Smith's first acting role, at age 24, was in
Otto Preminger's 1960 epic
Exodus, which was filmed in
Israel. This was his first visit to the country. In 1967, Smith returned to Israel as a
Mahal volunteer in the
Six-Day War and remained for six years, appearing in locally filmed features and television productions. He received director credit on the 1970 documentary
Milhemet 20 HaShanim (
War of 20 Years) and the 1972 crime drama
Jacko Vehayatzaniot (
Jacko and the Prostitute or
Tel Aviv Call Girls). Between 1973 and 1977, Smith made a series of films with Michael Coby (pseudonym of
Antonio Cantafora), a couple formed with the purpose of copying the successful films of the duo
Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. Smith played
Bud Spencer-like characters while Coby was a
Terence Hill lookalike in
Bud & Terence-fashion. One of these films,
Convoy Buddies, was selected for American release by
Film Ventures International, and producer
Edward L. Montoro changed Smith's name to "Bob Spencer" and Cantafora's name to "Terrence Hall". Smith sued, successfully arguing that an actor's name recognition is vital to his career. The judicial system agreed and ruled against FVI, which paid Smith damages and court costs. Smith made appearances in such films as
21 Hours at Munich (1976),
Midnight Express (1978), as
Bluto in
Popeye (1980), and as
Glossu Rabban in
Dune (1984). On television, he appeared in such established series as
Emergency!,
CHiPS,
Wonder Woman,
Barney Miller and
Hawaii Five-O. == Personal life ==