William Smithers, the veteran character actor best known for playing ruthless oilman Jeremy Wendell on the CBS primetime soap opera “Dallas,” died on May 26, 2026, in Santa Barbara, California. He was 98 years old.
The Virginia native served in the Navy during World War II before pursuing his passion for acting. A member of The Actors Studio, Smithers began his career on the stage and received an Obie Award in 1957 for his performance in Chekhov’s “The Seagull.”
His Broadway credits included “Romeo and Juliet” in 1951, where he and actress Olivia de Havilland both made their Great White Way debuts, earning Smithers a Theatre World Award. He also appeared in “Legend of Lovers” alongside Richard Burton, “End as a Man,” “The Square Root of Wonderful,” and “Man and Boy.” His theatrical experience also included “The Shadow of a Gunman,” in which he shared the stage with Bruce Dern.
Smithers moved to Los Angeles in 1965 to pursue an onscreen career. His first significant television role came in 1965-66 when he portrayed Peyton Mill owner David Schuster on ABC’s “Peyton Place,” widely recognized as television’s first primetime soap opera. He made memorable guest appearances, including playing Captain R.M. Merik, a one-time Federation officer presiding over Roman gladiators, in the original “Star Trek” episode “Bread and Circuses,” which premiered on March 15, 1968. He later appeared on “Hawaii Five-O” and numerous other series.
Smithers portrayed Jeremy Wendell, the steely chairman of WestStar Oil, on “Dallas” in 1981 and from 1984 to 1989, appearing in 50 episodes. His character gave nemesis J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, all he could handle as a cutthroat competitor in the oil business. Smithers later reflected that working with Hagman was challenging because their characters were always competitors, adding that Hagman was a strong actor and that he felt he had to be at the top of his game when working with him, calling the experience very stimulating.
Despite the prominent role, Smithers ultimately left “Dallas” over a pay dispute. He indicated that his agent was convinced the producers would meet their requested figure, but they did not, which ended his tenure on the show.
On the big screen, Smithers specialized in playing heavies throughout his career. He portrayed a principled infantry officer in director Robert Aldrich’s “Attack” in 1956, marking his film debut. He went on to appear as a police captain in “Trouble Man” in 1972, a spy in “Scorpio” in 1973, and most famously as the unbending Warden Barrot in Franklin J. Schaffner’s “Papillon” in 1973, starring Steve McQueen.
Like Olivia de Havilland, Smithers took on a Hollywood studio in court and won. In 1976, while starring on the short-lived CBS drama “Executive Suite,” he became involved in a highly publicized legal battle that would cement his place in entertainment law history. He sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), claiming the studio had violated his contract, which stipulated that with three named exceptions, no other cast member could receive more money or better billing than he did. Smithers alleged that an MGM executive had threatened to blacklist him in Hollywood if he followed through with the lawsuit.
Despite the intimidation, Smithers pressed forward with the case. Both a jury and the California Supreme Court found in his favor. The case became a landmark now taught in entertainment law courses across the country.
In the 2000s, Smithers turned his focus back to theater and radio work. He founded the Santa Barbara Theater of the Air, which broadcast plays for radio audiences. From 2010 to 2013, he co-hosted and co-produced the television program “Just Between Us” alongside his wife, S. Lorraine Boos Hull, who died in 2022.
Details about the cause of Smithers’ death have not been disclosed. Smithers lived in Santa Barbara until his death. He leaves behind a legacy as a respected character actor who brought gravitas and intensity to villainous roles while also standing up for actors’ rights in a way that changed the industry. His portrayal of Jeremy Wendell remains one of the most memorable antagonists in primetime soap opera history, and his six-decade career demonstrated remarkable range across multiple mediums.