Bob Smith Obit 

George R. Smith died June 1st at age 88.  

His given name was George Robert Smith. Everybody called him ‘Smitty” in person, but during his career he would change his byline from Bob Smith to George Robert Smith and sometimes G. Robert Smith. No reason was needed.  

Bob Smith doesn’t deserve your typical obit. It’s true that he photographed every US President from Harry S. Truman to Bill Clinton. It’s true that Bob covered all kinds of assignments during his career including yearly brush fires in Malibu and Topanga celebrity, spot news, and lots of community news. It’s true that Bob won a ton of awards and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the PPAGLA in 2014, in recognition of his achievements. Once he was the news. More on this in a bit.

Perhaps the best way to learn about Bob Smith is to hear from his colleagues. Former staff photographer Roger Vargo said, “I remember Bob as a warm and kind person, a dedicated photographer, and an excellent boss.” 

We’ll also hear from former staff photogs Jim Ruebsamen, Rick Levine and Richard Mackson.

Bob got interested in photography at age seven. While serving in the Air Force he took a correspondence course in photography. He continued his education at Santa Monica College. Years later, he served as Chief Photographer of the Santa Monica Evening Outlook. After the paper was purchased by Copley, Bob worked for the Evening Outlook and Torrance Daily Breeze for nearly 40 years.

Vargo said, “I worked with Bob at the Evening Outlook in Santa Monica from 1976-1979, along with Jim Ruebsamen, Bill Beebe and Richard Mackson. Ken Papaleo was an intern. When I left in 1979, Rick Levine took my spot. The Outlook was the first “real” newspaper I worked at and I’m forever indebted to Bob for hiring me away from Ralph Samuels at the old Valley News and Greensheet.

Vargo continued, “I remember Bob as a decent human being and an excellent boss, traits that aren’t always compatible in the newspaper business. Bob had a self-deprecating sense of humor and was supportive and defensive of his staff. One of Bob’s enduring qualities was the way he would sometimes greet and reference other staffers, like “that young feller Mike Martine (sic)” (referring to reporter Mike Martinez).

Richard Mackson started working for Bob and the Evening Outlook while he was still in high school and later worked for Sports Illustrated.

Mackson said “To say that Bob Smith was an influence on my career is an understatement.”

Mackson recounts a funny story. “We used to do portraits in the studio and Smitty hated to do them. I walked into a session and this rather well dressed man was on the stool and Smitty was adjusting the lights.  Once he had the lights adjusted Smitty had him turn and as he prepared to click the shutter he muttered this famous line “Wet your lips and say “Shit” just as Dean Funk the publisher walked in and said “Good morning Monsignor”. That was so Smitty.

Jim Ruebsamen described Bob this way: “I worked for Bob for six years in the mid-1970s.  He was Chief Photographer at the Evening Outlook and worked there more than 30 years.  I had great admiration for Bob.  He shared little of his personal life but what I know of if it, it was anything but easy.  He was born during the Depression in St. Louis and his childhood was not easy.  While in the Air Force in Alaska, he took a correspondence course on how to be a photographer. I cannot imagine taking a correspondence course for photography and actually being able to succeed at the unusual job of newspaper photographer.”

Ruebsamen goes on to say, “He was an outstanding photographer and an incredibly flexible and patient man.  Despite the theory of working under deadline, editors from all divisions of the paper were always coming to Bob with the excuses of "I know I was supposed to get this assignment in by yesterday but can you please do it for me?"  He never turned them down and as a result worked overtime nearly every day. As he was management (on paper), he was never compensated for his long hours, loyalty and devotion.  On the daily assignment board, Bob, with rare exceptions, always gave out the better assignments to his staff (of two) and he would take the dog assignments without hesitation.  When I was there, the average workday would include 10 to 15 assignments and he would readily take 5 to 8 of them, leaving Roger Vargo (and later Rick Levine) and me to share the other 5 to 7.  I remember several times that Bob hit 10 assignments on one day. Granted, most were geographically close in the Santa Monica area but I know I could never match that feat.”

Then there is Bob’s “thing” with neckties.

Ruebsamen says, “Bob taught me a great deal about the nuances of our work that can usually only be learned through experience, thus saving me many rookie mistakes and possible embarrassments.  Early on when I came in to work he asked if my tie was a normal knotted tie. "Sure," I replied.  He said after work to get down to Sears and pick up a couple of clip-on ties and advised I not wear a knotted tie anymore.  Of course I asked why and he told a short story about meeting a celebrity, could have been Ricardo Montaban at the airport, when Montaban was returning to town after being involved in some problem and was in a bad mood.”

“Bob approached him to shoot a photo for the paper and Montlatban charged him and grabbed him by his knotted tie and dragged him against a wall and nearly strangled him. So, logically, Bob said get rid of your ties and get clip-ons which I did.  Fortunately, I never encountered such a situation but I did think about it when I was sent to shoot a disgruntled celebrity.”

Richard Mackson describes another necktie episode. “They were having a political demonstration at Santa Monica College and some demonstrators chased Bob into a phone booth.  One of the demonstrators grabbed his tie to choke him, the look on the demonstrator’s face was priceless. It was a clip-on tie.” 

Vargo said, ”Bob had some adventures and once became the news. He was awarded the nickname “Hillside Dangler” circa 1979. There was a massive boulder perched on the hillside above PCH in Malibu that was in danger of coming loose and obliterating anything in its path. PCH was closed in the vicinity of the boulder and CALTRANS made a large pad of dirt to cushion the boulder’s impact on the highway pavement when it was eventually blasted loose.“

“This was a big local news story and continued over several days as I recall. In an effort to get a better and more unique perspective on the rock, Smitty climbed his way up the hillside to a point above the rock so his photos would show the rock, empty highway and beach below. It was warm and sunny when Smitty made his ascent and he became fatigued (possibly dehydrated) by the effort and wasn’t able to climb back down. He was eventually rescued by Sheriff’s Air Rescue 5 (the old black and white Sikorsky S-58). He literally became the news story.”

Former staff photographer Rick Levine says. ”Bob “Smitty” Smith was my first boss on a daily newspaper in the Los Angeles area after graduating from photojournalism school. His jovial personality made the pressure and grind even enjoyable.  He was a dream manager because he encouraged creativity and imagination.  He gave you a free hand to do the job using your own ingenuity and resourcefulness. I particularly admired that he had been in the Air Force where he learned to be a photographer and that he appreciated my time in Vietnam as a military photographer. He fostered a teamwork environment with the other photographers in the department. It is a testament to how well we worked together that we have remained friends many years later.”

After the Evening Outlooks’ demise, Bob donated his negative collection containing thousands of images to the Santa Monica Library.

After retirement, he volunteered daily in Santa Monica, helping to serve lunches at the Senior Center. Bob had a great big smile that would light up the room. He shared kindness, compassion, and a joy for life with others.

Back in the day you would have heard this on the two-way radio: “KMK 938 Photo to Car 3. You are clear and 10-7. Peace and God’s speed.”

His life will be celebrated with a wake Saturday, July 31 at noon at the Auld Fella in Culver City. Contact his daughter Carole Smith for more details at carolesmith67@gmail.com