) (divorced)

John Smith (March 3, 1931—January 25, 1995) was an American actor remembered in particular for two NBC western television series. He was born in Los Angeles and died there as well of cirrhosis of the liver.

In 1955, Smith guest starred in the role of Sontag in the syndicated series Stories of the Century, the first western to win an Emmy Award. He played blacksmith/deputy sheriff Lane Temple in Cimarron City in 1958 and 1959. The episodes rotated from star George Montgomery as town mayor Matt Rockford to Audrey Totter as Beth Purcell, and Smith as Lane Temple.

He played a pilot in the movie Island of Lost Women in 1959, and starred as Slim Sherman in Laramie (1959-1963) with Robert Fuller, Hoagy Carmichael, and Spring Byington. After Laramie, he guest-starred in 1966 in the short-lived ABC comedy/western series The Rounders. He also portrayed Captain John VanOrden in two first season episodes of Emergency!. Crash and Hangup.

Smith had a daughter though not with wife Luana Patten.

References

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