What Happened To Martha Smith? The Animal House Star Who Built Five Careers and Never Apologised

Martha Smith stood in that audition room, lines memorised, ready for her breakthrough.

General Hospital. Series regular. Dream role. The kind of steady work that builds careers.

Then... nothing. The words wouldn't come.

"I was devastated," she'd tell Mark Metcalf thirty-one years later, the sting still evident. "It was unprecedented for me."

The humiliation. The crushing disappointment. And the consolation prize: some silly college comedy called Animal House that nobody—least of all Martha—believed would amount to anything.

Director John Landis kept sending those ridiculous postcards to their motel mailboxes:

"We are making a classic movie!"

She thought he was delusional.

He turned out to be spectacularly right. She turned out to be spectacularly wrong.

But here's the thing about Martha Smith: she's been wrong about her career before. And every time she's been wrong, she's built something else.

This is the story of the woman who became a Playboy Playmate at 20, starred in one of the greatest comedies ever made, married into Hollywood royalty, walked away from television success at 35, moved to France, became a writer, became a singer, married a rock musician, built a real estate empire, wrote about politics, and returned to screens four decades later to play the same character—this time as a joke about her own career.

That's not failure. That's poetry.

The Original Dream: The Filmmaker Who Never Was

16th October 1952. Cleveland, Ohio.

Martha Anne Smith wasn't born into show business. No stage parents. No childhood dreams of stardom. She was raised in Farmington, Michigan—a normal Midwestern girl who happened to be striking.

Honour student. "Who's Who of American Students." At 17, she enrolled at Michigan State University to study psychology.

Smart. Ambitious. Quietly focused.

The modelling work found her whilst she was at university—her older sister was already with an agency. When Martha needed credentials for a trip showing clothing in Mexico, she called them. They signed her immediately.

She became in-demand quickly. Print work. Television commercials. Promotional appearances. The travel demands became so intense she had to abandon her studies.

Then a Playboy scout noticed her.

July 1973: Martha Smith became Playboy's Playmate of the Month. Centerfold photographed by Pompeo Posar. She was 20 years old.

But here's what nobody remembers about that July 1973 Playboy spread—her bio revealed her real dream:

"My dream is to do it all, write the script, direct, be totally involved with the production of a film. That's a very large dream, I know, but I want to do it anyway. For now, I'm writing script outlines and, with a few friends, shooting some small productions around Detroit."

She was 20 years old. She was already doing it.

Shooting 16mm documentaries around Detroit. Writing script outlines. Working with friends on small productions. Considering film school in California.

She didn't want to be an actress. She wanted to be a filmmaker.

That dream would haunt her for decades.

The Hollywood Apprenticeship

The Playboy photo shoots and press junkets sent Martha across the country. That road eventually led to California and the Universal Studios Contract Department.

She'd learn to act. She had a plan.

Beverly Garland—established actress and future hotel owner—took Martha under her wing. This mentorship would matter more than anyone knew at the time.

The unglamorous reality of building a career:

• Television commercials
• Small roles: "the girl in a bikini who was killed after one or two scenes"
• 1976: The very first cadaver Jack Klugman examined on the Quincy M.E. pilot
• Guest spots on Charlie's Angels, Happy Days, How the West Was Won

She was learning. Building skills. Paying dues. Waiting.

Hollywood Royalty: The Marriage That Opened Doors

15th May 1977: Martha Smith married Noel Blanc—son of Mel Blanc, the legendary voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and dozens of other iconic characters.

Hollywood royalty.

Suddenly Martha wasn't just another actress grinding through auditions. She was part of the Blanc family. That opened doors. That created connections. That also created pressure.

What was it like being married to Mel Blanc's son during her peak career years? Building your own career whilst being "Mrs. Blanc"? Did the marriage help or hurt her professional trajectory?

She won't say. The marriage lasted nine years—1977 to 1986—ending three years before Mel Blanc himself died in 1989.

But during that first year of marriage, something happened that would change Martha's life forever.

The Bet She Got Wrong

Summer 1977. Director John Landis was casting National Lampoon's Animal House.

Animal House (1978) Cast Then and Now: 47 Years Later

In 1978, John Belushi led Delta House in “Animal House.” 47 years later, discover where these actors ended up—from Kevin Bacon’s Hollywood royalty to John Belushi’s tragic legend, plus Sarah Holcomb’s mysterious disappearance that shocked the industry.

Rewind ZoneRichard Wells

Martha auditioned for Barbara "Babs" Jansen—the Mayor's daughter, the sorority girl, the walking embodiment of everything the Delta House boys were rebelling against.

