Dean Smith

Smith in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Finis Dean Smith
Born	(1932-01-15)January 15, 1932 Breckenridge, Texas, U.S.
Died	June 24, 2023(2023-06-24) (aged 91)
Medal record Men'sathletics Representingthe United States Olympic Games 1952 Helsinki 4 × 100 m relay

Finis Dean Smith (January 15, 1932 – June 24, 2023) was an Americantrack and field athlete, winner of agold medal in the4 × 100 m relay at the1952 Summer Olympics; he was also an actor and noted stuntman, appearing in many films and TV series.^[1][2][3]

Born inBreckenridge, Texas, Smith won theAmateur Athletic Union championships in100 m in1952. At theHelsinkiOlympics, he was fourth in the 100 m and ran the leadoff leg for the American gold medal-winning 4 × 100 m relay team.^[1] As a sprinter on the Longhorn track team, Smith ran a 100-yard dash in 9.4 seconds, one-tenth of a second off theworld record at the time.^[3]

After graduating fromUniversity of Texas at Austin where he ran track and was a member of the Silver Spurs, Smith played professionalfootball for theLos Angeles Rams and thePittsburgh Steelers ahead of his career in Hollywood.^[4]

Later on, Smith competed in amateur rodeo. His events were bareback bronc riding and calf roping. He won championships in both events.^[5] The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association made him an honorary member.^[4] He also participated in the team roping event in Reba McEntire's Pro Celebrity Rodeo in May 1997.^[6]

Following his sports career, Smith performed as a professionalrodeo cowboy and stuntman in variousWestern movies, such asThe Alamo,The Comancheros,How The West Was Won,McLintock!,Rio Conchos,Big Jake,El Dorado, andRio Lobo.^[7][4] He also appeared in such Western TV shows asTales of Wells Fargo,Maverick,Gunsmoke,Lawman,Have Gun Will Travel,The Iron Horse, andWalker, Texas Ranger.^[4]

Some of whatVariety called his "most impressive" stunts included falling out of a two-story building into a hay wagon inMcLintock! (1963) starringMaureen O'Hara.^[4] Smith was noticed by famed directorJohn Ford when working on the 1958Rosalind Russell project,Auntie Mame, and as a result went on to be featured in many of Ford's subsequent films.^[4]

In 2006, he was inducted into theTexas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame.^[8] In 2009, he was inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame.^[9] He is also a member of the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Smith is a member of the Hollywood Stuntman's Hall of Fame.^[10] In 1997, he was named "All American Cowboy", and in 1998, he received aGolden Boot Award.^[11] In 2007, he received the Silver Spur award for his contributions as a stuntman in the film business.^[12]

Smith died on June 24, 2023, at age 91.^[7][13][14]

• Dean Smith atIMDb 
• Dean Smith atWorld Athletics
• Dean Smith atOlympics.com
• Dean Smith atOlympedia

• 1932 births
• 2023 deaths
• People from Breckenridge, Texas
• Track and field athletes from Texas
• American men sprinters
• American stunt performers
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1952 Summer Olympics
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1955 Pan American Games
• Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field
• Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics
• Bareback bronc riders
• Roping (rodeo)
• USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
• Pan American Games track and field athletes for the United States
• Texas Longhorns men's track and field athletes
• American masters athletes
• 20th-century American sportsmen

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