Paul L. Smith
Paul Lawrence Smith (June 24, 1936 – April 25, 2012) was an American-Israeli actor. Burly, bearded and imposing, he appeared in feature films and occasionally on television since the 1960s, generally playing "heavies" and bad guys. His most notable roles include Hamidou, the vicious prison guard in Midnight Express (1978), Bluto in Robert Altman's Popeye (1980), Gideon in the ABC miniseries Masada (1981), Glossu "Beast" Rabban in David Lynch's Dune (1984) and Falkon in Red Sonja (1985).
Also recorded as Paul Lawrence Smith · P. L. Smith · P.L. Smith
Paul L. Smith

Yoni S.Hamenachem · Yoni S.Hamenachem File:Ovadya.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Paul L.
- Birth Name
- Paul Lawrence Smith
- Born
- 24 June 1936
- Birthplace
- Everett, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Died
- 25 April 2012
- Place of death
- Ra'anana, Israel
- Education
- Brandeis University, Florida State University
- Occupation
- Actor
- Spouse
- * Eve Smith (m.?–2012)
- Full name
- Paul Lawrence Smith.
- Nationality
- United States · Israel
- Fields
- film acting · film direction · film production
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Documentary summary
Paul Lawrence Smith (June 24, 1936 – April 25, 2012) was an American-Israeli actor. Burly, bearded and imposing, he appeared in feature films and occasionally on television since the 1960s, generally playing "heavies" and bad guys. His most notable roles include Hamidou, the vicious prison guard in Midnight Express (1978), Bluto in Robert Altman's Popeye (1980), Gideon in the ABC miniseries Masada (1981), Glossu "Beast" Rabban in David Lynch's Dune (1984) and Falkon in Red Sonja (1985).
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wikidata · Q949387 · wikipedia · Paul L. Smith
In this article
Biography
Biography
He was most frequently credited as Paul Smith or Paul L. Smith, but was also billed as P. Smith and Paul Lawrence Smith.

On the top, from left to right: Paul L. Smith, Uri Zohar, Joe Jaffer and George Abdías. On bottom, from left to right: Elian Moisés, Yona Elian and Rachel Forman. The Bull Buster (1975)
Yoni S.Hamenachem
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Paul L. Smith • Birth Name — Paul Lawrence Smith • Born — 24 June 1936 • Birthplace — Everett, Massachusetts, U.S. • Died — 25 April 2012 • Place of death — Ra'anana, Israel • Other Names — Paul Smith Paul Lawrence Smith Bob Spencer Adam Eden • Education — Brandeis University, Florida State University • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1960–1999 • Spouse — * Eve Smith (m.?–2012) • Children — 1
Career
Career
Smith's first acting role, at age 24, was in Otto Preminger's 1960 epic Exodus, which was filmed in Israel. This was his first visit to the country. In 1967, Smith returned to Israel as a Mahal volunteer in the Six-Day War and remained for six years, appearing in locally filmed features and television productions. He received director credit on the 1970 documentary Milhemet 20 HaShanim (War of 20 Years) and the 1972 crime drama Jacko Vehayatzaniot (Jacko and the Prostitute or Tel Aviv Call Girls). Between 1973 and 1977, Smith made a series of Italian films with Michael Coby (pseudonym of Antonio Cantafora), a couple formed with the purpose of copying the successful films of the duo Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. Smith played Bud Spencer-like characters while Coby was a Terence Hill lookalike in Bud & Terence-fashion. One of these films, Convoy Buddies, was selected for American release by Film Ventures International, and producer Edward L. Montoro changed Smith's name to "Bob Spencer" and Cantafora's name to "Terrence Hall". Smith sued, successfully arguing that an actor's name recognition is vital to his career. The judicial system agreed and ruled against FVI, which paid Smith damages and court costs. Smith made appearances in such films as 21 Hours at Munich (1976), Midnight Express (1978), as Bluto in Popeye (1980), and as Glossu Rabban in Dune (1984). On television, he appeared in such established series as Emergency!, CHiPS, Wonder Woman, Barney Miller and Hawaii Five-O.
