Harold John Smith (August 24, 1916 â€" January 28, 1994) was an
American actor and voice actor, who is credited in over 300 film and
television productions. He was best known for his role as Otis
Campbell, the town drunk on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show and for
voicing Owl in the first four original Winnie the Pooh shorts (the
first three of which were combined into the feature film The Many
Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) and later The New Adventures of Winnie
the Pooh.Smith was born in Petoskey, in the northern portion of the
Lower Peninsula of Michigan, but he spent a significant part of his
early years living in Massena, New York. He graduated from the Massena
High School in 1936.After graduation, Smith worked from 1936 to 1943
as a disc jockey and voice talent for WIBX Radio in Utica, New York.
After serving in the United States Army Special Services
(entertainment) during World War II, he traveled to Hollywood and
appeared on many television series such as I Married Joan, Fury, The
People's Choice, The Texan, Rescue 8, Dennis the Menace, The
Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, National Velvet
and The Red Skelton Show.Smith's best-remembered on-screen character
was Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, during
most of the series' run from 1960 to 1967. When intoxicated, he would
often comically let himself into his regular jail cell, using the key
which was stored within reach of the two comfortable jail rooms, and
"sleep off" the effects of alcohol. Deputy Barney Fife would often
become irritated with Otis, and attempted to either sober him up or
rehabilitate him in several episodes. Hal Smith was the opposite of
his character. According to longtime friends Andy Griffith and Don
Knotts, he did not drink in real life. The Otis character stopped
appearing in the sitcom towards the end of the series because of
concerns by the sponsors of the program in regard to the portrayal of
excessive drinking. Smith appeared as Calver Weems in the Don Knotts
comedy The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), playing essentially the same
town drunk character, Otis.
American actor and voice actor, who is credited in over 300 film and
television productions. He was best known for his role as Otis
Campbell, the town drunk on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show and for
voicing Owl in the first four original Winnie the Pooh shorts (the
first three of which were combined into the feature film The Many
Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) and later The New Adventures of Winnie
the Pooh.Smith was born in Petoskey, in the northern portion of the
Lower Peninsula of Michigan, but he spent a significant part of his
early years living in Massena, New York. He graduated from the Massena
High School in 1936.After graduation, Smith worked from 1936 to 1943
as a disc jockey and voice talent for WIBX Radio in Utica, New York.
After serving in the United States Army Special Services
(entertainment) during World War II, he traveled to Hollywood and
appeared on many television series such as I Married Joan, Fury, The
People's Choice, The Texan, Rescue 8, Dennis the Menace, The
Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, National Velvet
and The Red Skelton Show.Smith's best-remembered on-screen character
was Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, during
most of the series' run from 1960 to 1967. When intoxicated, he would
often comically let himself into his regular jail cell, using the key
which was stored within reach of the two comfortable jail rooms, and
"sleep off" the effects of alcohol. Deputy Barney Fife would often
become irritated with Otis, and attempted to either sober him up or
rehabilitate him in several episodes. Hal Smith was the opposite of
his character. According to longtime friends Andy Griffith and Don
Knotts, he did not drink in real life. The Otis character stopped
appearing in the sitcom towards the end of the series because of
concerns by the sponsors of the program in regard to the portrayal of
excessive drinking. Smith appeared as Calver Weems in the Don Knotts
comedy The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), playing essentially the same
town drunk character, Otis.
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