J.W. Smith is a seasoned producer and actor with over four decades of experience in the entertainment industry, with a diverse background in motion pictures and television. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, J.W. began his acting career at the esteemed Karamu House Community Theater, where he honed his craft and laid the foundation for his future success.
In the early 1970s, J.W. relocated to New York City, where he became a student of the renowned Uta Hagen at HB Studio and The Henry Street Playhouse. It was during this period that he had the opportunity to meet and form lasting friendships with fellow actors Morgan Freeman and Bill Duke, with whom he would later collaborate on various projects.
J.W. went on to spend several successful years performing on Broadway and Off Broadway, appearing in productions such as "We Interrupt This Program," Public Theater's "On the Goddam Lock-in," and "So Nice, They Named It Twice." In addition to his acting work, J.W. also produced shows for the Amas Repertory Theater Company.
In the early 1980s, J.W. made the move to Los Angeles, where he pursued an acting career in film and television. He quickly landed his first television role on "Palmerstown, U.S.A." and was subsequently selected for Paramount Pictures' Associate Producers Training Program. J.W. worked on several groundbreaking television series, including "The Best of The West," "Taxi," and "Cheers," and has since appeared in numerous television shows, such as "L.A. Law," "Cagney and Lacey," "Reno 911," "The X-Files," and "Hill Street Blues."
Throughout his career, J.W. has demonstrated his range and versatility by appearing in a wide variety of feature films, including "Red Heat" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, "Johnny Handsome" starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, and Morgan Freeman, "Undisputed" starring Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames, "Beetlejuice" starring Michael Keaton, "Hoodlum" starring Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, and directed by Bill Duke, and "The Warriors" directed by Walter Hill, among others.
As President of 3000 Realms Entertainment, a production company he co-founded with friend and business partner Bryan Behuniak, J.W. is currently working on the project "Dead Wrong," executive produced by Morgan Freeman, and produced by Bryan Behuniak, James Dyer, and writer Matt Benjamin.
