John Smith
Known For
Acting
Born
1931-03-06 in Los Angeles, California, USA
Died
1995-01-25
Biography
Actor John Smith was born Robert Errol Van Orden in Los Angeles. He began his career singing with The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir, a group which appeared in two Bing Crosby films, Going My Way (1944) and The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). His agent Henry Willson, who also gave Tab Hunter and Rock Hudson their names, changed Van Orden's name to "John Smith". Robert Hofler, author of "The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson", reports that an actress identified as Pocahontas Crowfoot was in the courtroom when the name change was granted. In We're No Angels (1955), Smith had a small role as "Arnaud", the ship's doctor. Aldo Ray, observing the doctor in full dress whites, says "he looks like a glass of milk". John Smith's other film credits include Circus World (1964) and Justin Morgan Had a Horse (1972). Smith also appeared in the television westerns Cimarron City (1958) and Laramie (1959).
Most Known For
Adam-12
as Ron McKee
Emergency!
as Capt. Hammer
Police Woman
The Virginian
as Dee Garvey
Marcus Welby, M.D.
as Doc Hunter
Gunsmoke
as David
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
as Irving Randall
Laramie
as Slim Sherman
The Millionaire
as Charles 'Lucky' Swanson
The Ford Television Theatre
Wire Service
as Howie
Telephone Time
Frontier
as Willie Magill - aka The Colfax Kid
Hondo
The Wonderful World of Disney
as Rep Aeronaut
The Wonderful World of Disney
as Mr. Ames
Letter to Loretta
as Art
Cimarron City
as Deputy Sheriff Lane Temple
Friendly Persuasion
as Caleb Cope
We're No Angels
as Medical Officer Arnaud