Howard Smith

Film producer and director Smith produced and directed, with Sarah Kernochan, the Oscar-winning feature-length documentary film, Marjoe, in 1972, about the evangelist Marjoe Gortner. He followed up with a documentary film in 1977, called Gizmo!, about improbable inventions of modern times, caught on film.

He covered many of the tumultuous era's most legendary events including Woodstock, from which America heard his live radio reports, broadcast around the clock for five full days.

Lecturer and pundit Smith became particularly well known for his insights into the growing influence and economic power of America's rapidly expanding youth culture. As a result, he frequently lectured and was a guest on many network television shows.

1990s and beyond In the early 1990s, Smith shifted his creative focus to concentrate his activities in the world of non-profit organizations. Amongst these, he was a board member, and Director of Operations for the Mood Disorders Support Group of New York (MDSG), a New York City organization helping people with depression, manic depression, and their families and friends.

His sister, Barbara Tripp, attributed the end of his writing career to his manic depression. In their program they called it "a lost gem".

Smith had kept the original audio reels in his loft, until his son Cass Calder Smith discovered them. and as a limited edition CD box set. The collection featured full length audio interviews with many influential artists of the day, including Lou Reed, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton and Jim Morrison. Additionally, digital albums are distributed via iTunes. A comprehensive book of interview transcripts was published in 2015 by Princeton Architectural Press. The Limited Edition box set was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for its art director, Masaki Koike.

Personal life Smith was the divorced father of two sons.