# Alas, Smith...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 21, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073 "2013-07-21T00:23:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/1 "2013-07-21T00:23:33Z")

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RIP Mel Smith

British actor, comedian and film director [Mel Smith](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Smith) died yesterday at the age of 60.

It tanked at the box office, but one of my favorite films [Morons from Outer Space](http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0089622/), was directed by him. Thanks for that laugh, Mr. Smith.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/2 "2013-07-21T00:32:44Z")

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He was _The Albino_ in _ **The Princess Bride** _.  
I’ve always thought that was a wonderful character - he stole the scene for the few moments he was on the screen.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/3 "2013-07-21T00:45:28Z")

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[Gerald the Gorilla](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beCYGm1vMJ0) mourns tonight.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/4 "2013-07-21T03:09:49Z")

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I thought **The Tall Man** was a great comedy.

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/5 "2013-07-21T04:53:14Z")

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[These sketches](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok_42shL_5E) were always my favourite.

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**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/6 "2013-07-21T06:47:40Z")

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I only found out in his obits that he and Griff Rhys-Jones founded _Talkback_, one of the most successful British tv production companies. No Mel, no _QI_! Check the [Wiki list of programmes they’ve made.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talkback_(production_company))

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**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alas-smith/664073/7 "2013-07-21T06:54:21Z")

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A sad day for us who remember a clever comedian and a fine actor.