Chris Smith dies of cancer

Shock and grief were the emotions expressed by the friends of 44-year-old actor and graphic designer Chris Smith who died yesterday morning from leukaemia.

Friend and fellow actor Penelope Spencer told Sunday Newsday, Smith was diagnosed about three weeks ago. However, he told her he planned to fight the disease and that he would not let it get him down. She said he went to the hospital several days ago, went into a coma on Friday night and died yesterday morning.

She said Smith was a musical theatre enthusiast who acted in many plays produced by his father, John Smith, chairman of Maritime General Insurance Co. He also acted in several plays directed by Raymond Choo Kong, as well as in many commercials and films including 2017's The Cutlass and 2016's Bazodee alongside soca star Machel Montano.

Spencer recalled that she cast him in Bazodee because the original actor dropped out of the film so she asked Smith to act the part. “He was a hit with everybody on the set. He got married and Machel wrote a song for him and his wife and performed it for them.”

Smith and his wife, actress and secondary school teacher Paula Hamilton-Smith, celebrated their second wedding anniversary on January 2.

“He was one of the most hardworking actors out there because he loved the craft so much. I used to ask him if Paula didn’t want him to get an eight to four job but he would laugh at me and say she supported him in what he loved to do. I admired that about them as a couple.”

She described him as a spiritual man who was very open and friendly, and would not say ‘no’ to someone if he could help it.

“I’m still in shock. I can’t believe what’s going on in the fraternity because this is the third person that we’ve lost since September – Gregory Singh, Edwin Bayley and now Chris. All these people were really good people, really deep down inside good-hearted people who weren’t about the craft alone. You wanted to be around them because they were always giving and sharing and teaching.”

Spencer said the last message he left her was a voice note asking her not to forget him when it came to acting jobs. But she would not forget him at all and hoped to organise a tribute to him soon.

Actress Cindy Daniel said she met Smith in 2010 in Raymond Choo Kong’s first Actors Intensive workshop and remained friends ever since. They worked together on many productions, including Bazodee, and supported each other’s careers.

Smith also told her he planed to fight the leukaemia, and that he planned to start treatment this month. Therefore, she too was in shock at the news of his death but said she was most concerned about his wife, Paula and his family.

“I’m trying not to be overcome by grief. Because of how full of life he was I want to be as positive as possible because I had him as a friend. When I think of him I only have good thoughts and memories of laughter.”

Daniel said Smith was playful and it kept him young. He was also full of life and optimism, and she always wanted to emulate him. “His personality was larger than life. He was really funny. He could make anybody laugh. He had a very loud, infectious laugh... Chris did not have a bad bone in his body. I’m not saying that to patronise. He was exceptionally good. He worked at the YMCA for many years and everybody there would tell you the same thing.”

Another Bazodee co-star, Teneille Newallo, described Smith as an inspiration to everyone around him. He also acted in The Cutlass, which she wrote, did a music video together. “He was very talented and he was always in good spirits. He was very easy to work with. He was just a happy person who spread a lot of positive energy around him. That’s why he’ll be missed by so many.”

Smith even touched the lives of those outside of his acting circle.

Newsday reporter and friend, Julien Neaves, met Smith several years ago as he interviewed him for a movie and they stayed in touch. “He was one of the funniest, most genuine, lively people I ever met. He was definitely one of the most talented local actors we have. He was a really good one, a very sweet guy. His death really mash me up.”