Paul L. Smith obit

RIP Paul Smith

 

He was not on the list.

Burly, bearded and imposing actor Paul Smith died earlier this year in Ra’anana, Israel on April 25, 2012. He was 75. Paul and his wife Eve had moved there in 2006 taking Israeli citizenship, and adopting the Hebrew names: Adam and Aviva Eden. Born as Paul Lawrence Smith in Everett, Massachusetts on June 24, 1936 he graduated from Brandeis University with a BA in philosophy and psychology and a master’s degree in motivational psychology from Harvard. Later he attended Florida State University where he appeared as Yank in Eugene O’Neil’s “The Hairy Ape” and then and there decided to become an actor. He studied acting in New York and at a chance meeting with Otto Preminger at a party he was offered a part in “Exodus” (1960). Paul would go on to appear in films and occasionally on television beginning in the 1970s, generally playing "heavies" and bad guys. His most notable roles include Hamidou, the vicious prison warden in “Midnight Express” (1978), Bluto in Robert Altman's “Popeye” (1980), Gideon in the ABC miniseries “Masada and the Beast” Rabban in David Lynch's “Dune” (1984) and as ‘The Archduke’ in 1994’s “Maverick”. Paul also appeared in six Euro-westerns notably alongside Michael Coby (Antonio Cantafora) in a series of comedy films created by director Ferdinando Baldi as a clone comedy team of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. The pair appeared as Len and Coby in “Carambola!” (1973) and the sequel “The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby” (1974), Smith also appeared in “Bullets Don’t Argue” (1964), “Guns for San Sebastian” (1967), “Madron” (1970) and “We Are No Angels” (1975). Paul was sometimes credited as P.L. Smith Paul L. Smith.

 

SMITH, Paul (Paul Lawrence Smith)

Born: June 24, 1936, Everett Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Died: April 25, 2012, Ra'anana, Israel

 

Paul Smith's westerns - actor:

Have Gun - Will Travel - 1963 (Sven)

Bullets Don't Argue - 1964

Madron - 1970 (Gabe Price)

Carambola - 1974 (Len)

The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby - 1975 (Len)

We Are No Angels - 1975 (Raphael McDonald)

Maverick - 1994 (Archduke)

 

Filmography

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1960      Exodus Jewish Prisoner Peretz Geffner Uncredited

1970      Madron                Gabe Price          Uncredited

1971      Fishke Bemilu'im              Shmil    

1972      Nahtche V'Hageneral                     

Jacko Vehayatzaniot                      

1973      Koreyim Li Shmil               Shmiel

Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus     Peter    

1974      Moses the Lawgiver        Rebel     TV miniseries

Carambola!         Clem Rodovam

1975      Carambola's Philosophy: In the Right Pocket        Len        

Convoy Buddies                Butch   

We Are No Angels            Raphael McDonald         

1976      The Diamond Peddlers   Simone / Toby  

21 Hours at Munich         Gutfreund           TV movie

1978      Return of the Tiger          Paul the Westerner        

Midnight Express             Hamidou             

1979      The In-Laws        Mo        

The Frisco Kid    Person on Philadelphia dock        Uncredited

Disaster on the Coastliner             Jim Waterman   TV movie

Going in Style     Radio Announcer            

1980      Popeye Bluto    

1981      Masada                Gideon TV miniseries

The Salamander                The Surgeon      

When I Am King                Sir Blackstone Hardtack

1982      Pieces   Willard

1983      Sadat     King Farouk         TV miniseries

Raiders in Action              Saul the Priest  

1984      Mivtza Shtreimel                             

Jungle Warriors                 Cesar Santiago  

Dune     Glossu Rabban  

1985      Crimewave         Faron Crush       

The Protector    Mr. Booar            Uncredited

Red Sonja            Falkon  

1986      Sno-Line               Duval    

Haunted Honeymoon     Dr. Paul Abbot  

1987      Gor         Surbus

Terminal Entry   Stewart               

1988      Outlaw Force     Inspector Wainright       

Death Chase       Steele  

1989      Ochlim Lokshim                               

Sonny Boy           Slue      

Ten Little Indians              Elmo Rodgers    

Nipagesh Basafari            Paul      

The Hired Gun   Wounded Man

1990      Crossing the Line              Joe Kapinski       

Caged Fury          Head Guard       

1991      Eye of the Widow             Elko       

1992      Desert Kickboxer              Santos  

1994      Maverick              Archduke            

2008      Paul Smith: The Reddest Herring               Himself                 Extended interview with star Paul L. Smith featured on the North American DVD release of Pieces, where he discusses the film, his life, and career