Bill wasn't just an on-screen badass, he was a real-life badass. He grew up on a cattle ranch, a military veteran, had a great record as an amateur boxer, was a martial artist, biker, accomplished bodybuilder and strongman. He set several strength records, including reverse-curling his bodyweight, doing 5100 consecutive sit-ups, and doing 35 handstand pushups. Interestingly, he was also one of the most intelligent Hollywood actors. He had a Master's Degree in Russian, taught at UCLA, and spoke at least 5 other languages. And those that worked with him say he was a very down-to-earth guy and actually a very kind man. There was never anyone like William Smith! RIP BIG BILL!

@erynlasgalen1949

3 жыл бұрын

That final scene, the speech to young Conan about steel and trust, was a complete ad lib. The director just told him to make up something about steel and honor, and he came up with that.

@TheBuckStopsHere480

3 жыл бұрын

@@erynlasgalen1949 Cool! Bill was more than creative enough and had more than enough acting experience to wing something like that. It wasn't a final scene though - it was one of the initial scenes.

@erynlasgalen1949

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheBuckStopsHere480 I must've had a brain fart. Of course it was at the beginning. Also at the beginning of that movie is the scene where the war dogs kill Conan's father. When they shake the body like a rag doll, ghat was no dummy or stunt man. That was Smith himself, real actor blood and all. Smith said ghe frmsl Rottie was in heat and mauled him for real while thr male acted worried. He said he could hear the dog hsndler trying to call them off while the director told them to keep rolling.

William Smith ....I grew up in the 70's ,80's era as a young fella and William Smith was always the leading bad guy in movies . He always stole the show, his looks, build, on screen intimidating presence! He was like the Mike Tyson of the silver screen bad guys...no one else in his era compared. Thanks for the awesome memories that live on in film forever. Cheers "tuff guy" 😉❤️🙏🏽

RIP Mr. Smith. A man of many talents.

@rockyracoon3233

2 жыл бұрын

A hero who served his nation as well!

One of my favorite actors. Condolences to his family.

@DanielSilva-cf8ri

15 сағат бұрын

Always liked him!! Daniel from Rio de Janeiro.

William Smith is a true renaissance man, read his life story a truly fascinating man!

One of the great American on-screen tough guys of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. He was menacing at his friendliest.

The best bad guy in the movies!

@williampowell3378

4 жыл бұрын

Belin Gonza Yep

@arthursteven5601

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed :) but i also loved the american character actor RICHARD LYNCH

@marklamphear7531

3 жыл бұрын

Yup

I enjoyed watching William Smith for decades. Classic bad guy in movies and on TV. He had many memorable roles. He has one heck of a history.....RIP

William falconetti smith is best, regards from finland.

@luvlgs1

3 жыл бұрын

"falconetti" was his character's name in rich man, poor man

Bill Smith spoke 7 languages including Russian. In the military he was on U-2 flights as a translator of Russian crosstalk.

Have met him numerous times over the years! He is a great guy and one of my heroes! Just the best!

He won the Purple Heart in Korea and flew secret missions over enemy territory as a translator.

@alerey4363

3 жыл бұрын

Certainly a real world tough boot!

@onelovechild1307

3 жыл бұрын

Wow!

@arthursteven5601

3 жыл бұрын

Sadly ive just heard mr.smith has passed away :(.

@tommyvette969

3 жыл бұрын

HE WAS TOO SMART FOR MOVIES SPOKE 4 LANGUAGES ONE OF THEM WAS SOUX INDIAN DIALECT. AND WAS A CHICK MAGNET.

@luvlgs1

3 жыл бұрын

damn i didn't know that. dude was a real life heavy. sounds like we lost a good one. RIP

I’m a long time fan of William Smith. He was so cool looking as Moon in CC Ryder. Any biker movie he was in was great, well all movies were great. He was a fantastic actor.

@williamhaggard451

3 жыл бұрын

He was played Steele in Airwolf & Robin's Ex-husband in KR and invasion of the Bee Girls positive/negative Logan's Run Steele in Dukes of Hazard plus Conan's father Conan the Barbarian Jack Wilson Any Which Way You Can he will be missed

@rickpeck9892

2 жыл бұрын

That movie was "CC & Company", with Ann Margret...

Little known fact...William Smith is related to western frontiersman Kit Carson and frontiersman Daniel Boone. Smith's maternal grandmother was Augusta Carson 1871-1939 who was the granddaughter of Kit Carson's eldest 1/2 brother William Carson 1786-1843. William Carson's wife and the ancestor of actor William Smith was Cassandra Boone 1796-1863 who was the daughter of Daniel Boone's nephew William Linville Boone. Both the Boones and Carsons were early settlers near Columbia MO where William Smith was born and raised (pre 1810). William Carson was involved in the fur trade on the Missouri river and was an early trader visiting Santa Fe, probably before his famous brother Kit. He also served in the War of 1812 in MO.

