William Smithers biography Hollywood

1965-1995

In 1965, accepting an invitation to play the recurring role of textile-mill executive David Schuster in the popular television series, "Peyton Place," he moved to Los Angeles, CA. The following year, he bought a home in Studio City.

In the mid 1960's, the Actors Studio opened a branch in Los Angeles. At various times, Mr. Smithers has led both acting and directing sessions there; and at The Studio he directed productions of the new plays The Beer-Can Tree, Bob, and Suzanne: A Matter of Sunlight.

Altogether, he has appeared or guest-starred in nearly 400 television dramatic programs, including the television series "Executive Suite" (Anderson Galt); the TV daytime serial "The Guiding Light" (financier Stanley Norris); the TV movies "Where the Ladies Go"; "Call to Danger"; "The Neon Ceiling"; "Brotherhood of the Bell"; "The Monk"; "The Return of Frank Cannon; etc.

He has guest-starred in the TV series “Star Trek”; “Walker, Texas Ranger”; “Hunter”; “Sledge Hammer”; “The Scarecrow and Mrs. King”; “Quincy”; “Doctors' Private Lives”; “Julie Farr, M.D”; “Lucan”; “Amazing Spiderman”; “Streets of San Francisco”; “The Rookies”; “Name of the Game”; “Barnaby Jones”; “Hawkins”; “The Six-Million-Dollar Man”; “Lawman”; “Most Wanted”; “Marcus Welby, M.D”; “Hawaii Five-O”; ”Owen Marshall”; “Ironside”; “F.B.I.”; “Mission: Impossible”; “Mod Squad”; “It Takes a Thief”; “Cade's County”; “Mannix”; “The Invaders”; “Tarzan”; “Judd for the Defense”; “Jerico”; “Felony Squad”; “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”; “The Road West”; “Shane”; “The Invaders”; “Combat”; “The Defenders”; etc., etc.

His feature films include Attack!; Papillon; Scorpio; Trouble Man; Death Sport and By Any Other Name. (His performance as Warden Barrot in Papillon prompted the creators of Demolition Man to name that film's prison warden "William Smithers.")

In the 1980's he was perhaps best known for his many appearances as Jeremy Wendell -- J. R. Ewing's archrival -- in the popular television series “Dallas”, the whole of which has re-run several times on The Nashville Network.

In Los Angeles, he directed an Equity-waiver production of The Andersonville Trial; and, at Le Petit Theatre in New Orleans, a production of Ketti Frings's Look Homeward, Angel.

Mr. Smithers also directed "The Method" , a commercially available instructional DVD or videotape featuring his wife, acting teacher Loraine Hull Smithers.