Martha Smith

Martha Smith – Life, Career, and Notable Moments

Discover the life and career of Martha Smith — American actress, model, and real estate agent — from Animal House to Scarecrow and Mrs. King, including highlights, transitions, and legacy.

Introduction

Martha Smith is an American actress, former model, and real estate broker whose name is most often associated with the late 1970s and 1980s pop culture era. She gained early fame as a Playboy Playmate, then transitioned into acting—most memorably in National Lampoon’s Animal House and later on network television series like Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Over time, she shifted careers and now works in real estate while maintaining a presence in entertainment. Her journey illustrates how adaptability and reinvention can sustain a public life across decades.

Early Life and Family

Martha Anne Smith was born on October 16, often cited as 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio. 1953 as her birth year, but the majority of reliable references (including her Wikipedia page) use 1952.

Though born in Ohio, she was raised in Farmington, Michigan, where she attended high school. Who’s Who of American Students.

After high school, she enrolled at Michigan State University, studying psychology (and reportedly achieving fluency in French and Italian).

Modeling Beginnings

Smith’s first major public breakthrough came in July 1973, when she was selected as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month.

In addition to modeling, she appeared in various television commercials, which helped her make the transition toward acting.

Acting Career & TV Fame

Early TV Roles

In the mid-1970s, Martha Smith began landing small parts on popular television series. She appeared in Quincy, M.E., Charlie’s Angels, Happy Days, and Taxi in guest roles. Days of Our Lives, portraying Sandy Horton in 1982.

She guest-starred on other shows such as Dallas and in a 1990 adaptation of Swamp Thing as the character Linda Holland.

National Lampoon’s Animal House and Film Work

Smith’s first feature film credit came in 1978, when she played Barbara “Babs” Jansen in National Lampoon’s Animal House.

Later film roles include Loveless in Los Angeles (2006) and The Seduction of Dr. Fugazzi (2009), among others.

Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Television Prominence

Smith’s most enduring television role was as Agent Francine Desmond, a recurring (and sometimes adversarial) character in the CBS secret-agent drama Scarecrow and Mrs. King. She appeared across all four seasons (1983–1987). That role cemented her presence in 1980s television culture.

Beyond that, she appeared frequently as a guest on many game shows and entertainment variety programs: The $25,000 Pyramid, The $100,000 Pyramid, Super Password, Hollywood Squares, and more.

Over time, her acting appearances became less frequent, though she continued to take occasional roles across film and television.

Transition into Real Estate

Around 1995, Martha Smith embarked on a second career path in real estate. Keller Williams Realty, specializing in high-end clientele and properties in the Beverly Hills and Hollywood Hills areas.

She also appeared on HGTV’s show Selling LA, in which her network and reputation helped her handle celebrity and elite clients.

This pivot shows her capacity for reinvention—moving from show business to business in real estate while maintaining public visibility.

Personal Life

Smith’s personal life has included two marriages. Her first was to Noel Blanc (son of the famous voice actor Mel Blanc), from 1977 to 1986. May 2000, she married jazz musician Keith England.

She has no children from either marriage.

Smith reportedly maintained her language skills (French and Italian) from her university studies, a reflection of her intellectual breadth beyond her entertainment roles.

Legacy and Influence

While Martha Smith never became a household name on the scale of some Hollywood superstars, her contributions are notable for several reasons:

• Cult film status: Her role in Animal House ensured that she remains part of the cultural memory of 1970s–80s comedy.

• Television identity: As Agent Desmond in Scarecrow and Mrs. King, she became part of the spy/espionage genre in the 1980s and earned recognition among TV viewers of the era.

• Stability through change: Many actors fade away, but Smith successfully reinvented herself in a wholly different industry (real estate) while maintaining her connections to entertainment.

• Versatility: She moved between modeling, acting, and business—with resilience and professionalism.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

While Martha Smith is not widely known for a large corpus of famous quotes, she’s been interviewed often about her roles, career shifts, and her perspective on fame. Some central sentiments drawn from her reflections include:

• On Animal House: She has expressed amazement at the movie’s long-lasting impact and how deeply it remains embedded in pop culture years later.

• On career change: Smith has indicated that moving into real estate was a thoughtful decision, aligning with her interest in stability and growth behind the scenes. (Seen in profiles of her real estate career.)

• On balancing public life and privacy: In interviews, she has at times remarked on the challenge of navigating public expectations while trying to maintain authenticity and personal boundaries.

Lessons from Martha Smith’s Journey

1. Reinvention is possible – Moving from modeling/acting to real estate demonstrates that career pivots can succeed if grounded in skill and integrity.

2. Leverage early exposure wisely – Her Playboy and catalog exposure opened doors, but she used them to expand into acting, not remain pigeonholed.

3. Sustain rather than burn out – Her choice to step back from constant acting gigs and focus on a stable business may have helped preserve both her career longevity and personal balance.

4. Versatility builds resilience – Language skills, networking, and diverse experience (modeling, realty, acting) gave her multiple pathways when one faltered.

5. Cultural impact transcends screen time – Even a supporting role in a beloved film can leave a lasting legacy, especially when audiences revisit classics over generations.

Conclusion

Martha Smith’s life is a testament to adaptability, steady ambition, and the value of long-term perspective. From her beginnings as a Playboy model to memorable roles in film and television, and eventually to success in real estate, she has shown how an entertainer can evolve without losing identity.

Her story invites a reflection: fame isn’t an endpoint — it’s a platform. What we build beyond the spotlight often defines us best.