Actors - Roger Smith

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	Actors - Roger Smith

Roger Smith (born 18 December 1932) is an American actor and producer.

Early life

A debonair and handsome leading man in his youth. Roger LaVerne Smith was born in South Gate, California, the son of Dallas and Leone Smith. His parents enrolled him into a stage school, when he was six. He took singing, elocution and dancing lessons. He was educated at the University of Arizona-Tucson on a football scholarship. He won several amateur talent prizes as a singer and guitarist.

Military Service

He served with a Naval Reserve in Hawaii. After a chance meeting with the actor James Cagney, he was encouraged to try a career in Hollywood.

Career

He signed for Columbia Pictures in 1957 and made several films, before moving to Warner Bros in 1959. He was forced to leave the television series "77 Sunset Strip" in 1963, due to a blood clot in his brain. His health continued to decline and he was forced to retire from acting after the diagnosis of a neuromuscular disease, Myasthenia gravis in 1965. His condition went into remission in 1985. Following his retirement from performing, he has managed his wife's career and has produced her Vegas shows.

Marriages

He has married twice:

1) The actress Victoria Shaw (1956-1965); he obtained sole custody of their three children in 1973:
* 1) A daughter Tracey (born 3 July 1957)
* 2) A son Jordan (born 4 October 1958)
* 3) A son Dallas (born 23 December 1961)
2) The actress Ann-Margret
on 8 May 1967

Film Credits

No Time to Be Young (1957)
Operation Madball (1957)
The Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)...as Lon Chaney Jr (aged 21)
Crash Landing (1958)
Auntie Mame
(1958)...as Patrick Dennis
Never Steal Anything Small (1959)

Television Credits

Original Amateur Hour (1948)...as a singer and guitarist with Ted Mack
77 Sunset Strip (1958)...as Jeff Spencer, a private detective
Mister Roberts
(1965)

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