William Smithers

Marion Wilkinson Smithers Jr. (July 10, 1927 — May 26, 2026), known professionally as William Smithers, was an American actor best known for his recurring roles as David Schuster in Peyton Place from 1965 to 1966 and as Jeremy Wendell in the television series Dallas in 1981 and from 1984 to 1989.

Early life and career Smithers was born on July 10, 1927,

In 1951, he made his Broadway debut as Tybalt in the Dwight Deere Wiman production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Olivia de Havilland; for this performance he received a Theater World Award. In 1952, he was accepted as a life member of The Actors Studio. In 1957, he received an Obie Award for his portrayal of Treplev in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull.

Stage His other Broadway plays included Jean Anouilh's Legend of Lovers, Calder Willingham's End as a Man, (begun as a project at the Actors Studio), Carson McCullers's The Square Root of Wonderful and Terence Rattigan's Man and Boy (performed in London and New York).

Off-Broadway, he played leading roles in Frank Gilroy's Who'll Save the Plowboy? (Obie Award, Best Drama), Willingham's End as a Man (before the production went to Broadway), George Bellak's The Troublemakers and Sean O'Casey's Shadow of a Gunman (also begun as a Studio project).

Film and television In 1965, Smithers moved to Los Angeles to play "David Schuster" in the television series Peyton Place for nine months. He also played Stanley Norris on the soap opera Guiding Light from 1970 to 1971, and, from 1976 to 1977, was a cast member in the series Executive Suite.

He appeared in nearly 400 television productions, including The Invaders, Barnaby Jones, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Star Trek, Combat!, Mission: Impossible, and Hawaii Five-O, as well as feature films such as Attack (1956), Trouble Man (1972), Scorpio (1973), Papillon (1973), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), and Deathsport (1978).

In 1981 and from 1984 to 1989, he played oil baron Jeremy Wendell on the prime-time soap opera Dallas.

Later life and death Smithers lived in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife, acting teacher S. Loraine Boos Hull, known as Lorrie Hull Smithers (August 5, 1928 – January 10, 2022). She authored Strasberg's Method: As Taught by Lorrie Hull. With Smithers, she co-produced an acting-training DVD The Method).

From 2003 to 2005, he created, produced and directed the Santa Barbara Theatre of the Air for KCSB radio, broadcasting works of classic and contemporary playwrights.

From 2010 to 2013, he and his wife were co-hosts and co-producers of the Santa Barbara Channels (now TV Santa Barbara) television interview program Just Between Us! Seven episodes of this program were named finalists for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 WAVE (Western Access Video Excellence) Awards.

In 2010 and 2011, Smithers served on the Board of Directors of TV Santa Barbara. In December 2015, he was appointed by the Santa Barbara City Council to the city's Arts Advisory Committee.

Smithers died on May 26, 2026, at the age of 98.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1956 Attack Lt. Harold 'Harry' Woodruff 1964 The Parisienne and the Prudes Henry 1972 Trouble Man Captain Joe Marx 1973 Scorpio Mitchell 1973 Papillon Warden Barrot 1978 Deathsport Dr. Karl

