RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower")

Sonic · 08-03-11, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Legendary NFL defender Bubba Smith passes away at age 66

Former NFL defensive end and longtime television and movie actor Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Wednesday. Coroner's reports have not yet been released, but according to the Los Angeles Times, it is believed that Smith died of natural causes.

Smith attended Michigan State, where he was one of the most dominant collegiate defensive linemen of all time. He won All-America honors in 1965 and 1966, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.

Selected first overall in the 1967 NFL draft by the Baltimore Colts, Smith soon became, along with Deacon Jones, one of the first truly modern-style pass-rushers and sack artists. He played long before sacks were first tabulated as an official NFL statistic in 1982, but he was known from the start of his professional career to be nearly impossible to block.

He played for three teams — the Colts, Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers, appeared in two Pro Bowls and was named First-Team All-Pro in 1971. Smith played in two Super Bowls — Super Bowl III, which the Colts lost to the New York Jets in an enormous upset, and Super Bowl V, which the Colts won with a last-second field goal against the Dallas Cowboys. Smith retired after the 1976 season, having played in 111 regular-season games.

After his football career ended, Smith became perhaps even more well-known as an actor. He struck gold in the "Police Academy" series of movies, playing the hyper-strong Moses Hightower and providing a series of riotous slapstick scenes.

RIP

TheNightFlier · 08-03-11, 08:05 PM

Damn good football player.

RIP

MrSmearkase · 08-03-11, 08:27 PM

riotinmyskull · 08-03-11, 08:33 PM

edstein · 08-03-11, 08:36 PM

Nick Martin · 08-03-11, 08:56 PM

He was in this great episode of "Married...With Children" as an old rival of Al Bundy's. It was awesome.

BJacks · 08-03-11, 09:03 PM

Noooooooooooooooo. It's gonna be a sad night at the Blue Oyster.

Sonic · 08-03-11, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Martin

He was in this great episode of "Married...With Children" as an old rival of Al Bundy's. It was awesome.

That was a great episode, he was great in it.

Ravenous · 08-03-11, 09:31 PM

LOVE that married with children ep. SUcks he died. Im too young to have ever seen him play but I grew up with Police Academy

RIP

scott1598 · 08-03-11, 09:47 PM

Rip big man.

DthRdrX · 08-03-11, 10:29 PM

He was in a few episodes of Married with Children.

Billy Martin! Bubba Smith!

Goldberg74 · 08-03-11, 11:00 PM

"We believe you guys, so we won't dispute you. But if you're lying to us, we'll come back and shoot you. Word!"

cardsfan111 · 08-04-11, 12:33 AM

Officer Hightower

RocShemp · 08-04-11, 06:35 AM

Only 66? That's way too soon.

Hokeyboy · 08-04-11, 07:38 AM

I remember him playing a Fed in "Black Moon Rising" back in the 80s, and did quite well in the role. RIP.

wishbone · 08-04-11, 07:53 AM

Officer Hightower

rexinnih · 08-04-11, 09:48 AM

RIP Bubba.

JohnnyMovie · 08-05-11, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Martin

He was in this great episode of "Married...With Children" as an old rival of Al Bundy's. It was awesome.

oh yes I saw him in episode in Married...With Children and oh yes it funny episode and also he appear in Family Matters episode.

B. Smith

milo bloom · 08-05-11, 09:53 AM

Oh! I didn't realize who this was at first. I saw some of my sports-following Facebook friends posting this but I didn't know he was in Police Academy.

RIP

clckworang · 08-05-11, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BJacks

Noooooooooooooooo. It's gonna be a sad night at the Blue Oyster.

Just reading this comment makes me hear that music in my head! Sad news, though, about Bubba.

obscurelabel · 08-05-11, 01:07 PM

I had forgotten that Smith had a regular in the short-lived 1981 TV series Open All Night, which I enjoyed greatly at the time but haven't thought about in years.

I've only seen the first Police Academy film, and thought it was just OK, but Smith was probably the best thing in it, with a great, strong screen presence. He was the top-billed star in parts 5 and 6.

Match · 11-02-11, 10:06 PM

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ication-256770

Quote:

According to the Associated Press, autopsy reports revealed that the 66-year-old, who was found at his Baldwin Hills home in early August by a caretaker, had high levels of phentermine -- a weight loss drug. Smith also had heart disease, an enlarged heart and up to 75 percent blockage of some blood vessels.

Norm de Plume · 11-02-11, 11:26 PM

Sad to hear. I enjoyed his presence in the Police Academy flicks, as shitty as they were.

Geofferson · 11-03-11, 09:13 AM

mcfly · 06-23-12, 10:57 PM

Couldn't really a find a more appropriate thread but apparently they went Shaq to take over the role of Hightower in Police Academy 8. They want this thing to hit production in September.

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1892...l-as-hightower

I really would've figure'd this a series Hollywood would think is ripe for a reboot, not a sequel with the original cast.

I actually enjoy all of the movies, so I'd welcome this for nostalgia more than anything. I wonder who they have in mind to replace Tackleberry.

