Wolfman Jack.

Born in Brooklyn, Smith was a fan of disc jockey Alan Freed who helped to turn African American rhythm and blues into rock and roll music. Freed originally called himself the "Moondog" after New York City street musician Moondog. Freed both adopted this name and used a recorded howl to give his early broadcasts a unique character. Smith's adaptation of the Moondog theme was to call himself Wolfman Jack and add his own sound effects. The character was based in part on the manner and style of bluesman Howlin' Wolf.

In the early days, Wolfman Jack made sporadic public appearances, usually as an Master of Ceremonies (MC) for rock bands at local Los Angeles, California clubs. At each appearance he looked a little different because Smith hadn't decided on what "The Wolfman" should look like. Early pictures show him with a goatee; however, sometimes he combed his straight hair forward and added dark makeup to look somewhat "ethnic." Other times he had a big afro wig and large sunglasses covering his eyes. It wasn't until he appeared in the 1969 film A Session with the Committee (a montage of skits by the seminal comedy troupe The Committee) that mainstream America got a good look at Wolfman Jack.

In 1973 he appeared in director George Lucas' second feature film, American Graffiti, as himself. His broadcasts tie the film together, and a main character catches a glimpse of the mysterious Wolfman in a pivotal scene. Lucas also gave the Wolfman a fraction of a "point," the division of the profits from a film, in gratitude for participating in the seminal project, which provided him with a regular income for life.

Subsequently, Smith appeared in several television shows as Wolfman Jack. They included The Wolfman Jack Show; The Odd Couple; What's Happening!!; Vega$; Hollywood Squares; Married"¦ with Children; and Galactica 1980. He was the regular announcer and occasional host for The Midnight Special on NBC from 1973 to 1981.

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