Television Year Title Role Notes 1952-1953 Suspense Joe Cable 4 episodes 1953 Mister Peepers Jerry 1 episode 1954 The Shadow Alex Bromm TV Movie 1955-1956 General Electric Theater Ray Poole 2 episodes 1955-1957 Studio One 6 episodes 1955-1961 Armstrong Circle Theatre Bill 5 episodes 1957 Omnibus Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill season 5, episode 16 - Lee at Gettysburg 1957 The Seven Lively Arts Bill season 1, episode 2 - The World of Nick Adams 1958 Harbourmaster Chris season 1, episode 24 - Strangers in Town 1959 True Story Johnny Burgess 1 episode 1960-1961 The Witness Committee Member 6 episodes 1962-1963 Young Doctor Malone Lt. Flagler 1964 Espionage Crawford Layton season 1, episode 24 - A Tiny Drop of Poison 1964 The Reporter Lieutenant season 1, episode 1 - Extension Seven 1965 The Defenders District Attorney Koch season 4, episode 21 - No-Knock 1965 Combat! Lt. Markes season 3, episode 27 - Cry in the Ruins 1965 Eagle in a Cage Gourgade TV Movie 1965-1966 Peyton Place David Schuster 56 episodes 1966 Shane Del Packard season 1, episode 3 - The Wild Geese 1966 The Road West Sam Gaskins season 1, episode 8 - Piece of Tin 1966 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea John Wilson season 3, episode 12 - The Plant Man 1966 The Felony Squad Roy Madden season 1, episode 13 - The Killer Instinct 1966-1968 Mission: Impossible Frank Egan, Victor Tomar 2 episodes 1967-1968 The Invaders Nat Greely, Adam Lane 2 episodes 1967-1969 The F.B.I. Joseph Kearny, Clay Keller, Frank William Stocker, John Debecker 4 episodes 1967 Jericho Colonel Otto Van Fehrmann season 1, episode 13 - Both Ends Against the Riddle 1967 Judd, for the Defense John Emery season 1, episode 2 - The Deep End 1967 Tarzan Brooks season 2, episode 7 - The Fanatics 1968 Mannix Salvatore Pucci season 1, episode 21 – Eight to Five, It's a Miracle 1968 Star Trek: The Original Series Merik season 2, episode 15 - Bread and Circuses 1968 Premiere Joseph Kane season 1, episode 1 - Call to Danger 1968 Call to Danger Joseph Kane TV Movie 1968 It Takes a Thief Mr. Aiken season 2, episode 16 - The Packager 1968, 1970 The Mod Squad Hank Frederick & Lew Dickens season 1, episode 11 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starlet season 2, episode 19 - Survival House 1969 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Dr. Truesdale season 1, episode 3 - The Rebellion of the Body 1969 The Monk Leo Barnes TV Movie 1969, 1970 Ironside Frank Rich & Ross Farley season 2, episode 19 - A World of Jackals season 3, episode 25 - Tom Dayton is Loose Among Us 1970 Hawaii Five-O Dr. Warren Parker season 2, episode 16 - Bored, She Hung Herself 1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. George Howe season 1, episode 19 - Go Get 'Em Tiger 1970 The Brotherhood of the Bell Dr. Jerry Fielder TV Movie 1970 The Name of the Game Dave Martin 2 episodes 1971 The Neon Ceiling Doctor Miller TV Movie 1972 Cades County William Courtney season 1, episode 14 - One Small, Acceptable Death 1973 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Mark Wade season 2, episode 22 - Final Semester 1973 Hawkins Sam Drummomd season 1, episode 1 - Murder in Movieland 1974 The Rookies Pete Martin season 2, episode 17 - The Late Mr. Brent 1974 The Six Million Dollar Man General Koslenko season 1, episode 6 - Doomsday, and Counting 1974 Cannon Colonel Cade season 4, episode 5 - The Deadly Trail 1974 The Manhunter Jack Hobson season 1, episode 12 - The Lodester Ambush 1975 The Streets of San Francisco Dr. Norman Jessup season 3, episode 19 - The Programming of Charlie Blake 1975, 1979 Barnaby Jones Felix Jordan & Burt Parish season 4, episode 2 - Theater of Fear season 8, episode 8 - Homecoming for a Dead Man 1976-1977 Executive Suite Anderson Gault 18 episodes 1977 Most Wanted Brian Demery season 1, episode 19 - The Death Dealer 1978 The Amazing Spider-Man James Colbert season 2, episode 3 - The Con Caper 1978 Lucan Stockwood season 1, episode 10 - The Creature Beyond the Door 1979, 1982 Quincy, M.E. Senator Al Stevenson & Colonel Hamel season 4, episode 20 - Semperfidelis season 7, episode 9 - Bitter Pill 1980 Where the Ladies Go Mullen TV Movie 1980 The Return of Frank Cannon William Barrett TV Movie 1981-1989 Dallas Jeremy Wendell 50 episodes 1984 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Carling London season 2, episode 5 - Charity Begins at Home 1987 Sledge Hammer! Colonel Poltz season 2, episode 13 - They Call Me Mr. Trunk 1990 Hunter Major Cody season 7, episode 4 - Kill Zone 1994 Walker, Texas Ranger Milo Crane season 3, episode 9 - Payback