John Smith
Acting
Born: 1931-03-06 in Los Angeles, California, USA
Biography
Actor John Smith was born Robert Errol Van Orden in Los Angeles. He began his career singing with The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir, a group which appeared in two Bing Crosby films, Going My Way (1944) and The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). His agent Henry Willson, who also gave Tab Hunter and Rock Hudson their names, changed Van Orden's name to "John Smith". Robert Hofler, author of "The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson", reports that an actress identified as Pocahontas Crowfoot was in the courtroom when the name change was granted. In We're No Angels (1955), Smith had a small role as "Arnaud", the ship's doctor. Aldo Ray, observing the doctor in full dress whites, says "he looks like a glass of milk". John Smith's other film credits include Circus World (1964) and Justin Morgan Had a Horse (1972). Smith also appeared in the television westerns Cimarron City (1958) and Laramie (1959).
Known For
Father Knows Best
Utah
Emergency!
Capt. Hammer
Adam-12
Ron McKee
The Virginian
Dee Garvey
The Ford Television Theatre
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Doc Hunter
Gunsmoke
David
Police Woman
Telephone Time
Philip Horton
The Millionaire
Charles 'Lucky' Swanson
Laramie
Slim Sherman
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Irving Randall
The Wonderful World of Disney
Rep Aeronaut
The Wonderful World of Disney
Mr. Ames
Frontier
Willie Magill - aka The Colfax Kid
Hondo
Wire Service
Howie
Friendly Persuasion
Caleb Cope
Letter to Loretta
Art
General Electric Theater
We're No Angels
Medical Officer Arnaud
Cimarron City
Deputy Sheriff Lane Temple
Going My Way
Choir Member (uncredited)
The High and the Mighty
Milo Buck
The Bells of St. Mary's
Choir Member (uncredited)
Circus World
Steve McCabe
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Wichita
Jim Earp
Blood Legacy
Dr. Carl Isenburg
Hot Rod Girl
Jeff Northrup
Tomahawk Trail
Pvt. Reynolds
Meteor
Narrator
Hondo and the Apaches
Ed Dow
Waco
Joe Gore
The Lawless Eighties
William Wesley Van Orsdel
Rebel in Town
Wesley Mason
Seven Angry Men
Frederick Brown
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
Mr. Ames
The Bold and the Brave
Smith