Sid Smith Biography

Fast Facts

• Served in the United States Marines and the Navy during World War II
• Got his first job in the industry as an assistant director for a program featuring jazz guitarist Eddie Condon
• Moved to New York after graduating from the University of Minnesota and worked in advertising
• Quote: "[on directing] "You've gotta have the contingencies and the right cameras ready for that contingency․ It's a jigsaw puzzle game․ It's fun to play․""
• Worked with Bob Hope for 17 years, directing a number of his Christmas specials and traveling the world with him on his USO tours
• Best known as a television director who worked on "Your Hit Parade" and "The Jimmy Durante Show" as well as several Bob Hope Christmas specials
• Produced and directed the classical music series "The Bell Telephone Hour," a continuation of the popular radio show
• Among the other wide-ranging specials he directed were the Miss Universe Pageant and David Copperfield's magic shows