Shelley Smith, a supermodel-turned-actor known for her role alongside Martin Short within the sitcom “The Associates,” has died on the age of 70.
Smith died on Aug. 8 at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital after going right into a coma brought on by cardiac arrest, her husband Michael Maguire confirmed in a Facebook video.
“Shelley lived an incredible life! We’re all heartbroken, but we’re also so fortunate to have been touched by this beautiful, intelligent, compassionate and incredible soul,” an emotional Maguire said as he held back tears.
“Life is so short. Make every second count and fill every second with love.”
Smith was born Oct. 25, 1952, in Princeton, Latest Jersey, and graduated from Connecticut College.
She launched her profession as a model within the early Seventies, landing the quilt of Harper’s Bazaar and getting features in Vogue, Mademoiselle and Glamour magazine, in accordance with Variety.
She made her small-screen debut in 1979 as a quick-witted Wall Street law clerk on the short-lived TV sitcom “The Associates” with Short, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Alley Mills.
The blonde 5’9” actress starred as Capt. Carolyn Engel in NBC’s 1983 military drama “For Love and Honor,” alongside Keenen Ivory Wayans and Yaphet Kotto. She made several guest appearances on numerous other shows, like “The Love Boat” and “Murder She Wrote.”
Smith was also a well-known face on a slew of celebrity game shows over time, including “Super Password,” “Body Language” and Dick Clark’s “$10,000 Pyramid.”
Later in life, she became an outspoken advocate for girls fighting fertility issues.
Smith founded The Egg Donor Program in 1991 after having twins, Nicky and Miranda, through in vitro fertilization after battling her own fertility issues. She sold the corporate, now often called Hatch Fertility, a couple of years ago. Her husband said she helped hundreds of ladies with their pregnancies.
“She loved helping people. Most of all, she helped me. She made me a significantly better person than I ever would have been. We had a fantastic marriage,” Maguire said.
“I don’t know how you can go on without her. But I do know that we had an incredible relationship, and it was as pure as anything could possibly be.”
