Two of Smith's sets for Guys and Dolls (1955)

Born in Waupun, WI; studied architecture at Penn State. With over 20 Tony® nominations and eight Tony Awards (for My Fair Lady, 1957; West Side Story, 1958; The Sound of Music, 1960; Camelot, 1961; Becket, 1961; Hello, Dolly!, 1965; The Odd Couple, 1965; and a Special Award, 1965), Smith's screen credits include production design for OKLAHOMA! and GUYS AND DOLLS (both 1955) and PORGY AND BESS (1959). He designed a musical number for THE BAND WAGON (1953), and he served as a techical advisor for Herbert Ross' THE TURNING POINT (1977). Smith also trained young designers for many years, serving on the faculty of the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. There he taught master classes in scenic design (for which he received NYU's Great Teacher Award in 1981). In both his design work and his teaching, Mr. Smith emphasized the graceful choreography of moving scenery, and the importance of its interaction with the human form.  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1955: GUYS AND DOLLS - Art Direction (w. Joseph C. Wright) 1 nomination