Reid Smith (May 8, 1949 - October 16, 2001) was an American actor who appeared as Carol 'Wheels' Simpson in S3's Dueling Skates.
Biography[]
Born in Burbank, California, USA as Reid Bryce Smith, the son of a part-time model and television announcer, Verne Smith, whose voice introduced the ABC sitcom, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Verne Smith left the family when Reid was only five. By the time he was nine, Smith was working to help support his mother and three sisters. He claimed to have dreamed of becoming a gangster but went into legitimate business instead: "I was always thinking of ways to beat the system, to play the Monopoly game and win." [1]
Smith put himself through University of California at Los Angeles and majored in economics and television production. He made television commercials and sold used cars. He maintained a dual career as an actor and successful real estate developer, He invested his first $7,000 in a $48,000 residence and resold it for $60,000. He now counts six cars in his garages—including a $69,000 Cobra. He also dabbled in Appaloosa horses, art, and antiques. Reid Smith was in relationships with Jaclyn Smith (1976 - 1977) and Maud Adams (1978 - 1981).
He died on October 16, 2001 in Burbank.
Career[]
As an actor his first two credits came in 1970, for the movies Bad Blood and Dinah East, the latter of which was controversial (about a glamorous old school Hollywood star who was revealed to be transgender and which helped to get his name noticed. In the following years, he appeared in episodes of Bonanza, Columbo and Jigsaw. In 1973, Smith was cast in the supporting role of Officer Norm Hamilton in twenty episodes of Jack Webb’s NBC police drama, Chase, starring Mitchell Ryan in the title role of Captain Chase Reddick. Wayne Maunder had a recurring role as Sergeant Sam MacCray. At mid-season, Smith was fired because Webb considered him lacking in motivation and dedication to acting. "I quit my acting lessons, quit trying to learn. I had a great opportunity, and I blew it," Smith later rued. [1]
By 1980, he was cast to replace Charles Frank in the role of Lester Hackett in the CBS western miniseries, The Chisholms, with Robert Preston in the lead as the patriarch of a Virginia family headed by wagon train to California.
He was an actor, as “Vic McGraw” in the 1980 episode “Mrs. Rosco P. Coltrane” of CBS’s The Dukes of Hazard, He appeared as Teddy Bennett in the 1983 episode “Steele Among the Living” of NBC’s Remington Steele and as Tad in the 1983 miniseries Malibu and as “Slade” in the episode entitled “Annie Oakley” on CBS’s Airwolf, with Jan-Michael Vincent( 1984). He guest starred as “Larry” in the 1987 episode “The Siege, Part 2” of ABC’s Dynasty. In 1990, he appeared as Douglas Wittenberg in the episode “On Your Honor” of NBC’s L.A. Law. He appeared posthumously as Mr. Battung in the 2004 film Silent Years.
Mork & Mindy[]
He appeared as Carol 'Wheels' Simpson, the spoiled and roller skating obsessed son of local land magnet Paul Simpson. Who is only concerned with his own business and fortunes, even to the exclusion of the welfare of the children in the Pine Tree Child Care Center that Mork works at, which he plans to turn into a parking lot for his Roller Rink in Dueling Skates.