Personal life
Personal life
On April 25, 2012, Smith died in Ra'anana from undisclosed causes, at the age of 75.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1960 — Exodus — Jewish Prisoner Peretz Geffner — Uncredited • 1963 — Have Gun – Will Travel — Sven — Episode: "The Eve of St. Elmo" • 1965 — Homicide — Dudley Stark — Episode: "Dead on Two" • 1970 — Alle hatten sich abgewandt — Feister — TV movie • Madron — Gabe Price — Uncredited • Milhemet 20 HaShanim — Director • 1971 — Fishke Bemilu'im — Shmil • 1972 — Nahtche V'Hageneral — Also director • Jacko Vehayatzaniot • 1973 — Koreyim Li Shmil — Shmiel • Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus — Peter — Also production manager • 1974 — Moses the Lawgiver — Rebel — TV miniseries • Carambola! — Clem Rodovam • Emergency! — Security Director — Episode: "The Bash" • Alcohol: The Choice — Short film • 1975 — Carambola's Philosophy: In the Right Pocket — Len • Convoy Buddies — Simone / Toby • Conspiracy of Terror — Pound Supervisor — TV movie • We Are No Angels — Raphael McDonald • 1976 — The Diamond Peddlers — Simone / Toby • 21 Hours at Munich — Gutfreund — TV movie • 1977 — Return of the Tiger — Paul the Westerner • 1978 — CHiPs — Announcer — Episode: "Disaster Squad" • Midnight Express — Hamidou • 1979 — Wonder Woman — Simon Rohan — Episode: "Spaced Out" • Barney Miller — Leon Stipanich — Episode: "Graveyard Shift" • The In-Laws — Mo • The Frisco Kid — Person on Philadelphia dock — Uncredited • Hawaii Five-O — Andy Kamoku — Episode: "A Lion in the Streets" • Disaster on the Coastliner — Jim Waterman — TV movie • Going in Style — Radio Announcer — Voice • 1980 — Popeye — Bluto • The Toni Tennille Show — Self — Episode: "#1.44" • 1981 — Masada — Gideon — TV miniseries • The Salamander — The Surgeon • 1982 — When I Am King — Sir Blackstone Hardtack • Pieces — Willard • 1983 — Sadat — King Farouk — TV miniseries • Raiders in Action — Saul the Priest • 1984 — Jungle Warriors — Cesar Santiago • Dune — Glossu Rabban • 1985 — Crimewave — Faron Crush • The Protector — Mr. Booar — Uncredited • Red Sonja — Falkon • Sno-Line — Duval • 1986 — Haunted Honeymoon — Dr. Paul Abbot • 1987 — Gor — Surbus • Terminal Entry — Stewart — Also associate producer • 1988 — Outlaw Force — Inspector Wainright • Death Chase — Steele • 1989 — Sonny Boy — Slue • Ten Little Indians — Elmo Rodgers • You're Famous — Paul • The Hired Gun — Wounded Man • Crazy Camera • 1990 — Crossing the Line — Joe Kapinski • Caged Fury — Head Guard — Also associate producer • 1991 — Eye of the Widow — Elko • 1992 — Desert Kickboxer — Santos • 1994 — Maverick — Archduke • 1999 — D.R.E.A.M. Team — Vladimir Corzon — TV movie • 2008 — Paul Smith: The Reddest Herring — Himself — Extended interview featured on the North American DVD release of Pieces, where he discusses the film, his life, and career
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Smith was recorded at birth as Paul Lawrence Smith. The authorities additionally record the headings Paul Lawrence Smith, P.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2012
Paul L. Smith died at Ra'anana.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Everett.
Birth place
Ra'anana.
Death place
Discography
• I'm Mean (1980)
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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