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1-10 of 10
- Actor
- Soundtrack
He was one of Hollywood's more interesting curiosities. Kent Smith, by most standards, had the makings of a topflight '40s and '50s film star--handsome, virile, personable, highly dedicated, equipped with a rich stage background--and no slouch in the talent department. For some reason all these fine qualities did not add up to stardom, which would remain elusive in a career that nevertheless covered almost five decades. Today, Smith's name and face have been almost completely forgotten. His solid body of work on stage, screen and TV certainly defies such treatment. Perhaps his looks weren't distinctive enough, perhaps he was overshadowed once too often by his more popular female screen stars, perhaps there was a certain lack of charisma or sex appeal for audiences to latch onto, or perhaps a lack of ego or even an interest in being a "name" star. Whatever the reason, this purposeful lead and second lead's resume deserves more than a passing glance.
Christened Frank Kent Smith, he was born in New York City on March 19, 1907, to a hotelier. An early experience in front of a crowd happened during childhood when he performed as an assistant to Blackstone the magician. Kent graduated from boarding school (Philips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire) and attended Harvard University, finding theater work at various facilities during his time off. One such group, the University Players in West Falmouth, Massachusetts, produced such screen icons as James Stewart, Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan.
Kent made his theatrical debut in the short-lived play "Blind Window" at the Ford's Theatre in Baltimore in 1929 in a cast that also featured young hopeful Clark Gable. Taking his first Broadway curtain call in "Men Must Fight" in 1932, a steady flow of theater work came his way throughout the rest of the '30s, in which he performed opposite some of the theater's finest grande dames: Lillian Gish, Katharine Cornell, Jane Cowl, Blanche Yurka and Ethel Barrymore. He proved equally adept in both classic ("Caesar and Cleopatra," "Saint Joan," "A Doll's House") and contemporary settings ("Heat Lightning," "The Drums Begin").
Aside from an isolated appearance in The Garden Murder Case (1936), Kent's film output didn't officially begin until 1942. RKO took an interest in the stage-trained actor and offered him a lead role in the low-budget horror classic Cat People (1942) as the husband of menacingly feline Simone Simon. He returned to his protagonist role in the sequel The Curse of the Cat People (1944). After a few more decent films, including Hitler's Children (1943) and This Land Is Mine (1943), Kent joined the U.S. Army Air Force and appeared in several government training films during his service, which ended in 1944.
He came back to films without a hitch during the post-war years, posting major credits in The Spiral Staircase (1946), Magic Town (1947) , Nora Prentiss (1947), My Foolish Heart (1949) and The Fountainhead (1949), although he tended to pale next to his illustrious female stars Dorothy McGuire, Jane Wyman, Ann Sheridan, Susan Hayward and Patricia Neal. Normally a third wheel in romantic triangles or good friend/rival-to-the-star roles, he never found the one big film role (or TV show) that could have put a marquee name to the face.
Kent fared better on stage and in the newer medium of TV in the 1950s. Among the highlights: He complemented Helen Hayes both in the video version of her stage triumph "Victoria Regina" and in her Broadway vehicle "The Wisteria Tree", which was based on Chekhov's "'The Cherry Orchard". He was also praised for his strong stage performances in "The Wild Duck" and "The Autumn Garden" and appeared alongside Elaine Stritch in the national touring company of the musical "Call Me Madam". He was everywhere on TV, guesting on such popular shows as "Wagon Train", "Naked City", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "The Outer Limits" and "Peyton Place". In 1962, he replaced Melvyn Douglas in the national company of Gore Vidal's "The Best Man". Also in the cast was actress Edith Atwater. The couple married that same year. His first marriage to minor actress Betty Gillette had ended earlier in divorce after 17 years and one daughter.
The remainder of Kent's career remained quite steady, if unremarkable, in both films and on TV. He lent able character support as assorted gray-haired authoritarians usually upstanding in reputation but certainly capable of shady dealings if called upon. The actor died at age 78 of heart disease in Woodland Hills, California, just outside of Los Angeles. His widow, Edith, died less than a year later of cancer.
Perhaps with such a common last name as "Smith" it was destined that he would spend a lifetime trying to stand out. Nevertheless, with a career as rich and respectable as his was, and with a wide range of roles that included everything from battling evil cats to spouting Shakespeare at Stratford, true recognition and reconsideration is long overdue.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Gabor Vernon was born on 23 March 1925. He was an actor, known for Octopussy (1983), The Tomorrow People (1973) and Quest of Eagles (1979). He died on 23 April 1985 in Islington, London, England, UK.- Fred Doederlein was born on 24 April 1906 in Lorraine, France. He was an actor, known for Scanners (1981), Hundert Tage (1935) and Peer Gynt (1934). He was married to Ursula von Arnim. He died on 23 April 1985.
- Actor
- Composer
Juan Allende was born in 1939 in Mexico. He was an actor and composer, known for El principio (1973), La mafia amarilla (1975) and Cayó de la gloria el diablo (1972). He was married to Ana luisa Solis Gil. He died on 23 April 1985 in Mexico D.F., Mexico.- Helen Wolcott was born on 20 September 1892 in Denver, Colorado, USA. She was an actress, known for The Beachcomber (1915), Help Wanted (1915) and The Pursuit of the Phantom (1914). She was married to John Craig Hammond. She died on 23 April 1985 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.
- Sam Ervin was born on 27 September 1896 in Morganton, North Carolina, USA. He died on 23 April 1985 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Arthur started in the business as a Broadway columnist for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, later going to work for the Toronto Star. He worked on Cecil B. DeMille¡¦s executive staff as well as serving on the executive board of the Writers Guild of America. He also worked on the Oscar winning documentary, Seeds of Destiny, in 1946.- Sound Department
Howard Beals was born on 4 March 1918 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is known for The Godfather Part II (1974), Seconds (1966) and The Powers of Matthew Star (1982). He died on 23 April 1985 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Gert Kubrick was born on 29 October 1903. She was married to Jacob Leonard Cubrick. She died on 23 April 1985.
- Sarah T. Hughes was born on 2 August 1896 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was married to George Ernest Hughes. She died on 23 April 1985.