Kurtwood Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kurtwood Smith
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![]() Smith at the 2010 Comic Con in San Diego
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Born |
Kurtwood Larson Smith
July 3, 1943 New Lisbon, Wisconsin, U.S.
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Education | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1970–present |
Spouse(s) |
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Children | 2 |
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Kurtwood Larson Smith (born July 3, 1943) is an American actor. He is well-known for playing tough characters. Some of his most famous roles include Clarence Boddicker in the movie RoboCop (1987) and Robert Griggs in Rambo III (1988). He is also very popular for his role as Red Forman in the TV shows That '70s Show (1998–2006) and That '90s Show (2023–2024).
Kurtwood Smith has appeared in many science fiction films and TV shows. These include Lou Grant, Star Trek, and The X-Files. He also starred in the seventh season of the action series 24. He lent his voice to the character Gene on Regular Show (2012–2017). He also played Leslie Claret on Patriot (2015–2018) and Old Man Peterson on The Ranch (2017–2020).
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Early Life and Education
Kurtwood Smith was born on July 3, 1943. His father, Major George Smith, was a soldier who sadly died in 1945 during World War II. He was killed while returning from a mission. Smith later said that even though he never met his father, he always remembered him.
Smith grew up in the San Fernando Valley in California. He graduated from Canoga Park High School in 1961. He then went to college, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State College in 1965. Later, he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Stanford University in 1969. Before becoming a full-time actor, he taught theater arts at Cañada College from 1969 to 1975.
Acting Career Highlights
Kurtwood Smith has had a long and successful career in acting. He has performed on stage, in movies, and on television.
Stage Performances
On stage, Smith has won several awards. He received three Drama-Logue Awards for his acting. These awards were for his performances in plays like Billy Budd, Idiot's Delight, and Green Grow the Lilacs.
Film Roles
In movies, Kurtwood Smith is famous for playing villains and strong characters. One of his most memorable film roles was Clarence Boddicker in the science fiction movie RoboCop (1987). He also played the strict father, Mr. Perry, in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society.
He has appeared in many other films. These include A Time to Kill and Deep Impact (1998). In 2022, he played Dr. Joseph Wanless in the movie Firestarter.
Television Roles
Kurtwood Smith is perhaps best known for his television work. His most famous TV role is Red Forman in the sitcom That '70s Show. He played the grumpy but loving father from 1998 to 2006. He returned to this role in the sequel series That '90s Show, which started in 2023.
After That '70s Show, Smith continued to work in TV. He played Senator Blaine Mayer in the action thriller 24. He also had a recurring role as an FBI agent in the series Medium. From 2014 to 2015, he played Henry Langston in the ABC sci-fi drama Resurrection. He was also a regular on the Amazon series Patriot from 2015 to 2018.
Voice Acting and Other Appearances
Kurtwood Smith has also done a lot of voice acting for animated shows and video games. He voiced General Galapagos in the animated series Terrible Thunderlizards. He also voiced Bob Johnson on Squirrel Boy and Kanjar Ro in Green Lantern: First Flight.
In video games, he voiced General Dekker in Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. He also voiced characters in FreeSpace 2. More recently, he voiced Carpenter K. Smith in the stop-motion series Ultra City Smiths (2021). He also voiced Alistair Clawbottom in Monsters at Work in 2024.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Kurtwood Smith para niños