Kevin Smith
Just The Facts
Full Length Bio
Kevin Tod Smith is a native New Zealander, born March 16, 1963 in Auckland. He was in a band named "Say Yes to Apes" from 1983-1986, playing guitar and singing lead. The band made 3 albums and had a loyal following. At 17, Smith moved to Christchurch and worked at various jobs to pay the rent before enrolling in Canterbury University at the age of 20. Kevin played rugby during college, but after getting several concussions, one quite serious, he ended his rugby career. It was during this time that Suzanne saw a casting call ad for the touring company of "Are You Lonesome Tonight", a musical tribute to Elvis Presley. Suzanne had seen Kevin perform Elvis Presley songs in the past with his rock 'n' roll band. So without telling him what she was doing, she signed him up for an audition. When Kevin came home one day, Suzanne announced that he had landed an audition. He got cast as one fo the bodyguards, as well as being uderstudy to the lead. Kevin joined the Court Theatre in Christchurch when he was 24, and went on to play several theatrical roles such as Othello, Arsenic and Old Lace, A Streetcar Named Desire, to name a few. It was during this time that Kevin finally realized that acting was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. A year later, Robert Bruce (an agent) saw Kevin performing in a play. Robert cast Kevin in his new show "Gloss". After Gloss finished Kevin and Suzanne moved to Auckland, where they were unemployed for several months. It was during this time that Suzanne discovered she was pregnant. Kevin picked up a job as a porter to make ends meet until he landed a job at the Mercury Theatre doing "Away Laughing." After Away Laughing ended, Kevin continued to perform at the Mercury Theatre, in productions of Let's Do It, Rose Tattoo, Ladies Night and Fallen Angels. He then went on to star in the primetime drama Marlin Bay. His role on the show lasted two seasons and earned him a 1995 New Zealand Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 1994, Kevin broke onto the silver screen with the movie "Desperate Remedies", a stylistic turn-of-the century drama, which earned international attention at Cannes and other European film festivals. In 1995, Kevin was cast as Ares and Iphicles in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He appeared in several episodes. Then, when Xena: Warrior Princess spun off from Hercules:TLJ, Kevin reprised his role as Ares on Xena. In total, Kevin has appearing in over 30 episodes of Hercules, Xena, and Young Hercules. During this time Kevin tackled the comedy frontier with the improv comedy show "Scared Scriptless". The Scared Scriptless offer came from Kevins friend from "Gloss" Mark Ferguson who is the executive producers of the show. Kevin also starred in the movie Channelling Baby, released in 1998. The movie is set in the 1970s and 1990s, and is about a young hippy woman and a Vietnam vet who fall in love, have a baby. Then Smith's character and the baby mysteriously disappear. Years later the mother teams up with a psychic to find the child. In 1999, Kevin starred as a rebellious undercover cop in the made for TV movie Lawless. It was wildly successful and sequels are in the works. But even with all his success, Kevin had planned to remain in New Zealand with his family, where he could continue to play golf in a sarong, among other things. However, tragedy stuck on February 6, 2002. Kevin was in Beijing, China filming "Warriors of Virtue II". Kevin had been "checking out" some sets at the CCTV Film Studios in Hebei Province, the province surrounding the Chinese capital Beijing. He had climbed to the top of a film tower when he suddenly fell. He hit his head several times on his way down and landed on the tower's stone base in the early hours of February 6. Kevin was semiconscious when he was transported to the local hospital. After a CT scan, hospital staff decided he should be transferred to the main hospital in Beijing. After several days in the coma, Kevin showed signs of recovery but unfortunately on the 4th day his body went into shock and he subsequently passed away on Friday. We all mourn his loss. I express my condolences to his family, friends and fans. Film and Television Appearances Family Life Kevin met Suzanne in 1979 when he was only 16 years old. After a lengthy courtship, they married in 1986. In 1987, Kevin suffered a concussion while playing college rugby. He was forced to sit on the bench during this time, which practically drove him (and probably Suzanne too) nuts! It was during this time that Suzanne saw a casting call ad for the touring company of "Are You Lonesome Tonight", a musical tribute to Elvis Presley. Suzanne had seen Kevin perform Elvis Presley songs in the past with his rock 'n' roll band. So without telling him what she was doing, she signed him up for an audition. When Kevin came home one day, Suzanne announced that he had landed an audition. He got cast as one fo the bodyguards, as well as being uderstudy to the lead. Kevin and Suzanne have 3 sons, Oscar (born in 1991), Tyrone (born 1993) and Willard (born 1997). Kevin and Sue currently make their home in Auckland.
If any of you Kevin fans out there have any awesome photos of Kevin, I would appreciate you sending them to me. Just go to my main page and E-Mail the photo to me. Thanks, much. The Kat.
In case anyone wants to get in touch with Kevin through his snail mail address:
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