Martha Smith
Date of birth: 1952-10-16
Place of birth: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Known for: Acting
Also known as:
Biography
Out of her hundreds of TV appearances, Martha Smith is perhaps best known as "Francine Desmond", intelligence agent (and nemesis of star Kate Jackson) on the CBS series "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" (1983). Raised in Farmington, MI, Martha--an honor student with a mention in "Who's Who of American Students"--enrolled in Michigan State University at 17 to study psychology. She soon became an in-demand model and spokeswoman, whose travel demands uprooted her from her studies. She was "discovered" by a scout for "Playboy" magazine, selected as a centerfold (Miss July 1973) and promptly sent back on the road on press junkets. That road led to California. With the support of Universal Studios Contract Department, Martha honed her thespian skills in workshops while appearing in featured TV roles ("How the West Was Won" (1978), "Quincy M.E." (1976), "Charlie's Angels" (1976), etc.). Her first major film role was in the comedy blockbuster Animal House (1978), where her "Barbara 'Babs' Jansen" character, a devious cheerleader, was arch-rival to John Belushi's "Bluto". Shortly after, she shared star billing with Debbie Allen in the CBS pilot Ebony, Ivory and Jade (1979) (TV), which marked her professional singing/dancing debut.
Movie Credits
Blood Link
1982-10-15
A man who has been having psychic visions of himself killing naked women soon discovers that it's no
Animal House
1978-07-28
At a 1962 College, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, bu
The Winds of Autumn
1976-06-01
In 1884, an eleven-year-old Quaker boy sets out on his own to seek revenge against a gang of outlaws
Alex and the Doberman Gang
1980-04-11
A more than slightly incompetent private eye inherits five doberman pinschers. The dogs at first cre
A Futile and Stupid Gesture
2018-01-24
In a life full of triumph and failure, "National Lampoon" co-founder Doug Kenney built a comedy empi
Ebony, Ivory and Jade
1979-08-03
In this prospective pilot, Mick Jade, a tennis bum-turned-Las Vegas-song-and-dance man, doubles as a
Hotel
2003-01-01
To the Moon, Alice
1991-10-02
A homeless family of three sleeps on a TV production stage, by day looking for a job. One day somebo
Animal House: The Inside Story
2008-08-13
Documentary about the making of Animal House
The Seduction of Dr. Fugazzi
2009-01-01
Dr. Anna Fugazzi is a young, attractive psychologist with a loving and devoted (albeit freakish) boy
Broadcast News
1987-12-16
A high-strung news producer finds herself in a love triangle between a talented but self-doubting re
Loveless in Los Angeles
2007-01-01
When a womanizing, reality dating TV producer runs into his college crush, he realizes his bar-hoppi
Where Are They Now?: A Delta Alumni Update
2003-01-01
A follow up on the lives of the Faber students in Animal House.