Kurtwood Larson Smith is an American character actor, known for numerous roles in film and television. However, he is perhaps most notably known for playing stern father characters such as on That 70s Show. Born on July 3, 1943 in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, he studied theater at San Jose State University and earned a drama fellowship from Stanford University’s Master of Fine Arts program. Kurtwood Smith moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, working on numerous shows and movies. During the 1970s, he worked regularly with the California Actors Theater and also attended Santa Clara University.
Kurtwood Smith is best known for his portrayal of the evil Mr. Sue in the Fox espionage comedy The New Adventures of Beans Baxter during the late 1980s. He later landed the part of Red Forman on the popular series That ‘70s Show, in which he appeared from 1998 to 2006. His career mostly involves shows dealing with sci-fi themes, and Smith has certainly been acclaimed for his performances. He became known for his early role as the villainous Clarence Boddicker in the influential film RoboCop. Smith later landed a part in Dead Poets Society, as well as making several appearances in the Star Trek franchise. He played the President of the Federation in Star Trek VI: Undiscovered Country, was cast as Thrax the Cardassian in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and got the part of the Krenim scientist Annorax in Star Trek: Voyager.
Smith’s other film credits include roles in Girl, Interrupted in 1999, the thriller Trespassing, and the comedy The Trouble with Dee Dee. Smith’s resume has also been noted for its array of voiceover roles. He has appeared in games like Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel and FreeSpace 2. In addition, Smith can be heard on the claymation series Gary & Mike, on the Fox animated series Terrible Thunder Lizards, on Seth Green’s Robot Chicken and on Squirrel Boy. He later joined the cast of the series Worst Week, portraying the character Dick Clayton. Smith’s other credits include appearances in House M.D., Psych, Medium and 24.