He was great in the Rockford Files, Nam Angles and Red Dawn. He definitely should have been in more movies. He always gave a great performance. Every time he pops up, everyone says "Hey There's Bill Smith!!!"

One of my all time favorites. He was actually in one of the A-Team episodes.

Underrated actor and brilliant man

William Smith would have been awesome if he was fighting Charles Bronson in Hard times would have been epic

@damianthorne6968

4 жыл бұрын

aj sky And he should have played the character of Roper in Enter the Dragon and not John Saxon

@jerryjazzbo2845

3 жыл бұрын

Yup to both of you. Bronson's film would have been more memorable, and what if he ended up as Roper? OMG, the thought of it. A fight with Bolo? Damn!.....Well, here's my 2 cents: It would have moved Smith from cult figure to global star. He was that close. Oh, well...

@jamescampione8531

3 жыл бұрын

He is way to big next to charley

@tommyvette969

3 жыл бұрын

THEN BRONSON WOULD HAVE GOT WHOOPED. NO GOOD

@mikenagy9408

3 жыл бұрын

@@tommyvette969 ....No, Bronson would win. It's Bronsons movie, get it?

Always an entertaining actor no matter what the role, RIP

“But you’ve gotta be durable…..real durable - and most ain’t”. I have always loved his delivery of that line !! RIP William Smith

Awesome! I've been watching him my whole life. One of the few who is actually as cool or cooler than his screen persona.

RIP Mr. William Smith. He played a menacing character (Falconetti), but in real life was a very nice man. He was also extremely well-educated: 2 masters degrees! He taught Russian and history at the college level when he wasn't acting.

@valuecalc

2 жыл бұрын

Yes. Smith proved that having big muscles doesn't mean you cannot also be an intellectual giant.

My Dad working in states for six months from Ireland, met him in hotel bar were he was staying, Will was making a mini series I think, he became a life long friend of my Father due to this four week stay in same hotel...when Dad passed away in 2012 I got a lovely letter and an offer to contribute to any outstanding medical funeral expenses, Genuine Guy

Bill Smith commanded screen presence like no one else. Menacing. Very intelligent and physically powerful. He was the man with the original ‘hard stare’. I’d think if you staggered into him at bar the look he’d give you with those shark eyes would turn your blood to solid ice.

RIP Mr. Smith. Thanks for everything. I don't think that I quite saw every TV show and movie which you were ever in, but everything I saw you in, I enjoyed very much.

So long to a real deal tough guy actor, and condolences to his family. R.I.P. William Smith.

I have huge triceps because of him. In his motorcycle movies he looked cool on his bike so I worked out harder and it worked.

my favourite movie villain!!!

The definition of badassery!

@jrussellcase

Жыл бұрын

Amen. 👍

One of the better actors around, who was never properly recognised as such. He could portray any role, but with his physique and that priceless look, he was always the badass villain. Great talent!!!!

In real life, one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.

Amazing guy. In real life and in movies, always stole the scene. Scary as hell too

Even though he would lose in movie fights, in real life he was a karate black belt and weight lifter. He was no joke.

@seanpowers6061

2 жыл бұрын

He was also a Two-time arm wrestling world champ in the 200 lb class.

@synthonaplinth5980

2 жыл бұрын

He was also fluent in Russian, French, German and Serbo-Croatian.

@theironclads

2 жыл бұрын

@@synthonaplinth5980 Big Bill was also a boxer when he served in the Air Force.

@synthonaplinth5980

2 жыл бұрын

@@theironclads None of this comes as a surprise. What came as a surprise to me was the fact that he spoke four languages fluently.

@theironclads

2 жыл бұрын

@@synthonaplinth5980 Brains & brawn defined Bill.

Great tribute to great actor and nice man...yes he's a great bad guy on film but he will always be sweet, sexy, good guy Joe Riley first and foremost to me.❤☺ Thanks Wayne for great video tribute 👍☺and thanks Bill for being you. ❤☺

@Route66Wanderer

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Buckeye Fangirl19 for the wonderful comments that are spot on. Bill is a wonderful guy and a fantastic actor. I'm glad you liked the video and took the time to reply. Wayne

I was lucky enough to meet him a few years ago, at the Gathering of the Guns Festival, in USA. A lovely man, such a gentle, gentleman. RIP

Rip Mr Smith a great underrated actor

RIP to one of the greats.

I remember seeing him in a Columbo episode "The Greenhouse Jungle"!