But she wanted General Hospital more. The soap opera meant steady work, guaranteed exposure, long-term security.

She made it all the way to screen test. Then did something she'd never done before: forgot her lines.

"It meant I would have to do that silly college comedy Animal House instead of General Hospital, which, of course, would never amount to anything."

She told Mark Metcalf decades later.

October to December 1977. Filming in Eugene, Oregon.

John Belushi. Tim Matheson. Tom Hulce. Peter Riegert. A cast of unknowns and character actors making a comedy that would change cinema.

Landis kept the set energy "one decibel beneath frenetic all the time." He kept sending those postcards to their motel mailboxes. "We are making a classic movie!"

Nobody believed him.

Donald Sutherland famously chose a flat fee over profit participation and publicly regretted it for the rest of his life.

Martha's favourite accolade? Mad Magazine did a parody issue.

She'd bet on the safe choice. The safe choice rejected her. The risky choice became one of the most profitable films ever made relative to its budget.

She was 25 years old. She'd just starred in a phenomenon. The doors should have blown wide open.

They didn't.

The Peak: Scarecrow and Mrs. King

The late 1970s and early 1980s brought steady television work:

1979: Starred with Debbie Allen in CBS pilot Ebony, Ivory and Jade—her professional singing and dancing debut

1980: During the actors' strike, produced and starred in an award-winning production of Vanities (co-starring Rita Wilson, who would marry Tom Hanks)

1982: Cast as Sandy Horton on Days of Our Lives

Then the call came.

One month after leaving Days, she landed the pilot for Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Agent Francine Desmond: Intelligence agent. Professional nemesis to Kate Jackson's character. Four seasons. 88 episodes. 1983-1987.

Here's the connection nobody talks about: Her acting mentor, Beverly Garland, played Kate Jackson's mother (Dotty West) on the show. For four years, Martha worked alongside the woman who'd taught her to act.

Four years alongside Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner. Family-friendly spy drama. Cold War backdrop. Romance, humour, espionage.

The show was a hit. Martha was established. Recognised. Steady work. Industry respect. Everything an actress wants.

Then 1987 came. Kate Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer during season four. The show's dynamics changed. CBS cancelled it after that season.

Martha was 35. Prime career years ahead. Hollywood doors open.

She walked away.

The Eight Missing Years

This is where the story gets strange.

Scarecrow ended 1987. Real estate career started 1995.

Eight years. She was 35-43. Peak earning years for any actress with her résumé and connections.

What happened?

The late 1980s brought sporadic television work:

1988: The New Adventures of Beans Baxter (TV Movie)

1989: Who's the Boss? (guest appearance)

1990: The Scarecrow and Mrs. King Reunion (TV movie bringing back the characters fans loved)

1991: Max Monroe: Loose Cannon (TV pilot that didn't get picked up)

Then Martha made a decision.

No dramatic exit. No scandal. No public breakdown.

She just... left.

Exclusive Interview

In Conversation with Stephen Norrington

The Blade director opens up about his creative process, Hollywood politics, and what he's working on now

Cover artwork designed by Stephen Norrington

Read the Full Interview →

France, Music, and Starting Over

Early 1990s: Martha Smith moved to France.

Not fleeing. Not hiding. Exploring.

She'd spent her entire adult life—since age 17—either modelling or acting. Always performing. Always visible. Always "on." She spoke French fluently from her Michigan State studies. She wanted something different.

She lived there for several years. Exactly where, exactly how long—she's never said publicly. What matters is she gave herself permission to be someone other than "Babs from Animal House" or "Francine from Scarecrow."

When she returned to America, she came back different.

Late 1990s: Martha began writing. She co-authored a non-fiction book titled Downdating in 1996 (a small press or self-published work that has since become obscure). In 1997, she and a partner co-wrote a futuristic socio-political screenplay called Phoenix File.

She spent three years studying at UCLA—production, screenwriting, language. At 44, she was still chasing that filmmaker dream from when she was 20.

Then came the music.

1999: Martha started singing.

One of her singing partners was Keith England—formerly of The Allman Brothers Band, Montrose, and The Tubes. Legitimate rock credentials. He also worked in post-production, sang with various bands, contributed to film and TV projects.

They performed together in a cabaret act.

They fell in love.

7th May 2000: Martha Smith married Keith England.

She was 47. He was her musical and creative partner, not her industry connection. Unlike the first marriage to Hollywood royalty, this was built on shared artistic interests and mutual independence.

They settled in Beverly Hills, performing together, working together, building a life that had nothing to do with Hollywood's approval.

