Kent Smith

Frank Kent Smith, known professionally as Kent Smith, was an American actor whose career spanned the golden age of stage, film, and television. Born on March 19, 1907 in New York City, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Smith and received a privileged education at Lincoln School, the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy, and Harvard University, where he co‑founded the Harvard University Players alongside future legends such as Henry Fonda and James Stewart. His early theatrical work began in 1925 with regional stock companies, and his professional debut came in 1929 with the Baltimore production Blind Window. By 1932 he had entered Broadway, appearing in classics like Measure for Measure and Ah, Wilderness!, and would later star in notable productions such as Saint Joan (1936) and The Best Man. After moving to Hollywood, Smith made his screen debut in The Garden Murder Case and quickly became a familiar face in 1940s cinema, delivering memorable performances in genre‑defining pictures like Cat People (1942) and its sequel The Curse of the Cat People (1944), as well as in the dramatic The Fountainhead (1949) and Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977). His versatility allowed him to shift seamlessly between leading roles and character parts, earning him a reputation as a reliable and compelling supporting actor throughout a career that lasted nearly five decades. During World War II he served as a private in the U.S. Army, contributing to morale‑building training films. In the television era, Smith became a regular on the popular soap opera Peyton Place, where he portrayed the imperious Dr. Robert Morton opposite his real‑life wife, actress Edith Atwater. He also made guest appearances on such classics as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, and Mission: Impossible, cementing his legacy as a prolific and adaptable performer whose work continues to be appreciated by film‑history enthusiasts. Smith’s personal life reflected his dedication to the arts; he married actress Betty Gillette in 1937 (divorced 1954) and later Edith Atwater in 1962, with whom he remained until his death from congestive heart failure on April 23, 1985 in Woodland Hills, California. Survived by his wife and daughter, Kent Smith is remembered not only for his extensive body of work but also for his civic engagement as a Republican who actively supported Dwight Eisenhower’s 1952 presidential campaign.