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William Smith, Motion Star Recognized for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88

William Smith, Action Star Known for His Onscreen Brawls, Dies at 88

William Smith, an actor known for his portrayals of villains and his onscreen movie brawls, died on Monday in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 88.

Mr. Smith’s wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said he died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s Country House and Hospital. She did not specify the cause.

While Mr. Smith was best known for his roles in action movies like “Any Which Way You Can” (1980), and television shows including “Laredo,” “Rich Man, Poor Man” and “Hawaii Five-O,” the real action came from his offscreen life.

He was a polyglot, a bodybuilder, a champion discus thrower and an Air Force pilot during the Korean War, according to his website.

Mr. Smith had more than 300 acting credits listed on IMDb from 1954 to 2020. He did many of his own stunts, and sometimes those scenes got heated. He was throwing punches with Rod Taylor for the 1970 film “Darker Than Amber” when the two began fighting each other for real. Both walked away with broken bones.

“Now that was a good fight,” Mr. Smith recalled in a 2010 interview with BZ Film.

The Columbia, Mo., native solidified his Hollywood status after tussling onscreen with actors like Clint Eastwood, Nick Nolte and Yul Brynner. In the 1980s, the 6-foot-2 actor earned roles in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Outsiders,” (1983) and in “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), for which he was cast as the father of Conan, who was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His last role was in “Irresistible,” a 2020 film directed by Jon Stewart.

In “Rich Man, Poor Man,” he played the dangerous and eccentric character Anthony Falconetti, which he would later reprise in a follow-up to the series, “Rich Man, Poor Man Book II.”

Mr. Smith, who was born on March 24, 1933, grew up on a cattle ranch in Missouri owned by his parents, William Emmett Smith and Emily Richards Smith. At the ranch, he would develop a love and admiration for horses and the classic Western lifestyle, according to his website.

His family later moved to Southern California, and Mr. Smith immediately began to seek work in films, finding jobs as a child performer and later as a studio extra.

Ms. Smith said in a phone interview on Sunday that besides the tough guy roles that made her husband a star onscreen, he had a compassionate side as well. “He’s definitely tough as nails but he had the heart of a poet,” she said.

In 2009, Mr. Smith published a book of poetry, “The Poetic Works of William Smith.”

The place to find Mr. Smith, even as an older man, was the gym, Ms. Smith said. Young actors often would talk to him between workout sets, and he would share advice, sometimes inviting them to his home to discuss upcoming auditions.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Smith is survived by his son, William E. Smith III, and his daughter, Sherri Anne Cervelli.

Alyssa Lukpat contributed reporting.

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Entertainment

How Lonnie Smith Discovered an Unlikely New Collaborator: Iggy Pop

How Lonnie Smith Found an Unlikely New Collaborator: Iggy Pop

In 2018 Iggy Pop recorded two covers for an upcoming album from soul jazz pioneer Dr. Lonnie Smith up. At first, the punk icon couldn’t quite find the groove, said guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg, who was in the studio that day. Then something clicked.

“Suddenly, in the middle of the setting, it just started to sound really in my pocket and had all that energy,” recalled Kreisberg. “I turned my head and looked through the control room glass at the room he was in, and he had his shirt off. He had become Iggy Pop. “

Pop’s cover of Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman” and Timmy Thomas “Why Can’t We Live Together” will be released on Blue Note Records on Friday in Smith’s joyous, intimate “Breathe”. The remainder of the album, which includes a four-part horn section, guest voices from Alicia Olatuja, and a reconfigured tune from Thelonious Monk, comes from a week of appearances at New York’s now-closed Jazz Standard, a run that doubles as the 75th birthday celebration for “Doc.”

As he nears 80, Smith is just doing what he’s always done: working together, arranging, and playing the organ with a restrained virtuosity that brings the feeling of lightning. Not much has changed since he released his first album “Finger-Lickin ‘Good Soul Organ” in 1967. But Smith still finds new listeners – including a well-known rock star. And his organ hasn’t lost an ounce of soul.

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Smith started playing the organ when a local instrument dealer gave him a Hammond B3 as a gift. The music of Jimmy Smith and Bill Doggett found him at the same time.

“I just loved the sound of the instrument,” said Smith, who currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in a telephone interview. “It’s an orchestra. It’s a bass. And it’s a soloist. I mean you did everything right. “

Smith moved to New York City in the mid-1960s and began recording albums by guitarist George Benson and saxophonist Lou Donaldson. His LP with Donaldson – most notably “Alligator Bogaloo” from 1967 and “Everything I Play Is Funky” three years later – became part of the foundation of soul jazz, an ecstatic, organ-heavy subgenre that fused jazz with funk and R&B. Despite a plethora of good organists in the 1960s – Smith’s contemporaries included Shirley Scott, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Reuben Wilson, and Jimmy McGriff – Benson and Donaldson chose Smith. You still stay in touch; Donaldson visited and Benson had called two days before this interview.

