Kent Smith (March 19, 1907 – April 23, 1985) was an American actor who had a lengthy career in film, theater, and television. Born Frank Kent Smith in New York, New York, Smith made his acting debut on Broadway in 1932 in Men Must Fight and, after spending a few years there, moved to Hollywood, California, where he made his film debut in The Garden Murder Case. Initially, he was groomed to play leading roles in "B" pictures, usually as solid and dependable types, or as the friend or rival for the heroine's affections in more prestigious films. As he aged quickly, turning grey quite young, he moved into character roles. His biggest successes occurred during the 1940s in films such as Cat People (1942), Hitler's Children (1943), This Land Is Mine (1943), Three Russian Girls (1943), Youth Runs Wild (1944), The Curse of the Cat People (1944), The Spiral Staircase (1946), Nora Prentiss (1947), Magic Town (1947), The Fountainhead (1949), My Foolish Heart (1949), and The Damned Don't Cry! (1950). He continued acting in supporting roles from the 1950s in films such as A Distant Trumpet and made his final film appearance in Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977).