Changes: William Smithers

Revision as of 16:26, 18 October 2015

Template:Realworld

William Smithers (born 10 July 1927; age 96) is the character actor from Richmond, Virginia, who played Captain R.M. Merik in "Bread and Circuses", a second season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.

He was well-versed for playing villainous roles, and is perhaps best known for his recurring role as J.R. Ewing's arch nemesis Jeremy Wendell on the classic television series Dallas, primarily from 1984 through 1989. Prior to this, Smithers had brief stints on such popular TV shows as Young Dr. Malone (from 1962 through 1963) and Peyton Place (1965 through 1966). He was also a regular on the short-lived 1976 series Executive Suite, co-starring fellow Trek actors Sharon Acker, Richard Cox, Leigh J. McCloskey, Paul Lambert, Madlyn Rhue, Percy Rodriguez, and Mitch Ryan. Corey Allen was among the directors of this series. Allen later directed Smithers in the 1980 made-for-TV movie The Return of Frank Cannon, which co-starred Diana Muldaur.

Besides Star Trek, Smithers has made frequent television guest appearances. Among the shows on which he has guest-starred are Mission: Impossible (which, like TOS, was originally produced by Desilu), The F.B.I., Mannix, The Invaders (with Paul Carr), The Mod Squad (starring Clarence Williams III and Tige Andrews), Ironside, Barnaby Jones (with Lee Meriwether), Quincy, M.E. (featuring Robert Ito and Garry Walberg), and Walker, Texas Ranger (with Noble Willingham and Marshall R. Teague). Smithers only has a few feature films to his credit, however. Among these are 1972's Trouble Man (starring Robert Hooks and Paul Winfield), the 1973 films Scorpio (which co-starred fellow TOS guest actors John Colicos, Joanne Linville, James B. Sikking, and Celeste Yarnall) and Papillon (co-starring Bill Mumy, Ron Soble, Vic Tayback, and Anthony Zerbe), and 1978's Deathsport, with TNG guest star Richard Lynch.

Other Trek connections

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode "The Plant Man" (1966) with Arch Whiting
Call to Danger (1968 TV movie) with Laurel Goodwin and James Gregory
Where the Ladies Go (1980 TV movie) with Lou Antonio

