John Ward Smith, better known as Smilin' Jack Smith, was a renowned American radio crooner, whose popularity spanned the 1940s and 1950s. Born on Bainbridge Island, across Puget Sound from Seattle, Washington, Jack was named after the fort where his father, Walter Reed Smith, Sr., was stationed as the captain of the naval destroyer USS Dixie. His younger brother, Walter Reed Smith II, would later become a well-respected character actor and occasional leading man.
Following his parents' divorce at the age of 11, Jack, an exceptional student, decided to pursue a career in architecture, following in the footsteps of three of his uncles. However, at the age of 15, he landed a job as the lead singer in a trio at the Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel's famed Cocoanut Grove, replacing Bing Crosby's trio, The Rhythm Boys, who had just been fired. The group, which would later call themselves The Three Ambassadors, clicked and managed to secure consistent work in upscale hotels and clubs from San Francisco to New York.
The trio earned choral jobs in several movies, including Walking on Air (1936),in which they sang "My Heart Wants to Dance" and appeared on popular radio programs such as "The Philip Morris Show," "Your Hit Parade," and "The Kate Smith Hour." The trio disbanded in 1939, and Jack, a strong baritone with a tenor lilt, embarked on a solo career. Some of his popular hits included "I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time," "Civilization," and "Jack, Jack, Jack."
Jack earned his own radio show in 1945, which featured established singing stars such as Dinah Shore, Margaret Whiting, and Ginny Simms. Following a guest appearance in the musical film Make Believe Ballroom (1949),Jack was offered a secondary role in the Warner Bros. film On Moonlight Bay (1951) opposite Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. However, he turned down the role when it was repeated in the sequel By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953),as radio fans did not like the unflattering image of him.
Radio lost its core audience with the advent of television, and Jack subsequently lost his show in 1952. He shifted gears and became the TV host of the long-running show You Asked for It (1950) during the 1958-1959 season, which answered viewers' requests for unusual stunts, sights, and other attractions. Jack stayed with the show in various syndicated versions until 1991.
Throughout his career, which spanned over six decades, Jack was married to former actress Victoria Stuart until her death in 2003. He followed her at the age of 92, succumbing to leukemia.
