Shelley Smith, ‘The Associates’ Actress and Former Supermodel, Dead at 70
Shelley Smith has died. She was 70 years old.
Smith died at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital on Tuesday, after going into cardiac arrest days prior, according to statements made by her husband Michael Maguire.
"I’m sorry I have not updated everyone sooner. My dear, sweet angel Shelly Smith passed peacefully yesterday at 2:20 PM," Maguire further divulged in the caption of a video posted to Facebook on Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Maguire continued, writing, "Shelley lived an incredible life! We are all heartbroken, but we are also so fortunate to have been touched by this beautiful, intelligent, compassionate and incredible soul. Life is so short. Make every second count and fill every second with love."
Smith, born in 1952 in Princeton, New Jersey, first rose to fame as a model in the 1970s, appearing on the covers of Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Mademoiselle and Glamour magazines.
She later expanded her career to TV with a debut role on The Associates alongside Martin Short, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Alley Mills from 1979 'til the show's end in 1980. Smith went on to star in the NBC military series For Love and Honor and made numerous guest appearances on TV hits including Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Diff’rent Strokes and Murder She Wrote. She even appeared on a few game shows, like Super Password, Body Language and Dick Clark’s 10,000 Pyramid.
Career in entertainment aside, her husband remembered her as someone who deeply cared for those around her. "She loved helping people," Maguire added in the video. "Most of all, she helped me. She made me a much better person than I ever would have been. We had a great marriage. I don’t know how to go on without her. But I know that we had an incredible relationship and it was as pure as anything could be."
Following her decades-long stint in acting and modeling, Smith founded the egg donor company Hatch Fertility, per Variety.
Maguire noted Smith died surrounded by loved ones including her children. "Nicky Nathan and Miranda Nathan and I were at her side and holding her hand and kissing her head and singing to her and telling her how much we loved her," Maguire shared. "Also, with us was Grant Stevens, my great great friend, who gave up himself to help us, understand the process of dying, and guided us through it with so much class and dignity! We owe him a tremendous debt!"
Smith is survived by her husband and two children, whom she welcomed during her previous relationship with ex Reid Nathan.
Next: Bob Dylan Pays Tribute to 'Lifelong Friend' and Former Guitarist Robbie Robertson
