Bubba Smith
Encyclopedia
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011) was an American
professional football
player who became an actor
after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University
, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end
on the Spartans football
team. He had a major role in a 10–10 draw with Notre Dame
in 1966 that was billed as "The Game of the Century." He was one of only three players to have his jersey number
retired by the program. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1988.
He played nine years in the National Football League (NFL)
with the Baltimore Colts
(1967
–1971
), Oakland Raiders
(1973
–1974
) and Houston Oilers
(1975
–1976
). The first selection of the 1967 NFL Draft
, he was the Colts' starting left defensive end for five seasons who played in Super Bowl
s III
and V
, the latter with the winning side. He was named to two Pro Bowl
s and was a First-Team All-Pro
in 1971. Despite being 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 meters) tall and weighing 265 pounds (120.20 kilograms), his tremendous speed and quickness usually caused him to draw two blockers.
During his acting
career, he mainly specialized in comedic
roles in film
s, television advertisement
s and program
s. For about a decade following his retirement from football, he appeared in various commercials for Miller Lite
. His best-known role was as Moses Hightower in the first six Police Academy movies.
, and raised in nearby Beaumont
. His father
was Willie Ray Smith Sr., a football
coach who accumulated 235 victories in a career spent at three high school
s in the Beaumont area. It was at Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont where the son
got to play for the father. The younger Smith developed into one of the state's best-ever high school football players.
at the University of Texas
. Even though Longhorns
head coach
Darrell Royal
was willing to offer him an athletic scholarship, he was prohibited from doing so because of the prevalent racial segregation
throughout the Southern United States
. At the time, Texas was a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC), which finally integrated
in 1967. The university's football program did not do likewise until three years later in 1970. The situation motivated Smith to become a much better player.
Smith played college football
at Michigan State University
. He was awarded with All-America
honors in 1965 and 1966. Smith was a popular athlete at Michigan State, with the popular fan chant of "Kill, Bubba, Kill."
His final game at Michigan State was a 10–10 draw with Notre Dame
at Spartan Stadium
on November 19, 1966. It was hyped as "The Game of the Century" because both teams were undefeated, untied and ranked atop the national polls entering the contest (Notre Dame was #1 at 8–0–0, Michigan State #2 at 9–0–0). Early in the first quarter, Smith tackled Fighting Irish starting quarterback
Terry Hanratty
, who suffered a separated left shoulder
on the play. Hanratty was replaced for the remainder of the match by Coley O'Brien. Smith, who admitted that Hanratty's injury actually backfired on the Spartans, stated, "That didn't help us any. It just let them put in that O'Brien who's slippery and faster and gave us more trouble. The other guy just sits there and waits, and that's what we wanted." Michigan State finished second behind Notre Dame in the voting for the National Championship.
In 1988, Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame
. Michigan State retired his number 95 jersey on September 23, 2006, prior to the Spartans' home game against Notre Dame, amid repeated cheers of his old slogan from the student section. This game also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the "Game of the Century."
as a defensive end
. He was the first overall selection in the 1967 NFL draft, chosen by the Baltimore Colts
. The Colts won Super Bowl V
at the end of the 1970 season, earning Smith his only Super Bowl ring
. However, in interviews, Smith stated that he would never wear the ring, as it was seen as a "sloppy" game by many. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders
before the 1972 season, and finished his career with the Houston Oilers
. He was selected All-Pro one year, All-Conference two years, and went to two Pro Bowl
s.
and television
roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is perhaps best known for his role as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movie series, a role he reprised in all but one of the Police Academy sequels. Bubba appeared in the 1982 TV film Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story
. He was Arnold the driver in the 1983 movie Stroker Ace
that cast stars such as Burt Reynolds
, Ned Beatty
, Jim Nabors
, and Loni Anderson
. He was a supporting character in the 1981 - 1982 flop Open All Night. He appeared in two episodes of the hit television series Married... with Children
, once as the character "Spare Tire" Dixon and in a later episode as himself. He was the long time spokesman of Baltimore-area law firm
Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg. Smith starred in the short-lived television series Blue Thunder
, partnering with Pro Football Hall of Fame
defensive star Dick Butkus
, with whom he frequently costarred in advertisements for Miller Lite
beer. Smith also appeared in Tales of the Gold Monkey
, in the episode called "God Save the Queen", along with fellow actor James Avery. He appeared on Good Times
as Claude, a bodyguard/thug working for Marion "Sweet Daddy" Williams. He also appeared on an episode of The Odd Couple
; when asked by Oscar Madison what his most embarrassing moment was, he replied, "When my mother named me 'Bubba'".
played for the University of Southern California
and for the Dallas Cowboys
, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills
.