Twenty-five years later, they're still married.

The Third Career: Beverly Hills Real Estate Mogul

1995: At 43, Martha started her real estate career at Keller Williams Realty.

The timing matters:

• Eight years after Scarecrow ended
• Nine years after divorcing Noel Blanc
• Five years before marrying Keith England
• Two years before writing Phoenix File screenplay
• Age 43—starting over

The Beverly Garland connection: Her mentor owned the Beverly Garland Hotel. Successful actress turned successful businesswoman. Did Garland encourage the pivot to real estate?

The foundation: Exclusive, service-oriented, boutique-style agent. High-end clientele. Beverly Hills and Hollywood Hills. Nearly 100% referral-driven business.

The success:

2011: Gold Circle Award for Top Production + Keller Williams Agent of the Month

2011: HGTV cast her on reality series Selling LA ("A-list Rolodex including Matt Sorum from Guns N' Roses")

2012: Platinum Award for Top Production (Top 15 out of 350 agents)

2012: Global Realtor designation with IRES (can market and sell properties worldwide)

2023: #3 Top Sales Agent of the Month (March)

2023: #9 Top Closed Volume Individual Agent (out of 700+ agents)

Thirty years. She's been doing this for thirty years. At 73, she's still ranked in the top ten.

Most successful realtors retire comfortably by 65. Martha's 72 and still hustling. Her Keller Williams bio mentions "stoic philosophy borne of mid-western work ethic."

She won't explain why she's still working. Financial need? Psychological need? Genuine love of the work? Inability to stop?

She won't say.

The Political Turn: A Voice Beyond Hollywood

In her 2008 interview, Martha mentioned becoming politically active, including work on election integrity issues around 2004. She also described contributing to political podcasts for General Wes Clark's presidential campaign, discussing military issues, social justice, and broader political topics. These early campaign podcasts, typical of the volunteer-driven 2004 campaign era, were not formally archived.

From Playboy Playmate to political commentator. From Animal House sorority girl to civic engagement.

Martha Smith contained multitudes.

The Triumphant Returns: 2018

Forty years after Animal House changed her life, Martha had two significant public appearances.

26th January 2018: Netflix released A Futile and Stupid Gesture, a biographical film about National Lampoon co-founder Doug Kenney (who co-wrote Animal House).

Martha appeared as... Barbara "Babs" Jansen. The Universal Studios Tour Guide.

Remember that throwaway ending from the original film? "Barbara 'Babs' Jansen: Universal Studios Tour Guide"—the joke punchline suggesting Babs ended up in minimum wage work?

Forty years later, Martha played exactly that role. In a film about the man who created the character. That's not failure. That's meta-commentary. That's art.

29th April 2018: Martha appeared at the TCM Classic Film Festival for the 40th anniversary Animal House reunion panel.

Alongside surviving cast members, discussing the film's legacy, its cultural impact, its enduring quotability.

The Parade magazine photo: A candid shot of Martha walking through Los Angeles, 72 years old, looking healthy and content. The caption praised her timeless beauty.

But beauty wasn't the story. Agency was the story.

The Woman Who Chose Everything

By the time Otter delivers his final line in Animal House—"Otter: Beverly Hills gynaecologist"—we've watched the entire Delta House crew get their flash-forward endings.

Babs gets one too: "Barbara 'Babs' Jansen: Universal Studios Tour Guide."

For decades, that felt like a throwaway joke. A punchline about a vapid sorority girl reduced to minimum wage.

But Martha Smith had the last laugh.

She became a Playboy centrefold. Starred in one of the greatest comedies ever made. Appeared in 88 episodes of a network television series. Lived in France. Became a writer. Became a singer. Married a rock musician. Built a successful real estate empire. Wrote about politics. Appeared on reality television.

And in 2018—forty years after Animal House—she literally played Babs Jansen as a Universal Studios tour guide in a Netflix film about the man who created the character.

That's not failure. That's poetry.

The honour student from Farmington, Michigan who never sought the spotlight found it anyway. Used it. Then stepped away to build five different careers on her own terms.

Not a bad legacy for someone Hollywood keeps forgetting to remember.

Maybe that was the point all along.

💭 Author's Note:

This article is based on public interviews (particularly her 2008 conversation with Mark Metcalf), convention appearances, professional records, and widely reported information about Martha Smith's career and personal life. She has maintained significant privacy about many aspects of her life, and that privacy has been respected here. The focus remains on her professional choices and public work rather than speculation about private matters.

What's clear is that Martha Smith built exactly the life she wanted—multiple times over—and never needed Hollywood's validation to do it.