Clay Smith, who spent a few years as a senior producer at Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight, died Friday evening in Palm Springs, Calif. after a protracted battle with most cancers, in keeping with a good friend. He was 69.
Smith grew up in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri as one in every of three kids. He labored at Arista Data within the late Nineteen Seventies and was briefly an artist supervisor and music supervisor.
Smith joined Leisure Tonight in 1983, segueing after 14 years to Entry Hollywood in 1997 as a supervising producer answerable for music protection and the phase producers, amongst different duties.
He turned the present’s film critic in 2002, and was the featured reviewer on its “Critic’s Picks” phase. Smith appeared on KNBC and different NBC owned & operated stations throughout the nation, and on MSNBC as a critic.
In 2005, he returned to Leisure Tonight as a senior supervising producer, the place he continued his on-air film opinions for ET’s companion present, The Insider.
In 2014, he acquired an Emmy Award as senior supervising producer when Leisure Tonight gained for “Excellent Leisure Information Program.” He retired that 12 months.
Survivors embody a sister and life accomplice Ralph Dailey. No info was instantly out there on memorial plans.