Rex Smith

Rex Smith was born Gregory Siniard Smith on September 19, 1955, in Jacksonville, Florida. He began his music career in the early 1970s, fronting bands such as Tricks and Phaedra, before leading a hard rock group named Rex. His breakthrough came in 1979 with the platinum-selling album “Sooner or Later,” which featured the hit single “You Take My Breath Away.” This song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a staple on soft rock radio playlists. Smith continued to release music, including the top 40 duet “Everlasting Love” with Rachel Sweet in 1981, which also charted in the UK Singles Chart.

Smith made his Broadway debut as Danny Zuko in “Grease” in 1979. His stage career expanded significantly when he won the Theatre World Award for his portrayal of Frederic in the New York Shakespeare Festival’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance.” He reprised this role in the 1983 film adaptation. Beyond Broadway, Smith gained recognition on television, starring as Jesse Mach in the 1985 series “Street Hawk” and as Darryl Crawford on the CBS daytime drama “As the World Turns” from 1990 to 1992. He also played Daredevil in the 1989 television movie “The Trial of the Incredible Hulk.”

Throughout his career, Smith has actively participated in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including “Grand Hotel,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” and “Kiss Me Kate.” In more recent years, he continued to perform, playing the role of Billy Mack in the multi-media production “Love Actually Live” at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in 2018 and 2019. In 2007, he returned to “The Pirates of Penzance,” this time in the role of the Pirate King, earning a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination. His career demonstrates a sustained presence across different entertainment mediums.