John Smith

Personal Info

Birthday

March 6, 1931

Day of Death

1995-01-25

(63 years old)

Place of Birth

Los Angeles, California, USA

Also Known As

Robert Errol Van Orden

John Smith

Biography

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.

Known For

The Virginian

Emergency!

Adam-12

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Gunsmoke

Laramie

The Millionaire

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Filmography

2011
Meteor
as Narrator
1972
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
as Mr. Ames
1971
Blood Legacy
as Dr. Carl Isenburg
1967
Hondo and the Apaches
as Ed Dow
1966
Waco
as Joe Gore
1964
Circus World
as Steve McCabe
1959
Island of Lost Women
as Joe Walker
1958
Handle with Care
as Bill Reeves
1957
The Crooked Circle
as Tommy Kelly
The Lawless Eighties
as William Wesley Van Orsdel
The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm
as Brad Johnson
Fury at Showdown
as Miley Sutton
Tomahawk Trail
as Pvt. Reynolds
1956
The Women of Pitcairn Island
as Thursday October Christian
Friendly Persuasion
as Caleb Cope
Rebel in Town
as Wesley Mason
Hot Rod Girl
as Jeff Northrup
Quincannon, Frontier Scout
as Lt. Phil Hostedder
Ghost Town
as Duff Dailey
The Bold and the Brave
as Smith
1955
Desert Sands
as Pvt. Rex Tyle
We're No Angels
as Medical Officer Arnaud
Wichita
as Jim Earp
Seven Angry Men
as Frederick Brown
1954
A Star Is Born World Premiere
as Self
The High and the Mighty
as Milo Buck
1945
The Bells of St. Mary's
as Choir Member (uncredited)
1944
Going My Way
as Choir Member (uncredited)