Shelley Smith, the renowned supermodel known for her towering height and her appearances alongside Martin Short on a sitcom, as well as her regular stints on game shows like The $10,000 Pyramid, has tragically passed away at the age of 70. Her husband of 18 years, actor Michael Maguire, tearfully announced her death on social media. Smith had been in a coma after suffering cardiac arrest three days earlier, and her health had been deteriorating over the past year.
One of Smith’s notable roles was on the ABC comedy The Associates, which aired from 1979 to 1980. The series, created by James L. Brooks, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, and Charlie Hauck, was a sequel of sorts to The Paper Chase. Smith portrayed a sharp, upper-class Bostonian working at a Wall Street law firm. The show featured an ensemble cast, including Martin Short, Joe Regalbuto, Alley Mills, and Wilfrid Hyde-White. Despite their talents, the show lasted for only 13 episodes. Notably, Smith and Hyde-White graced the cover of TV Guide in November 1979.
Following her stint on The Associates, Smith went on to play Captain Carolyn Engel on For Love and Honor, a short-lived military drama on NBC in 1983. The series, which also starred Keenen Ivory Wayans and Yaphet Kotto, was inspired by the box office hit An Officer and a Gentleman. Unfortunately, it only aired for 12 episodes.
While her acting career may have been brief, Smith found success as a popular contestant on various game shows of the time. She made appearances on Super Password, Body Language, and the Dick Clark-hosted The $10,000 Pyramid, along with its higher-stakes versions. Smith’s exceptional skills contributed to her partners winning significant amounts of money on these shows. Her talent and calm demeanor made her a sought-after guest on game shows, and she was recognized for her game show prowess.
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Born in Princeton, New Jersey, on October 25, 1952, Smith initially pursued a career in modeling. She appeared in prestigious magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Mademoiselle. Her modeling success paved the way for her acting career, which began in 1979 with an NBC telefilm called Mirror, Mirror. This led to her role on The Associates and subsequent guest appearances on shows like Fantasy Island, Hotel, The Love Boat, Murder, She Wrote, Hunter, Magnum P.I., and Simon and Simon, among others.
After stepping away from acting, Smith earned a master’s degree in psychology from Antioch University and became a marriage and family therapist. However, her most impactful contribution was yet to come. In 1991, she founded The Egg Donor Program after giving birth to her own twins, Nicky and Miranda, through in vitro fertilization. Smith established the program after experiencing the challenges of fertility treatments herself. Her own struggles inspired her to create a company that would revolutionize the industry. She aimed to help others avoid the difficulties she had faced and make the process of starting a family more accessible. The company, now known as Hatch Fertility, brought happiness to countless couples and individuals seeking to have children. Smith’s dedication and compassion in helping thousands of people have babies were truly remarkable.
Shelley Smith will be remembered not only for her beauty and talent but also for her resilience, kindness, and the immense impact she had on the lives of others. Her legacy will continue through the families she helped bring together and the love and joy that will forever be associated with her name.