@stephenm6100

3 жыл бұрын

And the pilot of the rockford files.

@matthewestrada407

3 жыл бұрын

And an episode of the A team

@Coneman3

2 жыл бұрын

He was in everything but most haven’t heard of him! Only lead actors get remembered by the masses.

I love William Smith especially in falconetti. Underrated

RIP and thanks for the great performances. You were the coolest!

Loved him since I was 10 back in 65 when Laredo debuted on tv. He was awesome actor and human being.♥️♥️♥️ Sure miss him. Thank you for sharing this. Despite all his many roles he'll always be my handsome hero cowboy Joe Riley ♥️

RIP to this legend

OMG!! Just saw this and now realize we've lost him. RIP Mr. William Smith, you graced many a film that was not worthy of you but aye God you left the mark of an artist who never played for less than your talents deserved and in my Book you ARE Falconetti!!!

RIP William Smith. First became fascinated by this guy when I was a kid: from his appearance in Kung Fu!

Was always a fan of William Smith, liked everything he was in.

RIP William Smith. Godspeed.

Rest in peace sir. Thank you for your service in the Korean War.

Truly a "man's man"!! William smith is awesome!!

Thank you William Smith

1933 - 2021 Rest in Peace Mr. Smith.

Wow! This compilation is great. What an underated actor. RIP Mr. Smith.

Rest in peace, sir.

God he scared me as Falconetti. He the late Robert Tessier should have done a movie together.

@wolftherebel

4 жыл бұрын

They did! The film is "Gentle Savage" from 1973, with William Smith as Camper John and Robert Tessier as Greywolf. Tessier had also a bit part in Bill's 1st starring role "Run, Angel, Run".

@nativeredman9940

3 жыл бұрын

@@wolftherebel ....Two breeds.

@charleswilliams8368

3 жыл бұрын

Me too, but check him out in Darker Than Amber.

William. Smith. Was. Handsome. Thank. You. For. Your. Service and you. We're. Some. Kind of. Actor. RIP. LOVED. YOU. IN. RED. DAWN

Willam Smith was the consummate villain. He always creeped me out when I was a kid. That's an actor doing his job well.

Godspeed mr. Smith. You will always be the greatest.

I Best remember Him From the Pilot Episode of the Rockford Files

Big Bill Smith is an amazing actor and person! A true legend!

William Smith was my favorite actor when I was a teenager back in 1970. I saw most of his movies. I especially enjoyed "Darker Than Amber". I remember an episode of Laredo where he was shirtless......my Mother was quite awe struck. My Father didn't care much for her reaction.

@Arbeedubya

4 жыл бұрын

Wasn't he shirtless a lot in the Laredo series? Btw, he was in an even earlier, but short lived, series, The Asphalt Jungle. In any event, he's one of the most remarkable people I've ever read about. He's 86 now, and even now I don't think I'd want to mess with him.

@jerryjazzbo2845

3 жыл бұрын

Bruce Lee saw Darker Than Amber, and chose it's director (Robert Clouse) to direct Enter The Dragon. Smith was supposed to play the role which went to John Saxon. Till this day, I'm asking WHY they decided not to cast Smith in the role. Can you imagine what it would have done for his career? smh

William smith is my favorite actor.

I remember seeing him in Laredo when I moved into my first apartment in 1967 after I got my first job. I was 23 and had just graduated from college. I think it was already in reruns. That was only 54 years ago.

RIP Falconetti, the best bad guy ever!

I grew up watching Mr Smith on television a true national treasure RIP

RIP Mr. Smith, you were the best!

Man I have always loved this guy.

Rest in power Dear Bill, you were and are my first crush!!

RIP William Smith 😔😔😔🙏🙏🙏

RIP William Smith, one of the biggest and baddest. But also a true renaissance man in real life.

There will never be another Big Bill, a true American bad ass... my most sincere condolences to the fans and to the family. Gone but not forgotten RIP William

The original tough guy in movies... William Smith rocks !

Rest in peace magnificent guy. William Smith is now a legend forever.

RIP, Big Fella. His presence made something worth watching.

He was played Falcon Eddie in “Rich man Poor man. He was a real bad ass in his time.

@valuecalc

2 жыл бұрын

His entry into "Rich Man, Poor Man" brought the series to its absolute peak!

Thank You Mr Smith For All I Enjoyed in Your Films And TV ,You Had A Great Life Most Can only Dream Of RIP have A Great New Beginning on The Otherside

Mr Smith...I only knew you as Falconetti from Rich Man Poor Man...In my eyes, you were a Legend...You played the part brilliantly...R.I.P.

