Putter Smith Biography
Putter Smith is a bassist and actor best known for his menacing role as henchman Mr Kidd in Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever.
Born in Bell, California on January 19, 1941, Smith was destined for greatness as he picked up the bass at the young age of eight, inspired by his jazz musician older brother, Carson Smith.
Making his performing debut at just 13 years old at the Compton Community Center, Smith went on to share the stage with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, and Gerry Mulligan.
In addition to performing, Smith is a sought-after session musician, having lent his skills to recordings by legends such as Beck, The Beach Boys, and The Righteous Brothers. He also passed on his wealth of knowledge to students as a music teacher at the Musician’s Institute and California Institute of the Arts.
But Smith’s talent extends beyond just music – he was spotted by producer Harry Saltzman at a Thelonious Monk concert, and was cast as the menacing assassin duo of Mr. Kidd alongside Mr Wint (Brian Glover) in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, launching his acting career. From there, he went on to appear in the films Win, Place or Steal and In the Mood. Despite his success on the big screen, Smith never lost his passion for music, continuing to perform whenever the opportunity arises.
