William Smith—man, what a wild ride that guy had. People mostly remember him as the brutal Falconetti from "Rich Man, Poor Man" back in ’76, chewing up the screen and making everyone else look like amateurs. But his story goes way deeper than just being the ultimate TV tough guy. He actually kicked off his career when he was just a little kid, popping up in classics like "Going My Way" and "The Song of Bernadette" during the ‘40s. Not a bad way to start, right? Then, out of nowhere, real life steps in—dude goes off to serve in the Korean War. Turns out, he’s not just brawn; he’s got brains too. The guy was fluent in a bunch of languages, which got him stationed with the NSA's Security Squadron 6907. Bet you didn’t see that one coming from a future biker movie villain. So, post-war, he’s back hustling, working on a doctorate (because why the heck not), and then MGM comes knocking with a contract. At that point, he just dives headfirst into Hollywood and absolutely owns the whole B-movie and TV villain scene for, like, thirty years. You needed a bad guy with a killer mustache and a stare that could stop traffic? Call William Smith. The guy was one of those faces you’d see everywhere but maybe didn’t know his name. He left his mark, no doubt. Smith passed away in Woodland Hills, LA, in 2021, at 88. Hell of a run.
You know, back in the day, motocross wasn’t just a sport—it was a wild, muddy free-for-all, and apparently, some Hollywood folks couldn’t resist jumping right in. Take C.C. & Company from 1970. There was this rider who actually tore up the tracks in real-life motocross events with none other than Steve freakin’ McQueen. Yeah, THAT Steve McQueen—the King of Cool, who could probably out-ride half the stunt crew blindfolded. And get this: that same dude suited up as one of the track riders in the movie, bringing legit racing chops to the film. So when you see those dirt bikes flying, sliding, and crashing in the film, you’re not just watching movie magic—it’s the real deal, with real bikers doing their thing. The authenticity? Off the charts. Just another reason C.C. & Company has that gritty, sweaty, full-throttle energy you can’t fake, even if you tried.
Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Brown, total buddies back in the day. Peter winds up tying the knot with this French lady, Yvette—real quiet, classy ceremony tucked away at a church in Beverly Hills. Guess who rolled up? Sammy, obviously, and Dean Martin too. Right before Peter’s about to say “I do,” Dean just dozes off, like full-on snoring in the pew, not even subtle about it. Classic Dean move, honestly, but no one really cared because the guy was a legend—one of the genuinely nicest people you’d ever meet. It was just that kind of crowd, you know? Hollywood types, big personalities, but also down-to-earth in their own weird way. Everybody laughed it off. That’s the sort of thing you remember, not the vows or the flowers, but Dean Martin catching some Z’s at your wedding. That’s old-school Hollywood for you—glamour, a bit of chaos, but always with a grin.
March 24, 1933
6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Columbia, Missouri, USA
Yes, William Smith Jr.
William Emmett Smith Sr. and Surekha
92 years old