A man with a natural air of menace hence the parts he was cast in one of the original super villains a great actor thanks for the memories William

So Brilliant

Amazing man. Fine actor, a martial artist, a bodybuilder, and a scholar who was fluent in multiple languages. Those are high and diverse achievements. The family who raised him and the family he raised must have been so proud!

had a masters degree in Russian and could speak it...my sister was a camera operator and worked with him in the 80's, said he was nothing but a gentleman and nice guy.. a true Renaissance man if there ever was one

Let's see if I can summarize some of his many impressive achievements and attributes outside of acting: William Simth also: Wrote a book of poetry, was an experienced horseman since childhood, competed in motocross, flew secret missions for the NSA as crew member during the Korean War, held both CIA and NSA clearances, graduated Sum Cum Laude with a Masters degree in Russian studies from UCLA where he also taught Russian, addionally, he spoke, German, French, Serbo-Croation and of course English, was a champion discus thrower at UCLA, won an Airforce boxing championship, was two time World Arm Wrestling Champion, held a Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, served as a volunteer fireman and fought California wildfires. And here I thought that he was just a great character actor and legendary movie villain. What an amazing and fascinating guy. I would love to see a theatrical movie about his life, but who would have the good looks, size, body, athleticism, screen presence, swagger and acting chops to pull all of that off? Even if you could find someone, you'd also have to find dozens of lookalikes with great acting chops to play all of his co-stars and celebrity friends and acquaintances. It seems like an impossible movie to make without an insane budget. Maybe that will challenge some young director.

@edljnehan2811

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for that he's always been my favorite. He was a superstar in life and by All Rights should have been a superstar in Hollywood and not just a character actor villain. I would have much rather seen him on the screen t h a n any old Arnold Schwarzenegger any day. He was also featured in a couple of men's fitness bodybuilding magazines in the sixties and seventies.

Should of included Darker than Amber ! He played a sick bastard. Between Falconetti and Terry Bartell no one was crazier! Hollywood thought it was to violent and cut out parts!

@jerryjazzbo2845

3 жыл бұрын

That film was directed by Robert Clouse. Bruce Lee had seen the film, and chose Clouse to direct Enter The Dragon. Smith was supposed to play the role that went to John Saxon. A grave injustice there, if you ask me.

Big fan of Mr. smith work for a long time and one of the last of his Generation R.I.P. !

Nice agree with the others played the scary tough bully really well. Why it was a pleasure having him as a good guy in Clint’s and Conan’s movies.

Just watched a Daniel Boone episode titled 'A matter of blood'. Young Bill plays an injun wearing nothing but a loincloth for a whole hour. Must've driven the girls crazy back then. Always thought he deserved bigger, better rolls but I'm sure the studios had one helluva time finding a stand in, stuntman to fit his physical description.

Great Video! The camera loved him.

Nice!

William Smith underrated actor be at peace

Met him in 1969. Impressive man!

I have missed him in film and on TV. He was one of my childhood idols from when he appeared on Laredo. In fact there were two of my idols on that show. Both William and Neville Brand. William was truly great at being the intimidating bad guy. I wish he had been cast a little more as a good guy, I think he would of been just as good as the hero. He mostly had to lose in on screen fights to men nowhere near his abilities. He was accomplished in Boxing, Kung Fu and Karate. That was rare in those days. He was also a stuntman and a body builder. And I guess because of his muscular development is why they cast him as the heavy. He was a really handsome looking guy and would have been great as the leading man part. I will miss him, he was someone that I idolized.

He was made to play the "tough guy", a strolling walk, huge build and the growling voice. Then the evil grin and sharp eyes and you were.....done. A real life badass. Incredibly strong... so long brother.

One of the best Toughguy actors ever!! RIP WILLIAM!!

RIP Mr. William Smith

I bet he started out doing stunts. He reminds me of Jack Palance.

@georgejo7905

3 жыл бұрын

both had funny likeable very tough personalities , not pure evil . Were both slavic ? William sure got that Russian down. Palance was a Ukrainian.

@normancurragh768

3 жыл бұрын

@@georgejo7905 Parlance was a bully on and off screen.

@georgejo7905

3 жыл бұрын

@@normancurragh768 Sure I bet but I meant on screen . I enjoyed his acting .

RIP William Smith

The original Will Smith! My favorite role was when he played a Russian in Red Dawn.

the fact that this guy is conan's dad is beyond perfect.

Brilliant actor and a great voice what a loss!

William Smith's career goes all the way back to 1942 The Ghost of Frankenstein "Village Boy In Courtroom" to Irresistible 2020 film and a whole lotta kick ass stuff in between lol. MAN! WHAT A CAREER!..........R.I.P Champ!

He's remembered as tough guy, but his career goes back to the 1940s as s child actor.

RIP SID HAIG!