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).
Project U.F.O.(1978)as Ed Keller
Marcus Welby, M.D.(1969)as Doc Hunter, Dr. Ben Grant, Dr. McManus
Police Woman(1974)as Russ Hawkins
Emergency!(1972)as Capt. Hammer
The Magical World of Disney(1954)as Mr. Ames
Here's Hollywood(1960)as Self
About Faces(1959)as Self
The Juke Box Jury(1953)as Self
A Star Is Born World Premiere(1954)as Self
Hondo and the Apaches(1967)as Ed Dow
