Walter Smith, a 1969 psychology graduate, is the multi-Emmy Award winning broadcast journalist “Barry Nolan.” After completing his degree at UT, he studied neurophysiology and theater history as a postgraduate, and worked as a psychiatric social worker. He began his broadcast journalism career as a lifestyle correspondent for WNBC-TV’s The Now! Show. He has anchored a number of television series and specials.
For nine years he cohosted the Boston-based syndicated news series Evening Magazine. For his work on the show, he won three Emmy Awards, as well as a Gabriel Award. In addition, he anchored the Fox Network show Beyond Tomorrow and the ABC primetime series Over the Edge. He served for seven years as coanchor of the long-running news magazine Hard Copy, winning an LA Press Club award for his work. He moved to Extra’s New York Bureau as senior correspondent, and then to CN8 Nitebeat. He has also appeared in films, including Birdcage and Primary Colors. He has made guest star roles on a number of television shows, including Steinfield, Dweebs, Politically Incorrect, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He also costarred in the Peabody Award winning drama, Tender Places, and has been a panelist for Says You! on National Public Radio.
In 2002 he appeared in Catfish Moon at UT’s Clarence Brown Theatre with David Keith and Ronnie Venable.