Biography
Gunboat Smith (born Edward Smith) was an American actor and former professional boxer. Born in Philadelphia, he competed as a heavyweight from 1909 to 1921, facing fighters including Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier, before retiring with a record of dozens of bouts.
In the 1920s he appeared in several silent films, often in small roles. He is credited as The Sergeant in the 1927 war drama Wings, the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Other credits include The Great Gatsby (1926) as Bert and Midnight Rose (1928) as Casey. After his acting career, Smith worked as a boxing referee.
