Bubba Smith

Smith is the rare athlete who became just as recognizable in his second act as his first. At Michigan State he was a defensive force so dominant that crowds chanted Kill, Bubba, Kill, and going first overall in the draft confirmed the hype. But for a whole generation he is Hightower from Police Academy, the gentle giant whose deadpan size was the joke and the heart. I love that he leaned into comedy instead of guarding some tough-guy image. He brought genuine warmth to the screen, and his early passing in 2011 felt like losing a friendly presence.

Bubba Smith (February 28, 1945 - August 3, 2011) was an American professional football player and actor. A standout defensive end at Michigan State University, he was the first overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft and played for teams including the Baltimore Colts, winning Super Bowl V. After football he became a popular actor, best known for playing Moses Hightower in the Police Academy film series. He died in 2011.

Name (English)

Bubba Smith

Name (Japanese)

ババ・スミス

Reading

ばば・すみす

Born

February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Pisces / Rooster

Origin

Beaumont, Texas, United States

Blood type

Private

Height

201cm

Agency

Private

Occupation

Television actor / Film actor / American football player / Actor / Basketball player

Elementary school

Private

Junior high

Private

High school

Private

University

Michigan State University

Spouse

Private

Children

Private

Parents

Private

Siblings

Private

Motto

Private

• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%90%E3%83%90%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B9

Tags

• Texas native
• Television actor
• Film actor
• American football player

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.