“I liked the feeling, and you must have liked the feeling, too,” said Smith. “I guess. We had a ball when we played. You feel at home when you play with certain people. And that’s a great thing. Because everyone sounds good but they don’t feel good. Or they don’t play well together That’s the thing about music. “

It was around this time that Smith began recording his own albums, including a quartet of classic releases for Blue Note between 1969 and 1970: “Turning Point”, “Think!”, “Drives” and “Move Your Hand”. (Smith left the label in 1970 and returned in 2016.) His version of Blood, Sweat & Tears’ “Spinning Wheel” was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest in 1990, and more recently the title track of “Move Your Hand” became a favorite of Pop.

“I kept hearing ‘Move Your Hand’ in my family in Florida, and the neighbor across the canal has cockatoos,” said Pop. “I played Barry White that day,” and the birds were calm. “But when I was playing ‘Move Your Hand’ they started screaming.” He laughed.

The relationship between Smith and Pop came naturally – Pop went to a Smith gig and they started talking. Pop later suggested the covers. He was a fan of “Why Can’t We Live Together?” Which Drake had sampled since its release in 1972 on Hotline Bling. And Smith had previously reported on “Sunshine Superman” in “Move Your Hand”.

“I like the way it sounded,” said Smith of Pop’s appearances on his album. “Of course. You know when people try to overdo it? Again? You don’t have to do that. He just did what he did.”

Pop, who will turn 74 next month, had previously worked with artists on the fringes of jazz, like bassist and producer Bill Laswell, but never with an artist so deeply rooted in tradition. And, true to the jazz form, there was essentially no rehearsal.

“I’d never done a proper jazz session before, so I was, you might say, my best demeanor,” Pop said with a laugh. “And, you know, we do that and then I would watch him, and that’s about it. With everybody. We didn’t really talk about the arrangement, just looked for clues. “

“Breathe” is technically the second time Smith and Pop have worked together. At the show they first met, Smith once took his DLS Electric Walking Stick, a Slaperoo reed and percussion instrument. Pop played it that night too, and a bond was formed over the most unlikely instrument.

“I played it through the audience and he was over there and I let him play it,” said Smith. “And we decided to do it. Do it together. And it worked. It worked. “

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Business

Annmarie Reinhart Smith, Who Battled for Retail Staff, Dies at 61

Annmarie Reinhart Smith, Who Battled for Retail Workers, Dies at 61

This obituary is part of a series about people who died from the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Annmarie Reinhart Smith had worked for Toys “R” Us for nearly three decades when the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017, which resulted in store closures and layoffs of 33,000 workers, including her. With no severance pay, she remained frustrated on a Facebook page called the Dead Giraffe Society, named after the business’s mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.

A labor advocacy group that helped Toys “R” Us employees mobilize to seek compensation such as severance pay and back payments took note of this and recruited them.

Ms. Reinhart Smith was soon on Capitol Hill, prosecuting lawmakers, and meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Cory Booker, among others, to seek their assistance. She teamed up with other former employees to march around Manhattan in protest and shoulder a fake coffin on Geoffrey.

“It was the beginning of something we didn’t think would ever mean,” said Maryjane M. Williams, a friend and 20-year-old employee of Toys “R” Us, who joined the protests. She said, ‘What do we have to lose? Let’s go.'”

After months of public pressure campaigning against the private equity owners of Toys “R” Us, a $ 20 million hardship fund was set up for the laid-off workers. Ms. Reinhart Smith also became the lead plaintiff in a bankruptcy court class action lawsuit seeking fair compensation that raised an additional $ 2 million for former employees.

“She was our voice,” said Alison M. Paolillo, who worked with Ms. Reinhart Smith for a decade. “She fought for us.”

Ms. Reinhart Smith died in a Durham, NC hospital on February 17. She was 61 years old. The cause was Covid-19, said her family.

Annmarie Reinhart was born on June 11, 1959 in Levittown, NY, on Long Island. Her mother, Diane Patricia (Switzer) Reinhart, was a housewife who later worked in factory administration. Her father, William Louis Reinhart III, owned a flooring business. She was the oldest of her three children.

She attended Huntington High School and later the Agricultural and Technical College in Farmingdale, now Farmingdale State College. She had two sons, Brandon P. Smith and Jordan J. Smith, with longtime partner, Aaron J. Smith, whom she married in 2011.

Updated

March 6, 2021, 11:15 a.m. ET

She survived her husband and sons with a sister, Carleen P. Reinhart; a brother, William C. Reinhart IV; a half-brother, Kenny Johnson; two stepbrothers, Dean Malazzo and Paul Malazzo; and two grandchildren.

Reinhart Smith joined Toys “R” Us in 1988 as a cashier in Huntington. Over the next 29 years, she worked her way up to a variety of management positions at the chain in both Long Island and Durham, NC, where she and her husband moved in 2016.

