Trivia

Competed in motocross events with Steve McQueen and doubled as one of the track riders in C.C. & Company (1970).

Bruce Lee personally offered Smith the co-lead in Enter the Dragon (1973), but another film went over schedule and John Saxon stepped into the role.

Direct descendant of Western figures Kit Carson and Daniel Boone.

Child actor in both "A" and "B" movies of the 1940s. He stated in a horror magazine that during breaks on the set of The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), in which Smith played a village boy, the film's star Lon Chaney Jr., treated all of the children on the set to ice cream.

Performed over 5,100 continuous sit-ups over a five-hour period.

Spoke fluent French, Italian, and Russian.

Studied kung fu for eight years with Jimmy Woo and kenpo karate master Ed Parker.

Threw the discus 151 feet at a time when the top AAU distance was 150.6 feet.

Had a 31-1 record as an amateur boxer

Filmed an eight-minute test pilot portraying Caine for the TV series Kung Fu (1972), wearing prosthetic eyepieces to make him appear Chinese. The network wanted Smith for the role, but producer Jerry Thorpe ultimately deemed him too muscular and menacing.

Inducted into the Venice Muscle Beach Bodybuilding Hall of Fame 2010.

Won the Light-Heavyweight German-Austrian Boxing Championship while in the US Air Force.

Fought California wildfires in the early 1950s.

Honorary member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures.

Won a Muscle Beach contest by performing 35 inverted handstand dips

Two-time Arm Wrestling World Champion--200-lb. class, Petaluma, CA.

Training partner of first Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott.

Played semi-pro football for the Wiesbaden Flyers in Germany.

Appeared in the final episode of Batman (1966), the first episode of The Rockford Files (1974), and although he was in the final season cast, he was not in the final episode of Hawaii Five-O (1968), he received on-screen credit only.

Competed as a downhill skier in AAU events at Mammoth Mountain, CA.

Had one son (William Emmett Smith III) with first wife, Michele Smith, and one daughter (Sherri Anne Cervelli DOB: April 24, 1980) with his second wife, Joanne Cervelli.

Worked as a lifeguard on the French Riviera.

Held the US Air Force Light-Heavyweight Weightlifting Championship.

Lifetime Achievement Award from Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness

Being a record-holder for reverse-curling his own body weight was a rumor. The correct weight he reverse-curled was 163 lbs.

Turned down the role of Tarzan at MGM but later stunt-doubled for former Tarzan Lex Barker while living in France.

His favorite writer was Fyodor Dostoevsky.

His parents were William E. Smith (1891-1973) and Emily (Richards) Smith (1895-1976). He and his elder sister (by two years), Emily, were named for their parents. William was born on his mother's 38th birthday.

Recipient of the 2005 Southern California Motion Picture Council Award and of the 2008 Silver Spur Award.

During a 4 year stint in the U S Air Force he held the Light Heavyweight Weightlifting title.

Worked as a trainer at [XXXXX]'s Hollywood Gym.

Speaks fluent Russian, German and French.

Holds an arts degree.

Body Cremated and Ashes given to family.