, a weight-loss drug was found in his system. His heart weighed more than twice that of an average human heart, albeit he was obviously well above average in many respects, when in the best of health; he was 66 years old.
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who became an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
on the Spartans football
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
team. He had a major role in a 10–10 draw with Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
in 1966 that was billed as "The Game of the Century." He was one of only three players to have his jersey number
Uniform number (American football)
The uniform numbers in American football are unusual compared to those in any other sport. They are displayed in more locations on the uniform than in those of other sports , and on the front of the jersey, they are displayed very large, taking up almost the entire front of the jersey...
retired by the program. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1988.
He played nine years in the National Football League (NFL)
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
(1967
1967 Baltimore Colts season
The 1967 Baltimore Colts season was the 15th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1967 season with a record of 11 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties. They tied for first in the Western Conference's Coastal division with the Los...
–1971
1971 Baltimore Colts season
The 1971 Baltimore Colts season was the 19th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1971 season with a record of 10 wins and 4 losses, and finished second in the AFC East.- Schedule :...
), Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1973
1973 Oakland Raiders season
The 1973 Oakland Raiders season was the team’s 14th season. For the third time in four seasons, the Raiders won the AFC West title. They exacted a measure of revenge by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Division Round game, one year following the Immaculate Reception loss...
–1974
1974 Oakland Raiders season
The 1974 Oakland Raiders season was the team’s 15th season. For the fourth time in five seasons, the Raiders earned the AFC West title. For the second straight campaign, the Raiders gained revenge in the playoffs against the tea that had eliminated them the season before...
) and Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
(1975
1975 Houston Oilers season
-NFL Draft:-Regular season:The 1975 season was the Oilers' 6th with the NFL and 16th overall. "Bum" Phillips replaced Sid Gillman as head coach and general manager. The team achieved a winning record with ten wins and four losses, but finished only third in the division and missed the playoffs for...
–1976
1976 Houston Oilers season
The 1976 Houston Oilers season was the 17th season the team was with the league. The team failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 10–4, winning only five games, They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season....
). The first selection of the 1967 NFL Draft
1967 NFL Draft
The 1967 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on March 14–15.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
, he was the Colts' starting left defensive end for five seasons who played in Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
and V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
, the latter with the winning side. He was named to two Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s and was a First-Team All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
in 1971. Despite being 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 meters) tall and weighing 265 pounds (120.20 kilograms), his tremendous speed and quickness usually caused him to draw two blockers.
During his acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
career, he mainly specialized in comedic
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
roles in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
s and program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
s. For about a decade following his retirement from football, he appeared in various commercials for Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
. His best-known role was as Moses Hightower in the first six Police Academy movies.
Early life
Smith was born on February 28, 1945 in Orange, TexasOrange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
, and raised in nearby Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. His father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
was Willie Ray Smith Sr., a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach who accumulated 235 victories in a career spent at three high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s in the Beaumont area. It was at Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont where the son
Son
A son is a male offspring; a boy or man in relation to his parents. The female analogue is a daughter.-Social issues regarding sons:In pre-industrial societies and some current countries with agriculture-based economies, a higher value was, and still is, assigned to sons rather than daughters,...
got to play for the father. The younger Smith developed into one of the state's best-ever high school football players.
College
Smith originally had hopes of playing college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Even though Longhorns
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Darrell Royal
Darrell Royal
Darrell K Royal is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Mississippi State University , the University of Washington , and the University of Texas at Austin , compiling a career college football record of 184–60–5...
was willing to offer him an athletic scholarship, he was prohibited from doing so because of the prevalent racial segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
throughout the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. At the time, Texas was a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC), which finally integrated
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
in 1967. The university's football program did not do likewise until three years later in 1970. The situation motivated Smith to become a much better player.
Smith played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. He was awarded with All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors in 1965 and 1966. Smith was a popular athlete at Michigan State, with the popular fan chant of "Kill, Bubba, Kill."
His final game at Michigan State was a 10–10 draw with Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
at Spartan Stadium
Spartan Stadium (East Lansing)
Spartan Stadium opened in 1923 in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Michigan State University Spartans...
on November 19, 1966. It was hyped as "The Game of the Century" because both teams were undefeated, untied and ranked atop the national polls entering the contest (Notre Dame was #1 at 8–0–0, Michigan State #2 at 9–0–0). Early in the first quarter, Smith tackled Fighting Irish starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Terry Hanratty
Terry Hanratty
Terrence Hugh "Terry" Hanratty was a former professional American football quarterback in the NFL during the 1960s and 1970s, he earned two Super Bowl rings as the backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, his hometown team....
