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Posted: |
Jul 17, 2022 - 10:57 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In AMERICAN ME, Edward James Olmos stars as “Santana,” a man in East Los Angeles who finds himself in jail by the age of 16, where he proceeds to build a small crime empire with friends both inside and outside the penal system. The film recounts the early life of Santana and his parents, who were victims of the "Zoot Suit riots" of 1943. The incident leaves its mark on Santana's parents and proves to be a catalyst for Santana's own crimes.
While serving in Folsom, Santana and his life-long friend “J.D.” (William Forsythe) earn respect as their gang becomes the prison's dominant force. Santana supposedly organizes his fellow prisoners in an attempt to improve their conditions, but what he's really after is power. Once he has tasted it, he can't get enough, and those who stand against him are ruthlessly trodden underfoot, often ending up in the morgue. Eventually, Santana leaves prison and the film shows the difficulties of adjusting to life after incarceration and further explores the film's motif of the rape culture, both behind bars and in free society. William Smith has a small role as “Deacon,” an enforcer leader of the Aryan Brotherhood, in the film.
Edward James Olmos made his feature film directorial debut with this 1992 drama. None of the score by Dennis Lambert and Claude Gaudette appeared on the song-track CD released by Virgin. The $16 million production was a loser at the domestic box office, with a $13.1 million gross.
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Posted: |
Jul 18, 2022 - 10:24 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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HELL TO PAY is an action-packed tale of brothers at odds: “Kirby” (Kevin Kazakoff), a decorated soldier and reluctant hero, and “Scott” (William Gregory Lee), a gambler who keeps company with card sharks and corrupt women. They both wind up in a small mining town in Colorado. The town is run by “Del Shannon” (Bo Svenson), a saloon owner and town string-puller. Chief among Shannon's schemes is installing evil, sadistic “Lyons” (Jason Shaw) as deputy sheriff, to aid his plan to grab up all the land around town, in an effort to reestablish an inactive silver mine. Standing in his way are “Sheriff J.T. Coffee” (James Drury), “Emil Brax” (William Smith), whom everyone feels is a coward from the war, and “Mary Potter” (Stella Stevens), a widow on the outskirts of town - and of course, Kirby, who with the reluctant help of his brother, decides to take on the evil Shannon.
William Smith in HELL TO PAY
Several legendary television Western actors appeared in the film. Among them were Peter Brown (“Lawman”), Lee Majors (“The Big Valley”), and James Drury (“The Virginian”). Chris McIntyre wrote and directed the 2005 film. It’s unclear as to whether the film had any theatrical showings before appearing on video. Nate and Noah Cryns scored the film.
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Posted: |
Jul 18, 2022 - 1:28 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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The last 30 years or so of William Smith’s acting career were filled with made-for-video projects. In the 1960s and 1970s, however, he appeared in scores of guest shots on television series.
On “Stoney Burke” (1962)
On “Daniel Boone” (1967)
With Adam West on “Batman” (1968)
On “The Rockford Files” (1974)
On “Planet of the Apes” (1974)
With James Arness on “Gunsmoke” (1975)
With Heather Menzies on “Logan’s Run” (1977)
With Heather Locklear on “T.J. Hooker” (1985)
Prior to his film career, William Smith had a 31-1 record as an amateur boxer, held the U.S. Air Force Light-Heavyweight Weightlifting Championship, and played semi-pro football for the Wiesbaden Flyers in Germany.
Smith was inducted into the Muscle Beach Venice Bodybuilding Hall of Fame in May, 2010. In 2000, the Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures made Smith an honorary member. He was recognized for his work in the Western genre, receiving the Golden Boot Award in 2003 and the Silver Spur Award in 2008. He also received an award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council in 2005, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness in 1995.
Somewhat of a Renaissance man, Smith spoke fluent French, Italian, and Russian; fought California wildfires in the early 1950s; competed as a downhill skier in AAU events at Mammoth Mountain, CA; worked as a lifeguard on the French Riviera; competed in motocross events with Steve McQueen; and his favorite writer was Fyodor Dostoevsky.
In the “what might have been” category, Bruce Lee personally offered Smith the co-lead in ENTER THE DRAGON (1973), but another film went over schedule and John Saxon stepped into the role. Smith also filmed an eight-minute test pilot portraying “Caine” for the TV series “Kung Fu” (1972), wearing prosthetic eyepieces to make him appear Chinese. The network wanted Smith for the role, but producer Jerry Thorpe ultimately deemed him too muscular and menacing.
Instead, we have Smith’s many actual film and television roles—more than 250 of them—to remember him by. Farewell, Bill.
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Posted: |
Jul 23, 2022 - 1:36 PM
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By: |
filmusicnow
(Member)
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One of the earliest mini-series, RICH MAN, POOR MAN spanned the period from 1945 through the late 1960s and followed the divergent career courses of the impoverished German-American “Jordache” brothers. “Rudy” (Peter Strauss) was the titular rich man, a well-educated and very ambitious entrepreneur who triumphed over his background and constructed a corporate and political empire. Poor man “Tom” (Nick Nolte) was a rebel who eventually turned to boxing to support himself. “Axel” (Ed Asner) and “Mary” (Dorothy McGuire) were their parents, and “Julie Prescott” (Susan Blakely) was Rudy's lifelong sweetheart who eventually married him. In the last four chapters of the 12-hour series, William Smith played the dangerous and eccentric “Falconetti,” lifelong nemesis of the Jordache Brothers, who is intent on killing them.
David Greene and Boris Sagal directed the 1976 series, with Greene directing William Smith’s episodes. Alex North’s score was released on an MCA LP, which was re-issued on CD by Varese Sarabande in 1993.
Since William Smith started out as a stuntman, could he had some input in choreographing the fight scene between him and Nick Nolte in the miniseries (in which Falconetti loses his left eye courtesy of Tom Jordache)?
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