Jay R. Smith
Jay R. Smith (born August 29, 1915 in Los Angeles , California , † before or on October 5, 2002 in Las Vegas , Nevada ) was an American actor.
Life
Jay R. Smith was in contrast to most of his fellow actors in the Little Rascals, relatively late for the first time on camera. He made his debut in Boys Will Be Joys in 1925 at the age of ten and took on several major roles on the series when he replaced the overgrown Mickey Daniels as the "Freckled Boy" on the series. Daniels was only a year older than Smith, but even as an adult he was no taller than 152 centimeters and weighed no more than 50 kilograms. Although Smith never achieved great fame, he played in 36 short films over the next four years. In 1929 he decided to voluntarily leave the series because he felt overwhelmed with the rise of the talkie and the associated speaking. In addition to his work with The Little Rascals, Smith also made a small appearance in the 1926 Laurel and Hardy film This Lady is a Guy .
After graduating from high school, Smith joined the United States Army and fought as a soldier in World War II . He then moved to Kailua , Hawaii , where he worked as a sales representative for paints and varnishes. With the money he earned, he later opened a shop as a photographer. In 1956 he married the Hawaiian Florine and they had children and grandchildren. When he retired, he moved to Las Vegas with his wife in the early 1990s. He was a popular go-to party for the Little Rascals , enjoyed attending Hollywood conventions , and giving autographs and reviewing his short-lived acting career. In the year of his death, he worked on the documentary Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story as himself.
The murder
After Smith's wife Florine died in February 2002, he met the 55-year-old homeless man Charles "Wayne" Crombie know. Since Smith was already partially dependent on help because of his advanced age, he took Crombie into his house and employed him as his assistant and carer. In addition, it was his aim to enable the homeless to return to a normal life. Crombie accompanied Smith to meetings with fans and friends.
In mid-October 2002, Smith's children reported their 87-year-old father missing and the Las Vegas police called. Previously, on October 5, 2002, in the Nevada desert - around 25 miles north of Las Vegas - the body of a man who was later identified as Jay R. Smith was found. Soon after, Charles Crombie was arrested, apparently having killed Smith with three stab wounds in his home and then brought his body into the desert. After the murder of the wealthy Smith, Crombie stole his credit card and Buick automobile. He then spent Smith's money in gambling halls in Las Vegas.
Crombie was sentenced to two life sentences in February 2005 with no early release for the robbery and murder of Smith. Only the confession and his repentance prevented the death penalty. Crombie died in Carson City Prison Hospital on July 17, 2014 at the age of 64 after a long illness .
Web links
- Jay R. Smith in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Smith, Jay R. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | US-American actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 29, 1915 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Los Angeles , California |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 5, 2002 |
| Place of death | near Las Vegas , Nevada |