Martin Smith (actor/musician)
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Martin Smith (June 26, 1957 - November 5, 1994) was a Scottish actor, singer, and composer who starred in many shows in London's West End. He died from complications of AIDS at the age of 37, leaving a legacy of recorded music.
He made various appearances on television and in the film Yanks (1979), but Martin Smith was best known as Micky Doyle (1985-1986) in the long-running British soap Crossroads. His early appearances in the West End in musical theatre included Che in Evita. He also appeared in a production of William Finn's March of the Falsettos at the Library Theatre in Manchester in 1987. In 1988 he starred in a new London production of Noel Coward's operetta Bitter Sweet. He appeared as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera in London, as well as creating original roles in Children of Eden (Adam), and City of Angels.
He recorded several concerts with the BBC Concert and Radio Orchestras, and was a regular vocalist on the BBC Radio 2 shows Songs From the Shows and Friday Night Is Music Night in the 1980s. He was featured on the Cole Porter tribute album A Swell Party - A Celebration of Cole Porter (1992) singing "Love For Sale" as it was originally intended to be sung - by a man.
As a composer Smith wrote scores for several musicals, including King and La Tosca. He recorded several songs from those shows on the solo album produced shortly before his death.
A year after his passing, a gala tribute concert was held in his honor at the Prince Edward Theatre. The concert, which featured Michael Ball, Dora Bryan, Lily Savage, John Barrowman, Sally Ann Howes, Ruthie Henshall, and many other stars, was recorded and given limited release. It is much sought after by collectors.
[edit] Recordings
- Great Duets From The Musicals
- Peg - Original London Cast (1984)
- An Evening With Alan Jay Lerner (1987)
- Bitter Sweet - London Cast (1988)
- Les Misérables - Complete Symphonic Recording (1988)
- Hey, Mr. Producer! (1990)
- Children of Eden - Original London Cast (1991)
- A Swell Party - Original London Cast (1991)
- Child Of The Earth (1993)
- City of Angels - Original London Cast (1993)
- The Magic Of The British Musicals (1994)
- Martin Smith: A Handful Of Keys (solo album; year unknown)
