- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRobert Emil Schmidt
- Beloved pioneer TV kids' show host, Buffalo Bob Smith was the co-creator and host of TV's Howdy Doody (1954) for almost its entire thirteen-year run (NBC: 1947 - 1960), being sidelined for a little less than a year by a near-fatal heart attack in 1954. With his open, friendly personality, combined with the antics of the show's puppet and human casts, he won over the hearts of America's baby-boomer children easily, a hold he retains in spirit to this day. After a decade of semi-retirement following the show's cancellation in September 1960, Bob Smith made a huge comeback on the college campus circuit in the early 1970s, including a sold-out engagement at New York City's legendary rock palace, "The Fillmore East".
Although he continued to make sporadic, successful appearances (TV, films, and in person) until the end of his life, his one attempt to bring "Howdy Doody" back as a regular series, in 1976, was regrettably a failure. He and his wife of more than 50 years had three children.
- IMDb mini biography by: Bob Sorrentino
- SpouseMildred Metz(November 28, 1940 - July 30, 1998) (his death, 3 children)
- ChildrenRobin SmithRonald SmithChristopher Smith
- ParentsEmil Henry SchmidtEmma J. Kuehn Schmidt
- Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody
- Native American chieftain costume
- The reason given on the show for his costume was that he was the last part-descendant of the Native American chieftain who had once worn that costume.
- According to Bob, himself, when he wanted to propose to his future wife, the news coming from Europe made him unable to ask his beloved to take his actual name, Schmidt so he changed it to Smith, and they remained Mr. and Mrs. Bob Smith for nearly six decades.
- [on Howdy Doody (1954)] We do constructive things. We talk about safety and good manners and encourage the kids to go to their place of worship on Sunday. And the show is an emotional outlet for children. They like to see Clarabell chase me with a seltzer bottle because it's something they'd like to do.
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