{"id":1846,"date":"2026-06-17T04:36:42","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T04:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hometransferguide.com\/?p=1846"},"modified":"2026-06-17T04:36:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T04:36:42","slug":"dallas-star-william-smithers-dead-at-98","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hometransferguide.com\/?p=1846","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Dallas\u2019 Star William Smithers Dead At 98"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n

Veteran actor William Smithers, best known for his role as oilman Jeremy Wendell on the prime-time soap opera \u201cDallas\u201d died at the age of 98.<\/p>\n

Read more Vance Crosses Into Enemy Territory On \u2018The View\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

The Santa Barbara Independent announced the news of his passing June 15, but did not disclose his cause of death.<\/p>\n

Smithers enlisted in the Navy as a Seaman 1st Class and was officially discharged in 1946 when World War II ended.<\/p>\n

He began his acting career with a Broadway debut in 1951 in the Dwight Deere Wiman production of \u201cRomeo and Juliet,\u201d and received a Theater World Award for his performance. From there, his career took off, and in addition to a variety of Broadway roles, he amassed an impressive list of credits on the small screen, and in film.<\/p>\n

Smithers is remembered for his portrayal of Wendell in the hit series \u201cDallas,\u201d appearing from 1981 and again from 1984 to 1989. His memorable performance and his character\u2019s ruthless demeanor made him a standout presence on the show and left a lasting impression on fans.<\/p>\n

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His earlier roles included a portrayal of\u00a0Peyton Mill owner David Schuster from 1965-66 on TV\u2019s first primetime soap, ABC\u2019s\u201d Peyton Place,\u201d and an appearance on\u00a0the original \u201cStar Trek\u201d episode \u201cBread and Circuses,\u201d which premiered in March 1968.<\/p>\n

Read more Lefty School District Sat On Its Hands As Jewish Middle Schooler Was Bullied And Strangled, Lawsuit Alleges<\/a><\/p>\n

Smithers\u2019 big-screen roles included \u201cAttack,\u201d \u201cTrouble Man,\u201d \u201cScorpio,\u201d and \u201cPapillon.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He appeared on television in \u201cThe Defenders, Combat!\u201d, \u201cIt Takes a Thief,\u201d \u201cMission: Impossible,\u201d \u201cThe Mod Squad,\u201d \u201cWalker, Texas Ranger,\u201d and \u201cIronside,\u201d to name a few.<\/p>\n

Off-screen, Smithers found himself at the center of a dispute with MGM that ultimately helped reshape business practices within the entertainment industry. While starring on the CBS drama \u201cExecutive Suite,\u201d he claimed the studio violated his contract and he pursued legal action against MGM.<\/p>\n

Smithers claimed his contract stated that aside from three clearly named exceptions, no other member of the cast would be paid a higher wage than his. He took his battle to court and the jury and the California Supreme Court ruled in his favor. (RELATED: Actress Who Was Model For Disney\u2019s Animated Tinker Bell, Margaret Kerry, Dead At 97)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now considered a landmark lawsuit, Smithers vs. MGM is taught as part of the curriculum in entertainment law courses, according to The Santa Barbara Independent.<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018The State Enabled Them\u2019: British MP Rupert Lowe Releases Horrifying Report On Migrant Rape Gangs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Veteran actor William Smithers, best known for his role as oilman Jeremy Wendell on the prime-time soap opera “Dallas” died at the age of 98.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1845,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2181,317,273,2182,318],"class_list":["post-1846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting","tag-dallas","tag-death","tag-lawsuit","tag-mgm","tag-obituary"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Dallas\u2019 Star William Smithers Dead At 98 - Home Transfer Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hometransferguide.com\/?p=1846\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Dallas\u2019 Star William Smithers Dead At 98 - 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