Character actor Lionel Mark Smith died of cancer on 13 February 2008. Born 5 February 1946 in Chicago, Illinois, he appeared in seven David Mamet films, including Edmond (2005) and Homicide (1991), and many of his plays.
Mamet wrote to the Los Angeles Times of Smith: “He never made anything up, he always told the truth, and every scene and every project was better for his presence.”
Talking about growing up, Smith said “My father was a heroin dealer and my mother died of alcoholism… I had to think my way out of the ghetto.” He served in the US Army in Germany during the Vietnam War.
His genre film appearances include: Stuck (2007), King of the Ants (2003), and Galaxina (1980). His genre television appearances include: The Zeta Project (2001) and Batman: The Animated Series (1993).
Smith was divorced twice, and has no immediate survivors.