Memories of the Kevin Tod Smith fan site...

 

The Temple of Ares was one of the most popular interactive sites devoted to actor Kevin Tod Smith, the talented performer (dramatic and comedic actor, singer, and musician) from New Zealand who, among other film, television, and stage roles, portrayed "Ares, God of War" on the related trio of popular international television series:

Although several web sites, mailing lists, and various forums dedicated to his career eventually sprang up on the Internet, one of the first was The Temple of Ares, created on March 15, 1995 by fan Fireheart, as a series of SciFi Channel billboard forums. The Temple attracted fans of all ages from around the globe, allowing us to gather together to discuss Kevin and all of his various performances.

 

The Temple supported and encouraged role-playing through fan-fiction stories, which permitted interaction between participant-created characters and those characters from the ancient world depicted in the trio of shows. Participants jointly created a virtual history and, in real life, developed still-ongoing friendships, through Internet and in-person contacts. Many of the participants met Kevin and one another while attending conventions.

 

Besides his portrayal of the "God of War", the "mortal look-alike actor" also portrayed "Ares, God of Love" [from an alternate universe], "Iphicles" [Hercules' mortal half-brother and, eventually, King of Corinth], "Jerry Patrick Brown" [head writer for H:TLJ], "Bacchus" [traditionally, the Roman god of wine and drinking, but, for the shows, one of Ares' Olympian half-brothers, leader of the Bacchae], and "Timor" [a mortal Ares look-alike].

 

Ares,God of Love

Iphicles

Jerry Patrick Brown

Bacchus

Timor

        

On the evening of October 19, 2001, Temple participants Allura, Amethysta, Arebella, Desire, Erik/Scarecrow, Scorpia, and S�ildhe, in town for Kevin's next-day convention appearance, held the first live Temple meeting at a sidewalk caf� outside of the Phoenix Hyatt Regency Downtown Hotel. Meanwhile, a car pulled up at the intersection in front of the group, waiting for the traffic signal to change. Kevin, who was a passenger in that vehicle, hung out of the window, yelled, and waved "hello". Read more about that weekend here. This is just one of the numerous times when Kevin's actions provided affirmation that he cared as much about his fans - our friends - as we cared about him.

 

 

Additional Temple-related links are listed here.

 

 

 

We send out a resounding "Thank you!" to the "Founders (a.k.a. High Priestesses) of the Temple":

     Fireheart

     Zepgirl (also President of the Kevin Smith Official Fan Club U.S.A.)

     Surabufix (also co-creator of the Welcome Packet)

 

We also offer grateful acknowledgement to the following for their contributions:

          Victory (creator of Temple meetings)

     

     Keepers of the Galleries

          Kynkari (creator of the original gallery, version 1)

          kriket (creator of the gallery addition, version 2)

          Klemena (creator of the gallery addition, version 3)

 

          Fushia (co-creator of the Welcome Packet and creator of the Warlords/Outlaws gallery)

 

 

 

Kevin brought us together. Together, we remember, here.

 

 

 

 

As "God of War" and actor: Kevin was equally mighty whether wielding "Ares' Sword of Power" or an autograph pen.

 

 

Kevin Tod Smith

 

Kevin was born on March 16, 1963 in Auckland, New Zealand. His family spent a couple of years in Sydney, Australia, and then moved to Timaru, New Zealand when Kevin was 11. In 1979, he met Suzanne, whom he wed in 1984. His fans will forever be grateful to her because, in 1987, she entered him in an audition for the touring musical tribute to Elvis Presley, Are You Lonesome Tonight, starting him in his performing career.

 

During the first years of the Temple's existence, Kevin did not personally have Internet access, although he, through friends, remained aware of what was available online about him. On more than one occasion since then, though, Kevin admitted to having visited several sites about him, including having lurked at the Temple of Ares for about three years [i.e. circa 1999-2002]. He admitted that he and his wife really enjoyed the fan-fiction stories at the Temple because they were "scintillating, suggestive, yet never vulgar."

 

Kevin's last two convention appearances were in Dearborn, Michigan and Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. in October 2001. Following this and a major role in the film Riverworld, Kevin completed filming his starring-role segments in the film Warriors of Virtue 2: The Return to Tao.

 

On February 6, 2002, while Kevin waited at the Chinese film studio for his ride to take him to the Beijing airport to catch his flight home, he apparently climbed and fell from a castle-like tower-set on the premises. Never recovering from the critical injuries sustained in that fall, Kevin left this earthly plane on February 16, 2002.

 

He is survived by his beloved wife Suzanne and their sons Oscar (born 1991), Tyrone (born 1993), and Willard (born 1997), his parents Geoff and Yvonne, and his sister Sandra. We, his fans, extend our condolences to his family and friends, and our gratitude for sharing this wonderful man with the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credits

 

Disclaimer:

This is an unofficial fan site. Images are used for non-profit illustrative purposes only and � to their respective owners.

 

Unless otherwise noted, ALL text, photographs, and images used on these pages are � Wendy L. Carson. They may not be reproduced in any manner or used for any purpose without Wendy's written permission.

 

Original dungeon jpeg (artist unknown) and wav sound file courtesy of kriket (from Temple Gallery version 2).

Original "Ares' throne" jpeg courtesy of Sandy Hall a.k.a. Zinelady.

Original "Kevin Smith as Ares" photo courtesy of Creation Entertainment Inc.

"H:TLJ," "X:WP," and "YH" logos courtesy of Renaissance Pacific Pictures.

"Kevin Smith as Ares with sword (from TLW)" image courtesy of Kallisto.

"Kevin Smith signing autographs at Orlando Con 1999" image courtesy of Kym Sturdevant a.k.a. Ped's.

Some biographical information courtesy of Ped's Kevin Tod Smith Timeline and Whoosh!.

"Kevin Smith as" -

"Ares, God of Love (from SIASW)" and "Jerry Patrick Brown (from YVTIAH)" images courtesy of KimD's Xena/Hercules Hunk Page.

"Iphicles (from WIAN)" image courtesy of Karesia and Karesia's Kards.

"Bacchus (from YH)" and "Timor (from YH Con Ares)" screen caps courtesy of JinXavier and Julie Stoller's .

 

"Kevin Smith" publicity photo courtesy of The Official Kevin Tod Smith Trust Foundation.

"Candle" gif (artist unknown) courtesy of .

 

 

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