08-03-11, 08:05 PM	#2
TheNightFlier DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 5,682	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Damn good football player. RIP __________________ Ain't so funny meow is it? My DVD Collection XBL-Ohcrapifell

08-03-11, 08:27 PM	#3
MrSmearkase DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Milford, MA Posts: 4,667	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") __________________ 2013 DVD Spending Tab 2013 Rank 'Em As You See 'Em "Jor-El is just an immortal douche blessed with an awesome voice." - RocShemp

08-03-11, 08:33 PM	#4
riotinmyskull DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: portsmouth, va Posts: 8,668	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") __________________ my collection rank 'em as you see 'em: 13 \| 12 \| 11 \| 10 \| 09 october horror movie challenge: 12 \| 11 \| 10 \| 09 \| 08 \| 07 holiday movie challenge: 12 \| 11 \| 10 \| 09 \| 08

08-03-11, 08:36 PM	#5
edstein DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 8,111	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") rip

08-03-11, 08:56 PM	#6
Nick Martin DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,586	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") He was in this great episode of "Married...With Children" as an old rival of Al Bundy's. It was awesome.

08-03-11, 09:03 PM	#7
BJacks DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 4,429	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Noooooooooooooooo. It's gonna be a sad night at the Blue Oyster.

08-03-11, 09:31 PM	#9
Ravenous DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Where the river Styxx ends... Posts: 4,456	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") LOVE that married with children ep. SUcks he died. Im too young to have ever seen him play but I grew up with Police Academy RIP __________________ Eat Me! My (Too Many) DVDs Wii Friend Code: 2036-1088-5135-3045 Mario Kart Wii Code: 1977-0748-1136

08-03-11, 09:47 PM	#10
scott1598 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: I want to go to there! Posts: 19,344	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Rip big man. __________________ "stranger than fiction" Movie collection "almost famous" SteelBook™ collection "Even though I am no better than a beast, don't I have the right to live?"

08-03-11, 10:29 PM	#11
DthRdrX DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pa Posts: 7,567	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") He was in a few episodes of Married with Children. Billy Martin! Bubba Smith!

08-03-11, 11:00 PM	#12
Goldberg74 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 14,414	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") "We believe you guys, so we won't dispute you. But if you're lying to us, we'll come back and shoot you. Word!" __________________ “I was unfortunately misinformed by my own stupidity." Bill Goldberg, Celebrity Apprentice "My apologies to this thread for assuming you all had eyes, ears, and a decent memory." - NiCK Crush

08-04-11, 12:33 AM	#13
cardsfan111 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 11,368	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Officer Hightower __________________ DVD/BD Spending Tab: 2010 2011 2012 2013 Rank 'Em As You See 'Em: 2010 2011 2012 2013 "i 'm new here. most of people in here are good. but there is a miserable person. Look into your mirror. Superboy!" --New Member, robert11

08-04-11, 06:35 AM	#14
RocShemp DVD Talk Legend Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 23,908	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Only 66? That's way too soon. __________________ So there's simultaneously a super secret team of giant robots and a super secret team of technologically enhanced super soldiers, and neither team knows about the other? The governments in these movies must be far more effective than our actual government. Well, damn it, I want some realism and mature adult themes in my giant robot and super soldier movies! - Suprmallet

08-04-11, 07:38 AM	#15
Hokeyboy DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 13,287	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") I remember him playing a Fed in "Black Moon Rising" back in the 80s, and did quite well in the role. RIP. __________________ Here's to fire. Not the fast and furious kind that burns down shacks and shanties. But the slow, seductive kind that takes down pants and panties. -- Doug Story, 100% White Man, 100% Aryan Bring back wm lopez! And then there's HOKEYBLOG!!!

08-04-11, 07:53 AM	#16
wishbone DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,681	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Officer Hightower __________________ "Wishbone is spelled with an E not a 3..... Be gone" - Minor Threat

08-04-11, 09:48 AM	#17
rexinnih DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Relocated to Bot-Hell Posts: 8,653	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") RIP Bubba. __________________ On the outside lookin in, and it's funny.

08-05-11, 09:53 AM	#19
milo bloom DVD Talk Legend Join Date: May 2001 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 10,018	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Oh! I didn't realize who this was at first. I saw some of my sports-following Facebook friends posting this but I didn't know he was in Police Academy. RIP __________________ OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) is not about more image, or less image. It's about the right image. DVDAf Spinehunting - picking up used Criterion DVDs.

08-05-11, 01:07 PM	#21
obscurelabel DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Lower Appalachia Posts: 2,782	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") I had forgotten that Smith had a regular in the short-lived 1981 TV series Open All Night, which I enjoyed greatly at the time but haven't thought about in years. I've only seen the first Police Academy film, and thought it was just OK, but Smith was probably the best thing in it, with a great, strong screen presence. He was the top-billed star in parts 5 and 6. __________________ Be careful what you don't wish for. You may not get it.

11-02-11, 11:26 PM	#23
Norm de Plume DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Toronto Posts: 5,913	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Sad to hear. I enjoyed his presence in the Police Academy flicks, as shitty as they were. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" -Winston Churchill "The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least."

11-03-11, 09:13 AM	#24
Geofferson DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: TechNoir Posts: 36,441	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower")

06-23-12, 10:57 PM	#25
mcfly DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: California Posts: 8,877	Re: RIP Bubba Smith (Police Academy "Hightower") Couldn't really a find a more appropriate thread but apparently they went Shaq to take over the role of Hightower in Police Academy 8. They want this thing to hit production in September. http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1892...l-as-hightower I really would've figure'd this a series Hollywood would think is ripe for a reboot, not a sequel with the original cast. I actually enjoy all of the movies, so I'd welcome this for nostalgia more than anything. I wonder who they have in mind to replace Tackleberry. __________________ "I think, Lisa, that you've been taken in by an obvious forgery. Unfortunately, historical research is plagued by this sort of hoax -- the so-called confession. It's just as fake as the Howard Hughes will, the Hitler Diaries, or the Emancipation Retraction." *"You won't be seeing any prison movies where you're going - prison!"*