Reid Smith

Reid Smith (born May 8, 1949) is a wealthy Los Angeles, California, real estate businessman, who maintained a sporadic acting career from 1970 until about 1990.

Acting career

In 1973, Smith was cast in the supporting role of Officer Norm Hamilton in twenty episodes of Jack Webb’s NBC police drama, Chase, starring Mitchell Ryan in the title role of Captain Chase Reddick. Wayne Maunder had a recurring role as Sergeant Sam MacCray. At mid-season, Smith was fired because Webb considered him lacking in motivation and dedication to acting. "I quit my acting lessons, quit trying to learn. I had a great opportunity, and I blew it," Smith later rued.^[1]

By 1980, he was cast to replace Charles Frank in the role of Lester Hackett in the CBS western miniseries, The Chisholms, with Robert Preston in the lead as the patriarch of a Virginia family headed by wagon train to California.^[2]

Other Smith roles included that of “Wells” in the 1972 episode "A Place to Hide" on NBC’s Bonanza, as “Wheels” in the 1980 episode “Duelling Skates” of ABC’s Mork and Mindy, as “Vic McGraw” in the 1980 episode “Mrs. Rosco P. Coltrane” of CBS’s The Dukes of Hazard, and as “Slade” in the episode entitled “Annie Oakley” on CBS’s Airwolf, with Jan-Michael Vincent.^[3]

He appeared as Teddy Bennett in the 1983 episode “Steele Among the Living” of NBC’s Remington Steele and as Tad in the 1983 miniseries Malibu. He guest starred as “Larry” in the 1987 episode “The Siege, Part 2” of ABC’s ‘’Dynasty’’. In 1990, he appeared as Douglas Wittenberg in the episode “On Your Honor” of NBC’s ‘’L.A. Law’’. His most recent role was as Mr. Battung in the 2004 film ‘’Silent Years’’.^[4]

Early years and family

Smith was born in Burbank, California, the son of a part-time model and television announcer, Verne Smith, whose voice introduced the ABC sitcom, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Verne Smith left the family when Reid was only five. By the time he was nine, Smith was working to help support his mother and three sisters. He claimed to have dreamed of becoming a gangster but went into legitimate business instead: "I was always thinking of ways to beat the system, to play the Monopoly game and win."^[1]

Smith put himself through University of California at Los Angeles and majored in economics and television production. He made television commercials and sold used cars. He invested his first $7,000 in a $48,000 residence and resold it for $60,000. He now counts six cars in his garages—including a $69,000 Cobra. He has also dabbled in Appaloosa horses, art, and antiques.^[1]

Personal life

In 1980, Smith was taking tennis lessons from his friend Sonny Bono, prior to the singer’s subsequent career in Republican politics. People magazine quoted Bono: “Reid has this naive optimism. He's not afraid to be a little boy." At the time, Smith was constructing a $3.5 million, then a much larger amount than in subsequent decades, Moroccan mansion with a wraparound view of Beverly Hills.^[1]

References