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+{{realworld}}
-'''William Smithers''' (born [[Star Trek birthdays|July 10]], [[Early production history|1927]] in Richmond, [[Virginia]]) is the character actor who played [[Captain]] [[R.M. Merrick]] in "[[Bread and Circuses]]", a [[TOS Season 2|second season]] episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''.
+{{Sidebar actor
+| Name              = William Smithers
+| image             = RM Merik.jpg
+| imagecap          = ... as R.M. Merik
+| Birth name        =
+| Gender            = Male
+| Date of birth     = {{d|10|July|1927}}
+| Place of birth    = Richmond, Virginia
+| Date of death     =
+| Place of death    =
+| Awards for Trek   =
+| Roles             =
+| Characters        = [[Captain]] [[R.M. Merik]]
+| image2            =
+| imagecap2         =
+| image3            =
+| imagecap3          =
+}}
+'''William Smithers''' {{born|10|July|1927}} is the character actor from Richmond, Virginia, who played [[Captain]] [[R.M. Merik]] in {{e|Bread and Circuses}}, a [[TOS Season 2|second season]] episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''.
-He was well-versed for playing villainous roles, and is perhaps best known for his recurring role as J.R. Ewing's arch nemesis Jeremy Wendell on the classic [[television]] series ''Dallas'', primarily from 1984 through 1989. Prior to this, Smithers had brief stints on such popular TV shows as ''Young Dr. Malone'' (from 1962 through 1963) and ''Peyton Place'' (1965 through 1966). He was also a regular on the short-lived 1976 series ''Executive Suite'', co-starring fellow ''Trek'' actors [[Sharon Acker]], [[Richard Cox]], [[Leigh J. McCloskey]], [[Paul Lambert]], [[Madlyn Rhue]], [[Percy Rodriguez]], and [[Mitch Ryan]]. [[Corey Allen]] was among the directors of this series. Allen also directed Smithers in the 1980 made-for-TV movie ''The Return of Frank Cannon'', which also starred [[Diana Muldaur]].
+He was well-versed for playing villainous roles, and is perhaps best known for his recurring role as J.R. Ewing's arch nemesis Jeremy Wendell on the classic television series ''Dallas'', primarily from 1984 through 1989. Prior to this, Smithers had brief stints on such popular TV shows as ''Young Dr. Malone'' (from 1962 through 1963) and ''Peyton Place'' (1965 through 1966). He was also a regular on the short-lived 1976 series ''Executive Suite'', co-starring fellow ''Trek'' actors [[Sharon Acker]], [[Richard Cox]], [[Leigh J. McCloskey]], [[Paul Lambert]], [[Madlyn Rhue]], [[Percy Rodriguez]], and [[Mitch Ryan]]. [[Corey Allen]] was among the directors of this series. Allen later directed Smithers in the 1980 made-for-TV movie ''The Return of Frank Cannon'', which co-starred [[Diana Muldaur]].
-Smithers has also made guest appearances on such series as ''[[Mission: Impossible]]'' (which, like TOS, was originally produced by [[Desilu]]), ''The F.B.I.'', ''Mannix'', ''The Invaders'', ''The Mod Squad'' (starring [[Clarence Williams III]] and [[Tige Andrews]]), ''Ironside'', ''Barnaby Jones'' (with [[Lee Meriwether]]), ''Quincy'' (featuring [[Robert Ito]] and [[Garry Walberg]]), and ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' (with [[Noble Willingham]]).
+Besides ''Star Trek'', Smithers has made frequent television guest appearances. Among the shows on which he has guest-starred are {{wt|Mission: Impossible}} (which, like TOS, was originally produced by [[Desilu]]), ''The F.B.I.'', ''Mannix'', ''The Invaders'' (with [[Paul Carr]]), ''The Mod Squad'' (starring [[Clarence Williams III]] and [[Tige Andrews]]), ''Ironside'', ''Barnaby Jones'' (with [[Lee Meriwether]]), ''Quincy, M.E.'' (featuring [[Robert Ito]] and [[Garry Walberg]]), and ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' (with [[Noble Willingham]] and [[Marshall R. Teague]]). Smithers only has a few feature films to his credit, however. Among these are 1972's ''Trouble Man'' (starring [[Robert Hooks]] and [[Paul Winfield]]), the 1973 films ''Scorpio'' (which co-starred fellow TOS guest actors [[John Colicos]], [[Joanne Linville]], [[James B. Sikking]], and [[Celeste Yarnall]]) and ''Papillon'' (co-starring [[Bill Mumy]], [[Ron Soble]], [[Vic Tayback]], and [[Anthony Zerbe]]), and 1978's ''Deathsport'', with [[TNG]] guest star [[Richard Lynch]].
+==Other ''Trek'' connections==
-Although he has made frequent television appearances, he only has a few [[film|feature films]] to his credited. Among these are 1972's ''Trouble Man'' (starring [[Robert Hooks]] and [[Paul Winfield]]), the 1973 films ''Scorpio'' (which co-starred fellow TOS guest actors [[John Colicos]], [[Joanne Linville]], [[James B. Sikking]], and [[Celeste Yarnall]]) and ''Papillon'' (co-starring [[Bill Mumy]], [[Ron Soble]], [[Vic Tayback]], and [[Anthony Zerbe]]), and 1978's ''Deathsport'', with [[TNG]] guest star [[Richard Lynch]].
+*''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' episode "The Plant Man" (1966) with [[Arch Whiting]]
+*''Call to Danger'' (1968 TV movie) with [[Laurel Goodwin]] and [[James Gregory]]
+*''Where the Ladies Go'' (1980 TV movie) with [[Lou Antonio]]
 ==External links==
+* [http://mysite.verizon.net/res7gpw5/ Official website]
+* {{wikipedia}}
 *{{IMDb-link|page=nm0810461}}
+[[de:William Smithers]]
+[[es:William Smithers]]
 [[Category:Performers|Smithers, William]]
 [[Category:TOS performers|Smithers, William]]