A warm woman, proud of her Irish heritage (she had several green shamrocks tattooed on her right ankle), Mrs. Reinhart Smith watched children grow up year after year when they came into her shops. She also caught up with Ornery clients when she submitted an updated profile to The Progressive magazine, like one who had a Power Ranger character cast at her and left a scar on her forehead.

In 2005, private equity firms Bain Capital and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and real estate firm Vornado Realty Trust took control of the company in a leveraged buyout that left it with $ 5 billion in debt.

Terrysa Guerra, the political director of United For Respect, the group that recruited Ms. Reinhart Smith, credited her with helping Bain and KKR create the hardship fund. “People saw her as a leader and a trustworthy voice,” said Ms. Guerra.

On the Dead Giraffe Society’s Facebook page, people who once poked fun at Ms. Reinhart Smith’s seemingly futile struggle thanked her and the other union leaders for winning the payouts, even if a week or more of groceries was enough to pay a monthly rent.

While Ms. Reinhart Smith described the subsequent $ 2 million bankruptcy settlement as a “slap in the face,” the case was viewed as a precedent. Former Shopko and Art Van Furniture employees, both of whom recently filed for bankruptcy protection and closed them down, have since followed a similar playbook in the battle for hardship and severance pay, Ms. Guerra said.

Ms. Reinhart Smith continued to advocate workers – she helped organize workers at other retailers, urged Congress to pass a law called the Stop Wall Street Looting Act that targeted private equity, and advocated a minimum wage of 15 USD a.

“If she believed people were going to enter, she would just show up and be the spokesman, whether that person wanted it or not,” said Mr. Smith, her husband. “She was just that kind of person.”

She continued to work in retail, most recently at a Belk department store in Durham. Belk, who was also heavily burdened with debt following a leveraged buyout, filed for bankruptcy protection in February but quickly resurfaced after a financial restructuring.

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Business

Utah Jazz proprietor Ryan Smith: CNBC interview

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith: CNBC interview

Gail Miller, owner and chairman of the Larry H. Miller group of companies and Utah Jazz, announced today that they have reached definitive agreements to sell a controlling stake in Utah Jazz and other sports to technology entrepreneur Ryan Smith.

Melissa Majchrzak | National Basketball Association | Getty Images

Subscribe to CNBC Pro to Read the full Q&A with Qualtrics CEO and new owner of the Utah Jazz, Ryan Smith.

Ryan Smith, the new owner of Utah Jazz, says he’s still not sure what kind of owner he’ll be, but he already knows his focus will be on improving the fan and gaming experiences.

Smith, 42, officially joined the Sports Brotherhood after the National Basketball Association approved his $ 1.6 billion purchase of Jazz on Friday. Qualtrics Co-Founder and CEO will provide final decision-making for the team’s business and basketball operations.

The new group of owners also adds Atlassian co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Ryan Sweeney of venture capital firm Accel as minority partners.

In an interview with CNBC Pro’s “A View from the Top,” Smith said he had no plans to go behind the scenes. Unlike other NBA owners, however, running jazz won’t be his full-time occupation. Qualtrics will be spun off from SAP early next year, less than two years after the German software giant took over the company. Smith says he expects it to be “a big company”.

“I think I’ll be practical,” Smith told CNBC’s Alex Sherman. “But we have phenomenal leadership. We have Dennis Lindsey, a world class general manager, and Quin Snyder, who is one of the best coaches in the league. There are some owners who do everything they do full time. And that am not me. ” I’m still very, very deeply involved with Qualtrics. “

Prior to buying the Jazz, Smith said he was researching the purchase of several NBA franchises, including Minnesota Timberwolves. The chatter among sports bankers familiar with the process suggests Timberwolves owner Glenn Taylor is considering keeping the team for the time being.

“There are still a few minority pieces,” Smith said of minor NBA team involvements. “You will see them come around.”

Smith said he had a chat with fellow NBA owners with a tech background, including Mark Cuban, owner of Dallas Mavericks and Steve Ballmer, owner of Los Angeles Clippers, formerly CEO of Microsoft, prior to the purchase. Both are among the most visible team owners at NBA games. Like Cubans and Ballmer, Smith said he planned to continue sitting at court.

“I’ve had a unique view because I’ve spoken to Mark about it five or a few times over the years,” said Smith. “And I’ve met a lot of other owners in the league just because this was my passion. But they gave me different advice. Nobody ever said that you have to do it that way.” Everyone has their own style. “

Smith said he believes his basketball insights will help jazz align better with a technology and social media league.

“I understand basketball,” he said. “I get basketball. I play basketball three days a week. There is the basketball side and the business side. Each one is equally interesting to me. One from an experience standpoint and one from an understanding standpoint.”

When asked what jazz fans can expect from his property, Smith replied, “You will see it. You are already seeing it. You know me – many of them do.”

“I’m just swapping places,” said Smith of the seats in the yard next to previous owner Gail Miller. “But I have to do a paycheck now.”

read this entire CNBC Pro interview with Ryan Smith.

WATCH: That inspired Ryan Smith to own Utah Jazz