Dallas’ Ruthless Wendell, Veteran Actor William Smithers, Dies at 98
William Smithers, a veteran character actor best known for portraying the ruthless WestStar Oil chairman Jeremy Wendell on Dallas and for roles in Papillon and Star Trek, died at 98 in Santa Barbara, per the Santa Barbara Independent. A Richmond, Virginia native with a rich stage career (Broadway and The Actors Studio) who also appeared on Peyton Place and in major films, Smithers was involved in a landmark 1970s contract dispute with MGM that helped shape entertainment law. His Dallas run spanned 50 episodes from 1981 to 1989.
