Nisha Rathode (Editor)

Wonderful Smith

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Nationality
  
United States

Occupation
  
Actor, comedian


Name
  
Wonderful Smith

Role
  
Comedian

Wonderful Smith httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Born
  
June 21, 1911 (
1911-06-21
)
Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Died
  
August 28, 2008, Northridge, Los Angeles, California, United States

Movies
  
This Is Spinal Tap, Oh - God!, To Sleep with Anger, Over My Dead Body

Similar People
  
Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Malcolm St Clair

Wonderful Smith (June 21, 1911 – August 28, 2008) was an African-American comedian and actor from Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Contents

Early and personal life

Wonderful Smith was born in 1911 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to parents Sam Smith, Sr., a farmer, and his wife Mattie. Smith left home to go to Los Angeles at the age of 16. According to his obituary in the Los Angeles Times, Smith married three times but had no children.

Hello, Mr. President

As a comedian, he was most notable for his routine, "Hello, Mr. President" which was an imaginary conversation with American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that lampooned the New Deal and World War II preparations. The routine appeared in Duke Ellington's satirical revue "Jump for Joy". No complete copy of the routine exists, although most of the routine appeared in the 1941 movie Top Sergeant Mulligan, performed by Smith, and was later re-released on the Smithsonian's Jump for Joy LP in 1988.

Radio

He was a member of Red Skelton's radio shows in the early and mid-1940s. Others in the cast during this time were Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. When Smith returned from his World War II service, he found that his role in the show had been changed, along with the program's format. Smith claimed racial and veterans' discrimination. The radio show's sponsor responded that his contract had been honored because, while his role in the show was smaller than it had been previously, he was not written out with his contract paid off.

Television

Smith also made numerous appearances as an extra in various television series and movies, such as the head chef in The Bold Ones: The New Doctors and a stage hand in the cavernous backstage scene in This is Spinal Tap.

Personal appearances

Smith was a member of the "Wild" Bill Davis musical trio, which also included Davis and "Crazy Chris" Columbus. The group disbanded in 1956, and Smith became part of a larger group, the Swingin' Gentlemen, headed by Columbus.

Legacy

Smith was the inspiration for the name of a Chicago-based indie rock group.

Filmography

Actor
1994
Lily in Winter (TV Movie) as
Conductor
1991
In Living Color (TV Series)
- My Left Foot of Fury (1991)
- My Dark Conscience (1991)
1990
To Sleep with Anger as
Preacher
1987
Webster (TV Series) as
Mr. Elchorn
- Grab Bag (1987) - Mr. Elchorn
1984
Prince Jack as
Masseur
1984
This Is Spinal Tap as
Janitor
1982
Not Just Another Affair (TV Movie) as
Court Clerk
1981
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (TV Movie) as
Butler
1979
CHiPs (TV Series) as
DMV Supervisor
- MAIT Team (1979) - DMV Supervisor
1978
Ring of Passion (TV Movie) as
Minister
1977
A Piece of the Action as
Daniel McLean
1977
Oh, God! as
Court Clerk
1976
Ellery Queen (TV Series) as
Apt. Super
- The Adventure of the Hardhearted Huckster (1976) - Apt. Super
1976
Dynasty (TV Movie) as
Minister
1975
That's My Mama (TV Series) as
Childs
- Clifton and Politics (1975) - Childs
1975
Harry O (TV Series) as
Eddie
- Double Jeopardy (1975) - Eddie
1974
Happy Days (TV Series) as
Reverend
- The Best Man (1974) - Reverend
1973
A Dream for Christmas (TV Movie) as
Department Store Owner (uncredited)
1973
Howzer
1972
Love, American Style (TV Series) as
Father of the Bride (segment "Love and the Perfect Wedding")
- Love and the Clinic/Love and the Perfect Wedding/Love and the President/Love and the Return of Raymond (1972) - Father of the Bride (segment "Love and the Perfect Wedding")
1972
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (TV Series) as
Carl
- Moment of Crisis (1972) - Carl
1942
Over My Dead Body as
Wonderful - The Elevator Boy
1941
Top Sergeant Mulligan as
Wonderful
Thanks
2001
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel (TV Movie documentary) (special thanks)

References

Wonderful Smith Wikipedia