Sadly, Bubba Smith, the former football star-turned-actor who was best known for his role as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movies, passed away of natural causes yesterday at the age of 66. Smith had a very successful nine-year career in the NFL and was part of the Super Bowl-winning 1970 Baltimore Colts, but it was his post-football foray into acting where he found his greatest fame. Say what you will about the quality of the Police Academy movies, but I always enjoyed watching them as a child and Bubba’s intimidating, but mild-mannered Hightower could always be counted on to provide some laughs. However, I have to say that my all-time favourite Bubba Smith moment had to be his guest appearance on an episode of Married With Children as Al Bundy’s old high school football rival, Spare Tire Dixon. This slow-motion confrontation between them set to the Chariots of Fire theme never fails to make me laugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BJ7-_-omnU