American actor William Smithers, best known for playing oil tycoon ‘Jeremy Wendell’ in the hit TV series Dallas, has died at the age of 98.
The veteran actor died at his home in Santa Barbara, California, on May 26, 2026. News of his passing was first reported by the Santa Barbara Independent and later highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Smithers rose to fame in the 1980s as Jeremy Wendell, a fierce rival of J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman. He appeared in Dallas from 1981 and returned regularly between 1984 and 1989, becoming one of the show’s most memorable villains.
Born in Virginia in 1927, Smithers served in the US Navy before launching a career that spanned stage, television and film. His credits included Papillon, Mission: Impossible, Star Trek and several Broadway productions. Details about the cause of his death have not been released. Tributes have since poured in from fans and members of the Dallas community.
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