, who suffered a separated left shoulder
Separated shoulder
A separated shoulder , is a common injury to the acromioclavicular joint. This is not the same as a shoulder dislocation as that involves a dislocation of the glenohumeral joint...
on the play. Hanratty was replaced for the remainder of the match by Coley O'Brien. Smith, who admitted that Hanratty's injury actually backfired on the Spartans, stated, "That didn't help us any. It just let them put in that O'Brien who's slippery and faster and gave us more trouble. The other guy just sits there and waits, and that's what we wanted." Michigan State finished second behind Notre Dame in the voting for the National Championship.
In 1988, Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Michigan State retired his number 95 jersey on September 23, 2006, prior to the Spartans' home game against Notre Dame, amid repeated cheers of his old slogan from the student section. This game also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the "Game of the Century."
Professional
Smith spent nine seasons in the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. He was the first overall selection in the 1967 NFL draft, chosen by the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. The Colts won Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
at the end of the 1970 season, earning Smith his only Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
. However, in interviews, Smith stated that he would never wear the ring, as it was seen as a "sloppy" game by many. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
before the 1972 season, and finished his career with the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. He was selected All-Pro one year, All-Conference two years, and went to two Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s.
Acting career
After leaving professional football, Smith began his acting career in small movieFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is perhaps best known for his role as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movie series, a role he reprised in all but one of the Police Academy sequels. Bubba appeared in the 1982 TV film Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story
Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story
Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story was a 1980 made-for-television movie about the life of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier, starring Robert Urich. It was released on 7 December 1980....
. He was Arnold the driver in the 1983 movie Stroker Ace
Stroker Ace
Stroker Ace is a 1983 action comedy film, filmed in North Carolina and Georgia, about a NASCAR driver, the eponymous Stroker Ace, played by Burt Reynolds....
that cast stars such as Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
, Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
, Jim Nabors
Jim Nabors
James Thurston "Jim" Nabors is an American actor and singer. Born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, Nabors moved to Southern California because of his asthma. While working at a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, he was discovered by Andy Griffith and later joined The Andy Griffith Show, playing...
, and Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson
Loni Kaye Anderson is an American actress who played the role of Jennifer Marlowe on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.- Early life :...
. He was a supporting character in the 1981 - 1982 flop Open All Night. He appeared in two episodes of the hit television series Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Married... with Children is an American surrealistic sitcom that aired for 11 seasons that featured a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. The show, notable for being the first prime time television series to air on Fox, ran from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. The series was created...
, once as the character "Spare Tire" Dixon and in a later episode as himself. He was the long time spokesman of Baltimore-area law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg. Smith starred in the short-lived television series Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder (TV series)
Blue Thunder is a 1984 ABC TV series based on the movie of the same title featuring the Blue Thunder helicopter.The series used the converted Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopter and large portions of stock footage from the 1983 film. A ground unit named "Rolling Thunder" backed up the helicopter in...
, partnering with Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
defensive star Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
, with whom he frequently costarred in advertisements for Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
beer. Smith also appeared in Tales of the Gold Monkey
Tales of the Gold Monkey
Tales of the Gold Monkey is a 1982 television show broadcast by ABC. Most critics saw it as the network's attempt to capitalize on the fame of the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark the previous year, in the same vein as Bring 'Em Back Alive on CBS...
, in the episode called "God Save the Queen", along with fellow actor James Avery. He appeared on Good Times
Good Times
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
as Claude, a bodyguard/thug working for Marion "Sweet Daddy" Williams. He also appeared on an episode of The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple (TV series)
The Odd Couple is a television situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. It was based upon the play of the same name, which was written by Neil Simon.Felix and Oscar are two divorced men....
; when asked by Oscar Madison what his most embarrassing moment was, he replied, "When my mother named me 'Bubba'".
Personal life
Smith's brother Tody SmithTody Smith
Lawrence Edward Smith was an American football defensive end in the National Football League.-High school career:...
played for the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Death
Smith was found dead in his Los Angeles home by his caretaker on August 3, 2011. He died from acute drug intoxication and heart disease. PhenterminePhentermine
Phentermine, a contraction of "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class, chemically related to amphetamine. It is used medically as an appetite suppressant....
, a weight-loss drug was found in his system. His heart weighed more than twice that of an average human heart, albeit he was obviously well above average in many respects, when in the best of health; he was 66 years old.
External links
- Profile of the 1966 "Game of the Century"
- Details of the 1967 NFL draft
- Entry for Smith at the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
- Gallery of Bubba Smith football cards