▁( F ebru ary ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁- ▁February ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 ) ▁was ▁a ▁v au dev ille ▁com ed ian ▁with ▁Charles ▁D ale ▁( 1 8 8 1 - 1 9 7 1 ) ▁ ▁as ▁the ▁act ▁Smith ▁& ▁D ale . ▁ ▁Biography ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁as ▁Joseph ▁S ult zer ▁ ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁in ▁Manh attan , ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁He ▁partner ed ▁with ▁Charles ▁D ale ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁after ▁they ▁had ▁met ▁coll iding ▁in ▁a ▁b icy cling ▁accident . ▁One ▁of ▁their ▁first ▁performances ▁was ▁with ▁Will ▁L ester ' s ▁Imperial ▁V au dev ille ▁& ▁Com edy ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁Smith ▁and ▁D ale ▁head lined ▁the ▁first ▁all - American ▁variety ▁bill ▁to ▁tour ▁Europe ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁They ▁later ▁went ▁to ▁Hollywood , ▁where ▁they ▁made ▁films ▁for ▁Warner ▁Brothers , ▁ 2 0 th ▁Century ▁Fox , ▁and ▁Param ount ▁Pictures ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁Neil ▁Simon ▁produced ▁ ▁The ▁Sun sh ine ▁Boys , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁Smith ▁and ▁D ale . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁at ▁the ▁L ill ian ▁Bo oth ▁Act ors ▁Home ▁in ▁Eng le wood