Aside from bodybuilding, Billy also kept himself in phenomenal shape by doing martial arts for several years. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. death The original Pilot was hosted by Fran Tarkenton and Tim Wrightman. Alongside her TV career, the star also helped children who suffered from mental, emotional as physical impairments through her work as a group home councillor. [12] The entire 26 episode second season was recorded in five weeks from June to July 1990.[13][14]. William Smith, his wife Mary Hutchinson Smith, and brothers-in-law Richard Parr Hutchinson and Known by his nickname of Thunder, Smith did not spend a ton of time competing as bodybuilder, but was fairly successful nonetheless, winning the Golds Classic and coming in third at the 1985 National Championships. The show awarded cash prizes depending on how far the contenders advanced. Once all of the qualified contenders had competed, the four men and four women with the highest winning scores in their matches advanced in the tournament. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Thunder joins a list that seems to be growing exponentially, of athletes within the sport who have lost their lives way too soon. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. [11], The first 13 episodes were recorded from July 24 to August 5, 1989. USA aired reruns through at least 1996, just as the show ended its original run. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. This time around, it was William Billy Smith of American Gladiators frame who has passed away heartbreakingly early. Known by his nickname of Thunder, Smith did not spend a ton of time competing as bodybuilder, but was fairly successful nonetheless, winning the Golds Classic and coming in third at the 1985 National Championships. The events included The Wall, Breakthrough and Conquer, Assault, Whiplash, the Eliminator and others. The Kentucky-born star often rubbed shoulders with the stars, appearing alongside Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1993's Last Action Hero (1993) and starring in J. J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013. Weekly Variety; July 5, 1989 issue; Page 45, Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946Present, "BROADCASTING MAGAZINE Read and search 3400 issues from 1931 to 2000", "Patriotc spandex and giant Q-tips: an oral history of American Gladiators", "Initial Decision: Robert Cord Beatty, Release No. American Gladiator legend and bodybuilder Billy Smith, AKA Thunder has passed away days before his 57th birthday Written by Derek Hall Last Updated on August When the show's second season premiered in the fall of 1990, the same format was used. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. In 2007, ESPN added the entire original series to ESPN Classic's lineup. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. i know this thread is about billy smith, but jim quinns size was probably my favorite. Making his first appearance as Thunder in 1990 during the programme's second season, William 'Billy' Smith enjoyed a two-year stint as a Gladiator. Quarterfinal 1 - Nate Foster vs Rico Constantino; Sheila Mercer vs Trish Tillotson, Preliminary Round 3 - Lucian Anderson vs Jim Brady; Bridget Venturi vs Suzanne Rampe, Quarterfinal 1 - Elden Kidd vs Rick Herbst; Joni Podesta vs Christine Koeberle, Preliminary Round 1 - Craig Branham vs Harvey McClesky / Rick Kieser; Clare Look-Jaeger vs Alice Wilcox / Alaetra Dorsa, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Used in International Challenge of Champions.